Trauma-informed research and distress

Individuals experience trauma or distress and cope in different ways. Research projects and settings also vary and so the risk of trauma, re-traumatisation, or distress. Guidance cannot cover every scenario and there will always be judgement and discretion required on what is appropriate. However, researchers should always plan ahead, think how risks could be mitigated, and ensure the benefits of the research outweigh any risks.

In professional settings, such as public services, there is a move towards ‘trauma-informed’ practice – recognising and understanding the prevalence of trauma and how it might impact individuals, incorporating this into working practices.

A common concern for reviewers of ethics applications is how distress and trauma (particularly re-traumatisation) will be managed if it occurs during or due to a research encounter. This is mainly around research on sensitive topics or with specific populations, however distress or re-traumatisation can occur outside of these contexts. Applying a ‘trauma-informed’ approach to research may help researchers understand the risks, impact on participants and others, and plan accordingly.

Trauma-informed practice

This section has been adapted towards a research scenario from the NES ‘Transforming Psychological Trauma: A knowledge and skills framework for the Scottish workforce’

Trauma-informed practice is where workers recognise and understand the prevalence of trauma and how it might impact individuals, incorporating this into their working practices. This relies on five principles:

  • choice
  • collaboration
  • trust
  • empowerment

Ethics applications

This section provides guidance on what to think about and include when planning your study and ethics application. 

Resources

External resources used in the development of this guidance.