Understanding and supporting the mental well-being of academic mental health researchers

BackgroundAcademic mental health research is critical to understanding, treating and preventing mental illness. Despite regular exposure to distressing research material, the well-being of mental health researchers is not systematically supported in UK universities. This study aimed to quantitatively characterise the well-being and support needs of this group.MethodsUK academic mental health researchers (n=254) answered an online survey in March 2024. We tested associations between demographic, health, and work-related factors alongside secondary traumatic stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, and maladaptive coping strategies. We also compared researchers’ support experience with their perceived support need.ResultsMental health researchers using qualitative methods reported higher levels of secondary traumatic stress and burnout than those using quantitative methods, as did those with a disability or chronic illness (compared to those without). Having lived experience of a mental health condition was the largest predictor of poorer well-being. We found some evidence that identifying as LGBTQIA+ was associated with increased secondary traumatic stress. There were important differences between the types of support researchers experience with those they report they need, and evidence that more guidance is needed on how support could be costed into funding applications.ConclusionsThe findings highlight the wealth of lived experience amongst mental health researchers, and the importance of providing systematic proactive support for this group, as well as for those using qualitative methodologies. Recommendations include developing researcher well-being plans, costing clinical supervision into grant applications where appropriate, consideration of researcher well-being within ethics applications, and regular end of project debriefs. Keywords: researcher well-being; mental health; secondary traumatic stress; burnout; compassion satisfaction; coping strategies; higher education