Young, D.R., Hooker, D.T., Freeberg, F.E. (1990). Informed Consent Documents: Increasing Comprehension by Reducing Reading Level. Ethics and Human Research, 12(3), 1-5.

Young, D.; Hooker, D.; Freeberg, F.

1990

Young, D.R., Hooker, D.T., Freeberg, F.E. (1990). Informed Consent Documents: Increasing Comprehension by Reducing Reading Level. Ethics and Human Research, 12(3), 1-5.

geen

In this study, two versions of a consent form describing a pair test of a mouthwash product were developed. We created a Low Reading Level consent form, written at about the 6th grade level (according to the Flesh-Kincaid readability formula) and a High Reading Level form, written at about college graduate level. We tested comprehension of both forms. The readability level of the forms affected comprehension.

Subjects' comprehension was affected by the reading level of the consent form. Comprehension also decreased as the formal education of subjects decreased. However, comprehension was not affected by the 15-minute delay (half of the subjects answered the comprehension questions immediately and half of the subjects answered the questions after a 15-minute delay).

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