Purpose

This paper aims to present the critical reflections of three women implementers formerly working in projects that seek to support the mental health and well-being (MHW) of postgraduate researchers (PGRs), which has become a recent focus for UK researchers and policymakers. The paper offers an experience-based perspective on tensions in PGR-MHW project implementation by providing personal accounts of several social dilemmas the authors encountered. From reflecting on experiences, the authors derived recommendations for mitigating such dilemmas when designing and delivering future projects.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the experiences of dilemmas as female project implementers of PGR-MHW projects were recalled, listed and discussed and identified broad overarching themes. Second, one dilemma for each of the three themes was fleshed out according to the ones that carried meaning for how the role was personally experienced. Third, what the accounts of dilemmas meant for project implementation and outcomes was analyzed. Then the findings to existing literature where similar tensions were identified were linked, including how these could be mitigated.

Findings

The dilemmas experienced as implementers in PGR-MHW projects fit among three interconnected themes: identity, values, and motivations and relationships. It was showed that, although they may be hard to see, the dilemmas presented in this paper impede project’s success, outcomes for PGRs and implementers’ well-being. Mitigating such dilemmas when designing, funding, implementing and evaluating future projects is not straightforward, and the findings in this article open avenues to tackle this problem.

Originality/value

Focusing on reflections of female implementers, the paper provides an original perspective on PGR-MHW project evaluation. Using reflective writing as a research tool allowed us to identify overlooked dilemmas in project implementation. Honest and critical accounts of implementers’ experiences revealed important lessons such as different framings of project success, the intersection between the personal and the professional and individual responsibilities in project networks.

中文翻译：

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缓解研究生心理健康与幸福项目实施中的困境：三位前实施者的批判性思考

目的

本文旨在展示三位女性实施者的批判性反思，她们以前在旨在支持研究生研究人员 (PGR) 的心理健康和福祉 (MHW) 的项目中工作，这已成为英国研究人员和政策制定者最近关注的焦点。该论文通过提供作者遇到的几个社会困境的个人描述，提供了基于经验的视角来处理 PGR-MHW 项目实施中的紧张局势。通过对经验的反思，作者得出了在设计和交付未来项目时减轻此类困境的建议。

设计/方法/方法

首先，回顾、列出和讨论作为 PGR-MHW 项目的女性项目实施者的困境经历，并确定了广泛的总体主题。其次，根据对角色的个人体验具有意义的那些，对三个主题中的每一个主题都有一个困境。第三，分析了困境说明对项目实施和结果的意义。然后将发现与现有文献中发现的类似紧张局势联系起来，包括如何减轻这些紧张局势。

发现

作为 PGR-MHW 项目实施者所经历的困境符合三个相互关联的主题：身份、价值观、动机和关系。结果表明，虽然他们可能很难看到，但本文中提出的困境阻碍了项目的成功、PGR 的结果和实施者的福祉。在设计、资助、实施和评估未来项目时缓解此类困境并非易事，本文的研究结果为解决这一问题开辟了道路。

原创性/价值

本文着眼于女性实施者的反思，提供了 PGR-MHW 项目评估的原创视角。使用反思性写作作为研究工具使我们能够识别项目实施中被忽视的困境。对实施者经验的诚实和批判性说明揭示了重要的经验教训，例如项目成功的不同框架、项目网络中个人与专业和个人责任之间的交集。