270 Emotional labour in health research: engaging in Participatory Action Research (PAR) with elderly immigrants and refugees

Abstract OP 13: Research Methods, B304 (FCSH), September 3, 2025, 17:00 - 18:00 Facilitating PAR processes in health research requires strong relationships between researchers, community partners, and participants. High levels of trust are necessary for engaging participants in knowledge production and the development of health-promoting initiatives. However, the emotional labour involved in relational work is often invisible in research. Drawing on the concept of emotional labour, this presentation explores how researchers and participants navigate emotional labour in PAR. We do this to explore how emotional labour affects researchers’ well-being and participant engagement, acknowledging how emotional labour can cause exhaustion but is central for avoiding dropouts. Insights into emotional labour stem from a six-months PAR process involving workshops and trying out physical activities with senior male immigrants and refugees – a diverse group experiencing various challenges, including mental health issues. Seen from an intersectional perspective, the diversity of ethnicities, gender and age differences, as well as distinctions between white academics and underprivileged migrant groups, influenced relationships and group dynamics. Throughout the process, the principal researcher, a white young woman, has continuously negotiated her relationships with the male participants, carefully balancing friendliness with perceived flirtation. Furthermore, she has intentionally cultivated relationships and guided group dynamics by de-escalating tension or reacting to exclusionary behaviour. In doing so, the researcher’s role extends beyond facilitation to active emotional management, ensuring care and inclusion to maintain a supportive research environment – an effort that may take a toll to the researcher. Yet, the male participants also performed emotional labour to sustain their position in the group and manage their challenges, which also caused exhaustion on their part. We argue that examining the emotional labour of both researchers and participants allows for a deeper understanding of the demands of participatory health research. This presentation ends with a discussion on reflexivity as a tool for navigating such emotional labour.