Increasing Awareness of Researcher Mental Health Article uri icon

abstract

  • The European Research Area currently faces a massive challenge in the form of the psychological distress of researchers at all levels of research. The number of reported cases of stress, isolation, burn-out, depression and other mental disorders are exponentially growing. These symptoms may be exacerbated by increasingly high levels of researcher mobility due to the lower degree of emotional maintenance. Very little has been done to address this issue at local, national and European levels. Currently small, often localized attempts have been taken to aid researchers in distress. The UK-based Vitae network, the work of Trinity College Dublin and small bottom-up European researcher initiatives, such as, the Rumo Platform or TranSkills, are relevant examples of ways to address this challenge. On a global level, the WHO has been advocating for the promotion of good practices within organisations which universities should adopt. In 2016, the Bratislava Declaration of Young Researchers proposed that implementing sustainable career trajectories and flexible research environments would support a healthy work-life balance and reduce stress for Europe's researchers. Most importantly, the implementation of family-friendly policies that encourage a positive work-life balance can improve female participation in research. The organisers of this workshop want to stress the timeliness of this issue, as this psychological epidemic will have a significant effect on the output of European research, risking the European Commission’s objective of putting Europe into a leading position in global research publications. This workshop is being organised with the involvement of major opinion leaders, researchers, service providers, and researcher community representatives affected by and working on the phenomenon of the high levels of mental stress experienced by researchers.

publication date

  • 2018