An American sign language consent film

Abstract: The National Center for Deaf Health Research in Rochester, NY, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded Prevention Research Center, recently implemented a randomized controlled trial of a healthy life style program for overweight and obese Deaf adults. In order to be culturally and linguistically appropriate, the informed consent written English language document was translated into American Sign Language (ASL). A filmed, scripted scenario was then created in which Deaf actors portray researchers and participants discussing the informed consent process. The conversational nature of the scenario reflects deaf community cultural norms and is an effective way of conveying information in ASL. The translation group and the filming team included both members of the research team and members of the Deaf community, in accordance with community based participatory research methods. Research participants viewed the film and then met with a sign-fluent researcher to ask questions and confirm their understanding of the consent and sign a one-page English consent document. To our knowledge, this is the first time an informed consent form has been translated into a dialogic ASL scenario targeted to deaf research participants. Deaf participants responded well to the consent process. For researchers who wish to include deaf participants, providing an option to view informed consent in their native language is in line with best practices.