Researchers working with emotionally demanding research

Team: Dr Lissette Aviles, Dr Karen Goodall, Dr Fay Huntley, Dr Gillian Radford, Prof Amy Chandler, and Dr Hazel Marzetti

School: Health in Social Science

Abstract

Certain research that involves sensitive topic areas can take a toll on researchers. Given the increasing emphasis on impactful research, including engagement with stakeholders and individuals with lived experience, researchers now find themselves in a research.  environment they would not have been exposed to historically. Burrell et al. (2023) offer a number of. recommendations, at the individual, team and organisational level, to improve the support for researchers working with emotionally demanding research (EDR). However, currently, there is limited to no such provision in place for PGR students at the University of Edinburgh. 

In order to address this gap, we will adopt an evidence-based, co-production approach to developing guidelines and recommendations to support PGR students and supervisors who work with EDR, and thereby create a more open and reflective research culture across the University. The findings will inform the development and generation of co-produced guidelines and recommendations in the form of an infographic/short video to support PGR students working with EDR at the University and beyond.