The exemption for “benign behavioral interventions” is a new one to research with human participants. Research involving children is ineligible for this exemption. To be considered a “benign behavioral intervention,” interventions conducted in research with human beings must meet all of the following criteria. The intervention must be:

• brief in duration;
• harmless;
• painless;
• not physically invasive; and
• unlikely to have significant adverse lasting impact on the people participating in your research.

If your intervention meets all the above criteria, then it may be a “benign behavioral intervention” eligible for the exemption. Additional criteria apply to the exemption, so please proceed to the next question.

If you have any doubts about whether the interventions meet one or more of the above criteria, please contact the IRB.