Coping with Emotionally Challenging Research: Developing a Strategic Approach to Researcher Wellbeing

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Humanities
• Psychology

Background:

• Growing attention on research culture, particularly in the UK, highlights the need to address the impacts of emotionally challenging research.
• Previous work has identified potential negative impacts on researchers, but senior leadership engagement is a recent development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impacts of studying emotionally challenging topics on researchers.
• To identify current coping mechanisms and desired support systems for researchers.
• To develop an ethical framework and strategic institutional response for supporting researchers in emotionally demanding studies.

Main Methods:

• In-depth study involving researchers across various disciplines in humanities and social sciences.
• Analysis focused on identifying helpful preventative and coping strategies.
• Formulation of a phased institutional response based on study findings.

Main Results:

• Identified current researcher needs for support in preventing and coping with distress.
• Findings inform ethical design of research to minimize secondary and vicarious trauma.
• Developed a three-stage (Bronze, Silver, Gold) institutional strategy for researcher wellbeing.

Conclusions:

• Institutions must proactively address researcher wellbeing in emotionally challenging research.
• A phased approach (awareness, training, holistic support) can effectively mitigate distress.
• Implementing strategic institutional responses is crucial for ethical research practices and researcher welfare.