Purpose

Rates of mental ill-health among postgraduate research students (PGRs) are alarmingly high. PGRs face unique challenges and stigma around accessing support. The purpose of this paper is to introduce The Researcher Toolkit: a novel, open-source, preventative approach to PGR mental health. The Toolkit empowers PGRs and promotes positive research culture. This paper describes and evaluates the Toolkit to encourage adoption across the sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Four workshops were designed by integrating researcher development, critical pedagogy and psychological knowledge of well-being. A diverse group of PGRs co-designed workshops and delivered them to their peers. Workshops engaged 26% of the PGR population (total 116 attendees). PGR Workshop Leaders and attendees submitted anonymous, online feedback after workshops (74 total responses). A mixed-method approach combined quantitative analysis of ratings and qualitative analysis of open-ended comments.

Findings

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Workshops were universally appealing, enjoyable and beneficial and the peer-support approach was highly valued, strongly supporting adoption of the programme in other universities. Findings are discussed alongside wider systemic factors and recommendations for policy.

Practical implications

The Toolkit translates readily to other UK institutions and can be adapted for use elsewhere. Recommendations for practice are provided.

Originality/value

The Researcher Toolkit is a novel PGR well-being initiative. Its originality is threefold: its approach is prevention rather than intervention; its content is new and bespoke, created through interdisciplinary collaboration between psychologists, researcher development professionals and PGR stakeholders; and support is peer-led and decentralised from student support services. Its evaluation adds to the limited literature on PGR well-being and peer-support.

中文翻译：

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研究人员工具包：一种预防性、同伴支持的研究生心理健康方法

目的

研究生 (PGR) 的心理健康状况不佳的比率高得惊人。PGR 在获得支持方面面临着独特的挑战和耻辱。本文的目的是介绍研究人员工具包：一种新颖的、开源的、预防 PGR 心理健康的方法。该工具包赋予 PGR 权力并促进积极的研究文化。本文描述和评估工具包以鼓励整个行业采用。

设计/方法/方法

通过整合研究人员发展、批判性教学法和幸福的心理知识，设计了四个讲习班。一群不同的 PGR 共同设计了研讨会并将其交付给他们的同行。研讨会吸引了 26% 的 PGR 人口（总共 116 名参加者）。PGR 研讨会的领导者和与会者在研讨会后提交了匿名的在线反馈（总共 74 个回复）。混合方法将评级的定量分析和开放式评论的定性分析相结合。

发现

反馈非常积极。讲习班具有普遍吸引力、令人愉快和有益的效果，同行支持方法受到高度重视，强烈支持其他大学采用该计划。调查结果与更广泛的系统因素和政策建议一起讨论。

实际影响

该工具包可以很容易地翻译到其他英国机构，并且可以在其他地方使用。提供了实践建议。

原创性/价值

研究人员工具包是一项新颖的 PGR 福利计划。它的独创性有三个：它的方法是预防而不是干预；它的内容是新的和定制的，是通过心理学家、研究人员发展专业人员和 PGR 利益相关者之间的跨学科合作创建的；和支持是由学生支持服务中的同行领导和分散的。它的评估增加了关于 PGR 福祉和同行支持的有限文献。