Leading Practices to Safeguard the Mental Health of Investigators and Trainees in Research Teams

Although the stresses associated with academia and graduate studies are well recognized, there remains a gap in our understanding of how best to support the mental health of investigators and trainees in research teams. As part of the Healthy Professional Worker Partnership, we collected insights from trainees, co-investigators, the project director and the co-leads of a trainee support network. Their research involved conducting interviews that sometimes addressed sensitive or traumatic subjects. Using a public health theoretical framework with inductive thematic analysis of exit interviews and written feedback, we developed guidance for safeguarding the mental health of researchers. Key responsive interventions to address mental health challenges included regular training and check-ins, reducing the frequency of the interviews conducted by trainees and applying strategies to handle the mental health impacts of their content, and proactive workload management. Promising practices emerged, such as establishing a trainee support network and a compendium of resources, integrating debrief time, ensuring clear communication, and adapting expectations and timelines. Recommendations emphasize the importance of responsiveness, collaboration and flexibility, alongside a formalized onboarding process. Research teams, especially those that are large, geographically distributed, or undertaking research on challenging issues, need a systematic approach to promotion of mental health, prevention of mental ill-health, and remediation of mental illness. This study offers practical guidance for fostering healthier and more supportive research environments.