Ethical Approval & Informed Consent Policy

Journal of Innovation and Technology in Human Kinetics (J Innov Technol Hum Kinet) requires that all research involving human participants, personal data, biological samples, or animal subjects adhere to recognized international ethical standards. Authors must ensure that their studies comply with institutional, national, and international guidelines governing responsible research conduct.

1. Ethical Approval for Human Research

Any study that involves human participants—whether through experimentation, observation, physical testing, interviews, surveys, biomechanical analyses, or use of personal health information—must receive prior approval from:

an Institutional Review Board (IRB),
an Ethics Committee, or
another formally recognized oversight body.

The manuscript must clearly state:

the name of the approving institution,
the approval number or reference code (if provided),
and the date of approval.

If ethical approval was deemed unnecessary by an institution, authors must provide an official statement or documentation supporting this exemption.

2. Informed Consent

Researchers must obtain voluntary, informed consent from all participants before collecting data. Consent procedures must ensure that participants:

understand the purpose of the study,
are aware of any risks or benefits,
are informed about data usage and storage,
and have the right to withdraw without penalty.

For studies involving minors or legally vulnerable individuals, consent must be obtained from a parent or legal guardian, and assent from the participant when appropriate.

3. Privacy, Confidentiality, and Data Protection

Authors must guarantee that personal information is handled with strict confidentiality. Any published data must be anonymized so that participants cannot be identified.

Use of identifiable images, videos, or case details requires explicit written consent from the individual(s) depicted. Copies of consent forms may be requested by the editorial office during the review process.

Data collection and storage must adhere to recognized privacy standards, including:

institutional regulations,
national data protection laws, and
international guidelines such as GDPR when applicable.

4. Ethical Standards for Animal Research

Studies involving animals must comply with:

institutional animal care guidelines,
national legislation on animal welfare, and
internationally accepted standards (e.g., ARRIVE, OECD, or equivalent).

Manuscripts must include a statement describing the ethical treatment of animals and the measures taken to minimize discomfort or distress.

5. Secondary Data, Databases, and Retrospective Studies

When research uses pre-existing datasets, registries, or retrospective information, authors must specify:

whether ethical approval was required,
how data access was granted,
and how privacy and confidentiality were protected.

Authors using publicly available datasets must verify that use complies with the original data-sharing terms.

6. No Ethical Approval? Mandatory Explanation

If a study does not require ethics approval according to the authors’ institution, a clear explanation must be included in the manuscript. Examples include: