Emotional impact of research on PhD students

Willis, Rosalind, Lewzey, Paul Graham, Mulkey, Heather and Sanchez Garcia, Ruben (2020) Emotional impact of research on PhD students Southampton. University of Southampton 39pp.

Abstract

Researchers can be emotionally affected by working on particular topics, such as illness or violence. Novice researchers, such as Doctoral students, may be particularly affected. However, research methods training does not typically include skills on how to cope with this. The small body of existing literature on emotional impacts focuses on qualitative research methods, but it is likely that researchers using other methods are affected too. This research project aimed to identify the extent to which PGR students at the University of Southampton are emotionally affected by their research. Focus Group Discussions were conducted with students from two Faculties to identify the range of issues experienced, and an online survey with all five Faculties was conducted to establish how widespread the issues are. Almost two hundred participants responded to the survey, reporting a wide range of emotional impacts of their Doctoral work. Some impacts were related specifically to the topic or methodology (not just qualitative methodologies), while others were related to Doctoral studies in general. There was clear evidence that some PGR students experience emotional effects from their research topic, but they were not always able to find effective coping strategies. While just over a third of survey respondents reported being distressed by their data collection, nearly half thought it was inappropriate to discuss emotional issues with their supervisors, despite supervisors having a pastoral care role. The most commonly used coping strategies were self-help, although institutional support was drawn on to a lesser extent. There were some concerns that University support services were not oriented toward the needs of PGR students, and that the responsibility for PGR wellbeing was not always clear. There were requests for additional support, such as mentoring, and greater communication of the support that is already available. Supervisors could consider encouraging their students to discuss the emotional nature of their research more openly, and reflexive diaries may be a useful methodological technique for PGRs to adopt.

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Contributors

Author: Rosalind Willis

Author: Heather Mulkey

Author: Ruben Sanchez Garcia

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