Managing risk in qualitative interviews

Abstract

During my PhD, I have faced challenges navigating the boundaries between my role as a researcher and my previous experience as a clinician. In this article, I have applied Gibb’s (1988) six-stage reflective cycle to explore issues related to the management of risk information (i.e. suicidal ideation, self-harm) which I encountered during my PhD research (specifically when conducting qualitative interviews with parents of children with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). On the basis of this reflection, I present an action plan to assist researchers in managing risks that become apparent within research contexts.This article includes discussions of sensitive topics such as suicide and self-harm.