Sikes, P. and Hall, M. (2019) Too close for comfort?: ethical considerations around safeguarding the emotional and mental wellbeing of researchers using auto/biographical approaches to investigate ‘sensitive’ topics. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 43 (2). pp. 163-172. ISSN 1743-727X
Abstract
Auto/biographical narrative research that touches on ‘sensitive’ areas can elicit accounts that researchers may find distressing and threatening to their emotional and psychological health. In this paper we offer a ‘confessional tale’ through which we consider our experiences of investigating a sensitive and painful topic from the perspectives of the Principal Investigator who was intimately acquainted with the field of study because it affected her own family, and of the Research Associate who had no prior experience of the substantive area. We discuss how we dealt with our distress and pain and offer some novel suggestions that other educational researchers using qualitative approaches might adopt to help ensure that their research is ethical in that the wellbeing of researchers, as well as participants, is safeguarded.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an author-produced version of a paper subsequently published in International Journal of Research and Method in Education. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | sensitive research; relational ethics; ethics of care; auto/ biographical approaches; researcher well-being; dementia |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Social Sciences (Sheffield) > School of Education (Sheffield) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number ALZHEIMER'S SOCIETY 203 (AS-PG-2013-038) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 24 Jul 2019 09:46 |
Last Modified: | 22 May 2024 14:30 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Taylor & Francis |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/1743727x.2019.1636025 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:148397 |