12350: Navigating Field Work in Emotionally Challenging Contexts

Saturday, July 26, 2025

08:00 - 10:30 CEST (GMT+2)

Location: Bella Center: MR17

Session Type: PDW (workshop)
Orientation: Research,Diversity
Shareable link: https://cdmcd.co/Edmy55

Organizer(s)

MS

Mary Miata Struzska-Tyamayev

Boston College, United States
GF

Greg Fetzer

U. of Liverpool, United Kingdom

Moderator(s)

SM

Sally Maitlis

U. of Oxford, United Kingdom

Presenter(s)

KR

Kimberly Rocheville

Creighton U., United States
GS

Gabriel Robert Sala

Boston College, United States
KS

Katina Sawyer

U. of Arizona, United States
KE

Kimberly D. Elsbach

U. of California, Davis, United States
LL

Laura McAndrews Little

U. of Georgia, United States

Fieldwork and interviews in emotionally challenging contexts—such as workplace harassment, trauma, physical pain, mental and emotional strains, organizational crises, or interpersonal conflicts—often require researchers to explore sensitive and potentially distressing subjects. These interactions and interviews can trigger strong emotions in both the participants and the researchers themselves, challenging the ethical and methodological considerations of the research process. Further, researchers may experience emotional distress and vicarious trauma when engaging with participants who have experienced profound emotional or traumatic events. How does the field researcher navigate these challenges? This interactive workshop addresses the need for specialized guidance in conducting research within emotionally challenging contexts, through sharing general practices and individual-level feedback.