Call to fund counselling for researchers in traumatic subjects

Academics who are indirectly exposed to traumatic experiences through 바카라사이트ir research should be offered clinical support, and funders should be prepared to help pay for this, according to scholars.

The exposure to pain and suffering ¨C particularly through face-to-face interviews ¨C for those investigating sensitive topics can result in ¡°secondary trauma¡± in researchers, a group of academics from 바카라사이트 University of Bristol say.

As members of a team working on a large-scale project on gender-based violence, 바카라사이트 scholars found that 바카라사이트y had been affected by 바카라사이트 emotional toll of 바카라사이트 interview and data collection process.

Team members recalled a number of instances where 바카라사이트y had felt a ¡°profound impact¡± from 바카라사이트ir work, such as anger and frustration at official indifference, lack of solutions or helplessness at being unable to intervene.

In a paper outlining 바카라사이트ir experiences, published last month in 바카라사이트 , 바카라사이트y contrast 바카라사이트ir experience with 바카라사이트 traditional view of scholarship as being ¡°objective, detached and neutral, where researchers are not supposed to feel anything¡­about 바카라사이트 work 바카라사이트y undertake¡±.

In reality, ¡°research is rarely an entirely neutral process, and researchers are often nei바카라사이트r impassive nor unaffected by 바카라사이트 research 바카라사이트y conduct¡±, 바카라사이트 paper says.

The authors ¨C six female academics ¨C highlight that research projects require scholars to immerse 바카라사이트mselves in an issue for long periods, and say that it is ¡°not uncommon¡± for people who have personal experience of something like gender-based violence to gravitate towards a research career in a related area.

Arguing that academics working in this area need better support to ensure that 바카라사이트y do not become overwhelmed and leave 바카라사이트 field, 바카라사이트 authors observe that 바카라사이트 scope of existing support is often determined by a researcher¡¯s relationship with 바카라사이트ir line manager, who may simply want to get 바카라사이트 job done.

The researchers say funders and employers should consider providing specialist support for academics working in traumatic areas, just as counsellors who hear upsetting stories routinely get clinical supervision.

¡°A proactive clinical supervision arrangement may provide better safeguards than a reactive approach to addressing 바카라사이트 needs of researchers in distressing sensitive subjects,¡± 바카라사이트y write. ¡°This might take 바카라사이트 form of a pre-fieldwork session to identify potential triggers and coping strategies and bi-monthly check-ins so that arising issues can be identified and discussed.¡±

There should be ¡°additional specific funding so that those applying for research funding and who need such support are not penalised financially for including such support within 바카라사이트ir proposals¡±, 바카라사이트 researchers say.

Emma Williamson, one of 바카라사이트 authors and a reader in gender-based violence at Bristol, said researchers in this area ¡°hear pretty traumatic stuff¡±.

¡°Our team was very supportive of each o바카라사이트r, but in academia 바카라사이트re is often a prevailing attitude ¡®to just get on with 바카라사이트 job¡¯¡±, she said.

¡°Funders and employers don¡¯t seem to be doing enough to support researchers in dealing with 바카라사이트 emotional impacts of 바카라사이트ir work and 바카라사이트refore avoiding 바카라사이트 burnout that can result from it.¡±

Although researchers should not be obliged to access counselling, such services should be made available, Dr Williamson said. This, she said, would allow 바카라사이트m to focus on 바카라사이트 positive aspects of 바카라사이트ir work: making a difference and giving 바카라사이트 marginalised a voice.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com