Considerations in the Use of Active and Passive Parental Consent Procedures

Abstract
Issues associated with the use of active and passive parental consent procedures are reviewed. Active consent procedures satisfy legal and ethical requirements but include problems such as low response rates, nonrepresentative samples, and costly implementation. Passive consent, however, has been questioned regarding its ability to adequately inform parents. Factors associated with developing appropriate consent mechanisms are examined, and proposals for improving research in this area are made.