Sensitive, Challenging, and Difficult Topics: Experiences and Practical Considerations for Qualitative Researchers


Silverio, SA ORCID: 0000-0001-7177-3471, Sheen, KS, Bramante, A, Knighting, K, Koops, TU, Montgomery, E, November, L, Soulsby, LK ORCID: 0000-0001-9071-8654, Stevenson, JH, Watkins, M ORCID: 0000-0003-3933-182X et al (show 2 more authors) (2022) Sensitive, Challenging, and Difficult Topics: Experiences and Practical Considerations for Qualitative Researchers International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 21. 16094069221124739-. ISSN 1609-4069, 1609-4069

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Abstract

Qualitative researchers often engage in work addressing challenging, difficult, or sensitive topics and are consequently exposed to the participants’ narratives which may be emotionally charged, distressing, or compromising. These narratives occasionally rest heavy on a researcher’s conscience or may linger in the mind. Much literature has assessed how best to keep participants safe, but less attention has been given to how we keep researchers safe. We therefore document the following: (1) Our experiences of the issues presented by undertaking qualitative research involving challenging, difficult, or sensitive topics; and (2) Practical principles devised to overcome these issues, ensuring safety and wellbeing amongst researchers engaging in these types of qualitative research. We provide guidance for qualitative researchers of all levels of experience and expertise on how best to protect and support themselves, their colleagues, and other collaborating research staff, when undertaking qualitative research which might otherwise feel uncomfortable or overwhelming to tackle.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: qualitative research, interviews, focus groups, sensitive information, supervision, researcher burnout, research fatigue, secondary trauma, traumatic stress, qualitative praxis, qualitative methods, researcher safety and wellbeing
Divisions: Faculty of Health & Life Sciences
Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Population Health
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 06 Feb 2023 16:51
Last Modified: 24 Jan 2026 03:52
DOI: 10.1177/16094069221124739
Open Access URL: https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069221124739
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URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3168217
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