Empowering Neurodiverse Voices in Research Ethics through a Playful Card-Based Approach

A playful, card-based research ethics toolkit is presented here as a means of involving neurodivergent people, including those with intellectual disabilities, in discussions about research ethics. The work's central aim is to validate a set of 39 easy-to-read, illustrated cards and to raise ethics awareness through play, with the cards developed and tested through "Broken Phone" games and card debates. The validation drew on 56 participants across Portugal and Brazil, mostly neurodivergent adults in Portugal and university students and researchers in Brazil, with the Portuguese work carried out at organisations such as APPACDM and CECD and the Brazilian sessions at ISERJ and UFRJ.

Findings from the two validation rounds point to a generally positive reception alongside clear areas for revision. Playful formats kept participants engaged, and in Brazil 35 of 36 participants reported learning something new while 28 of 36 judged the cards effective as facilitation tools. However, fourteen cards were flagged by neurodivergent participants as needing changes, and some participants struggled with the wording and were reluctant to offer criticism. These concerns prompted simplified card fronts, with detailed explanations moved to the backs for facilitators, along with clarification of colour-coding and layout use. Participants also found the word "adaptations" more familiar than expected.

The evidence is limited in scope and completeness. Full validation of all 39 cards was not achieved owing to time constraints, and the samples, though cross-national, are modest in size. The stated next steps are iterative revision of the cards and the production of a facilitation guide. The closing reference material situates the approach within the literature on adult playfulness and play theory, but it offers no independent results on research ethics or neurodiversity.