Academic freedom when reporting research findings: Overcoming the challenges

Contemporary and well-executed research leads to improvements in mental health care and services, and the development of professional bodies of knowledge. The transparent and timely dissemination of research findings enables access to the most current and accurate information (Luke, 2021). There are occasions, however, when research findings are not shared or published in their entirety, with some researchers encountering challenges when seeking to present or publish their research. Challenges may include research results that are negative, null, contradictory, or not viewed favourably by funding institutions or employers, giving rise on occasions to the manipulation of research reporting or selective reporting, a practice associated with the misrepresentation of findings (Pickett & Roche, 2018). Such practices are a form of misconduct as they result in misleading research conclusions and represent a waste of resources, as well as a potential threat to patient safety. Despite initiatives such as the AllTrials initiative, selective reporting remains a problem in papers submitted for peer review (Noyes, 2021, 2023). In this column, we consider some of the challenges researchers encounter when reporting their findings. We also provide some strategies for overcoming these challenges and preventing selective reporting.