A sensitive issue: Why content warnings are important in market research

x Sponsored content on Research Live and in Impact magazine is editorially independent.
Find out more about advertising and sponsorship.

Researchers have a duty to carefully consider the risks and consequences associated with their research. Research that is classed as ‘sensitive’ carries with it particular risks that need to be managed, with specific consideration given to the potential consequences of these risks. This includes risks and consequences for:

• Individual researchers
• Research participants
• Individuals, groups and communities connected with the research participants or the research topic or focus
• The reputation of MRS and its members.

To minimise the potential impact for the individuals or groups concerned, it is important that researchers undertaking sensitive research consider beforehand what potential risks may arise and to whom, and how these risks could be removed, reduced or best managed.

Learn about the subject matter

It’s important that you are not overwhelmed by the topics you are researching, as this will make it harder for participants to feel comfortable talking openly. The best way to prevent this is to familiarise yourself with the subject matter ahead of the session.

You can do this through desk research, or by speaking to an expert or someone who has done similar research before. Experts such as charities and support networks might also be able to help you recruit participants.

Learning about the subject will help you decide whether you feel comfortable doing the research. If you react negatively to the subject matter, or have traumatic associations with it, it’s absolutely fine to say you do not feel the project is right for you.

Think about the whole process

It’s worth remembering that the participant’s journey begins before they sit down and start talking to you. Thinking about the whole research process means considering things such as the language you are using in recruitment materials and information sheets.

Leave more time between sessions than usual

On a standard project, you might do three or four full days of research in a row. If you’re working on something emotionally sensitive, this is probably not a good idea. In these cases, it’s better to leave a day or so in between rounds of research – and do fewer sessions per day – as this gives you time to reflect on what you have heard and make sure you are ready to tackle the next round.

Build a rapport with participants

It can often be difficult for participants to discuss sensitive or personal issues, which means it’s extra important to build a rapport, so they feel comfortable enough to participate.

This might involve including some time at the beginning of the session for the participant to choose what to talk about, or being prepared to go off script if the conversation moves in a different direction.

You could also go through the consent form and clarify that you are there to hear about their experiences.

Help people who need more support

It’s tempting to give advice or try to help people out if you see they are in distress, or going through something difficult. As a researcher, you must remain objective – your role is to understand, not advise. However, it’s OK to direct the participant to places where they could get more information and support following the session. A subject-matter expert should be able to let you know where to point participants who need extra support.

Deal with the emotional impact of the research

Listening to people’s traumatic experiences can be distressing, especially if you’re running several sessions on the same subject. Make sure you take some time to relax after the sessions – it’s important to unwind and switch off from the work you are doing.

You could also take part in peer-support sessions, in which you take the time to reflect on the research with someone else, or support services offered by your organisation.

Content and trigger warnings

Clearly state the nature of the sensitive content, to give participants a fair warning. For example, you could use ‘trigger warning: graphic violence’ or ‘sensitive content: discussions on mental health’. Choose an appropriate font and size. Ensure that the text is legible and easy to read.
Content warnings are verbal or written notices that precede potentially sensitive content. These notices flag the content of the material that follows, so readers, listeners or viewers can prepare themselves to adequately engage or, if necessary, disengage for their own wellbeing.

Trigger warnings are a specific variety of content warning that attempt to forewarn audiences of content that may cause intense physiological or psychological symptoms for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other anxiety disorders.

PTSD and other anxiety disorders are mental health disabilities that have physical, emotional and mental symptoms triggered by stimuli that recall an individual’s experience of trauma.

Individuals do not have control over what triggers them, but many have personal strategies they use to cope with triggers when they must be encountered.

Those strategies generally work best when the trigger is expected and can be prepared for in advance of the encounter. Hence the importance of content or trigger warnings: they give people the forewarning necessary to make use of the strategies that will decrease the harmfulness of encountering triggering material.

In the context of the data-collection activity, content warnings might be provided on the research invitation, spoken verbally during the research, or sent out as emails, for example.

They might include forewarnings of challenging moments in texts, material that will be covered in the data collection, videos viewed during the data collection, and topics that the researcher expects will come up in discussion.

Content warnings and trigger warnings are not intended to censure researchers. On the contrary, warning participants of challenging material can help their engagement by giving them the ability to take charge of their own health and wellbeing. However, participants must always be given the opportunity to skip any part of the data collection or step out of the room for a few minutes when the challenging material is being discussed, because their mental health and safety are more important than their engagement with the material.

mrs.org.uk/standards/mrs-guidance