Why children’s research assent matters: Exploring three dimensions of autonomy

Kajsa Norberg Wieslander, Tove Godskesen, Anna T. Höglund, Sara Frygner-Holm, Niklas Juth, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Centre for Research Ethics , Uppsala University, Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Nord University, Department of Women, s and Children, s Health, Uppsala University, Department of Learning, Management and Ethics , Stockholm Centre for Healthcare Ethics , Karolinska Institute

Nursing Ethics: An International Journal for Health Care Professionals

Published online on March 03, 2026

Abstract

Nursing Ethics, Volume 33, Issue 5, Page 1504-1514, August 2026.
Children’s assent is an ethical and legal requirement for research that involves them. Nevertheless, studies suggest that children with cancer are not always involved in research decisions. This raises important ethical questions about how children’s ...