The emotional impact of research on PhD students

Abstract

Many Gerontology PhD students are expected to work with data about sensitive topics. This could involve topics such as caregiving for a family member with dementia, experiences of elder abuse, or plans for death and dying. Communicating with people about such experiences can be distressing for the student, but novice researchers typically have not been adequately prepared for handling those feelings.
PhD students receive a lot of training in research methodology and academic skills, but little training is available about the emotional impact of the research. University ethics committees emphasise the avoidance of harm to research participants, and also consider the physical safety of researchers. Less emphasis is given to the emotional consequences of the research on the researchers. An emerging literature where academics reflect on their own experiences reveals that even experienced researchers can face unexpected emotional turmoil from engaging in their projects.
This presentation will discuss a project carried out with PhD students to ascertain the nature and scope of emotional impacts of their research upon them, and make recommendations for how to better prepare and support them for their research. The presentation will be useful for PhD supervisors, students, and researchers of all levels of experience.

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ORCID for Rosalind Willis: orcid.org/0000-0001-6687-5799

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