Embodying well-being in research: Key principles and praxis

Research increasingly points to well-being as a public priority, integral to the health of individuals and communities. However, well-being research may be threatened by practices embedded in academic culture, given that 20-50% of young researchers are estimated to suffer from anxiety and depression and 30-50% choose to leave higher education altogether. We have arrived at a crossroads, in which we may choose to adopt approaches that prioritize well-being for all through a praxis that holds compassion and scientific rigor in equal measure. Acknowledging this opportunity, we propose a system of principles and practices for conducting equitable and inclusive well-being research. By focusing on the culture, institutions, and systems that implicitly shape research, this framework prioritizes axiology, or a value orientation towards the practice of knowledge production. Specifically, we advocate for principles to: 1) cultivate belonging, 2) center communities, 3) question cultural systems, and 4) embody cultural change. Developed through a collaborative, interdisciplinary process, this framework reflects the collective values of emerging scholars, a population distinctly underrepresented in thought leadership, despite their essential contributions to scientific productivity and innovation. This framework also aims to place researchers in solidarity with communities, inviting continued contributions from those historically excluded from the research enterprise.