Vicarious traumatization of qualitative researchers in higher education in Trinidad and Tobago

Purpose The distance between qualitative researchers and study participants is extremely close as qualitative research is usually conducted face-to-face. Despite this closeness, conspicuously absent from research in the Caribbean is scholarship on vicarious traumatization (VT) suffered by qualitative researchers in higher education. This article aims to determine the existence of vicarious trauma in qualitative researchers in higher education in Trinidad and Tobago and to proffer solutions to mitigate similar challenges in the future. Design/methodology/approach Consensual qualitative research using semi-structured interviews was utilized to collect data from ten qualitative researchers employed at institutes of higher education in Trinidad and Tobago. Findings The findings indicate the presence of VT and a range of vicarious trauma symptoms among the participants, including: anger, anxiety, dejection, disgust, helplessness, frustration, resignation, irritability, numbness, obsessive thoughts and difficulty concentrating. Three themes emanated from the narratives of the qualitative researchers. The findings suggest similarities in VT among the qualitative researchers. Practical implications Implementing policies at institutes of higher education might assist in managing VT among qualitative researchers in Trinidad and Tobago. Originality/value Scholarship on the risk of vicarious trauma to qualitative researchers have existed for many years. However, much of this research does not focus on the Caribbean. Further, the limited scholarship on VT in the Caribbean fails to acknowledge and develop supportive processes to assist qualitative researchers. The conduct of empirical issue on the phenomenon from a diverse range of disciplines highlights issues facing qualitative researchers.