From the INTERMAPS research project "Mapping Intersectionality: A Conceptual and methodological model for the study of inequalities and discrimination," we have placed special emphasis on ethics and care. Since the beginning, we have actively worked on the joint development of strategies to incorporate ethical aspects, emotional processes, and care into the research project. This attention to ethical and emotional issues includes the periods previous to, during, and after the data collection.

• Anonymity and Confidentiality: Ensuring the confidentiality and anonymity of data is crucial. Since we conduct data collection in groups but through an individual exercise, it is essential to emphasize the importance of participants focusing exclusively on themselves. Avoid sharing personal information within the group, insisting that this is essential to ensure trust, well-being, and privacy. Silence should be maintained during group data collection, with sufficient distance between individuals to prevent them from seeing each other's responses.
• Free and Informed Participation: It is essential to ensure that participants engage voluntarily and with full knowledge. To prevent coercion, we provide detailed information about the research and the specific procedures involved. Consider that, in collecting participants' narratives, unexpected situations such as the identification of cases of discrimination, aggression, or violence may arise. In this sense, provide contacts for specialized public services related to the studied axes of discrimination, such as services for domestic violence, LGBT+phobia, racism, etc. Pay special attention to informed consent to ensure that participation is always free and voluntary, ensuring that all participants understand the implications of their participation and data collection procedures. If it is believed that a person may not comprehend the implications or that their informed consent may be compromised, their participation should be excluded. For minors, adapt the informed consent to their legal guardians and the minors themselves, using understandable language and explaining how data collection will work. We created a video that makes it easier to understand the functioning of the data collection tool that we use. Similar adaptations should be made for older individuals and those with disabilities or specific needs that may affect their consent. In addition to ensuring fully conscious and informed participation, it is advisable to review emotional impact during and after data collection to guarantee the well-being of participants and researchers throughout the process.
• Emotional Impact: In any research focused on studying discrimination or vulnerable groups, it is essential to prioritize ethical and care considerations, addressing emotional risks and benefits. Emphasize these ethical considerations throughout the research process. Keep in mind that participation can have both positive and negative emotional impacts on participants, who may belong to vulnerable groups or share painful experiences that can negatively affect them emotionally. It is crucial to anticipate potential discomforts and provide responses, such as facilitating a list of public support services related to the studied axes of discrimination that the participants are asked about. Research can also have an emotional impact on researchers, so it is important to provide care and mutual support among them. During the data collection, responsible researchers must be aware that asking about emotions and experiences can have an emotional impact on participants, maintaining an empathetic attitude. A strategy to anticipate these situations is to explain to participants before starting data collection that they may connect with painful experiences by participating. It should be made clear that, despite contributing to research on these issues, researchers cannot offer professional emotional support beyond the data collection moment. Participants should be informed about specialized services available in case they need support, and information about these free services will be provided on-site.
• Periodic Meetings: In the data collection process with groups that have experienced or are experiencing violence, the priority is to ensure their well-being. Periodic meetings among research team members focusing on ethical issues can provide training, self-reflection, and review of practices and emotions for both participants and researchers during data collection and the overall research process. To address the discomfort that may arise from researching discrimination and other sensitive topics, an effective strategy can be holding periodic meetings among researchers. These meetings can focus on training and reflection on situations that may have an emotional impact derived from the research process. During these sessions, reactions of participants during the participation in the data collection, as well as researchers' responses and associated emotional impact, can be reviewed. Sharing strategies among researchers can improve the approach to sensitive situations, promote research group cohesion, and enhance critical thinking about our position as researchers. Additionally, these meetings can be a space to share discomforts and uneasiness and collectively think about how to respond to complex situations.
• Data Collection Protocol: Another effective strategy is to develop a specific protocol on how to minimize and manage the psychological impact on participants, as well as ensuring the well-being of researchers working on sensitive issues. As researchers, when exploring social inequalities, we will likely interact with individuals from vulnerable groups. Therefore, do your best to create a welcoming environment, be aware of your position, and ensure that you are respectful and responsible. It is essential to understand that, at times, you may face the management of discomfort, tensions, and conflicts, and you must seek to resolve them with an awareness of their impact on both participants and yourselves.
• Responsibility with Data Use: When creating maps, it is crucial to consider the risk of stigmatizing certain social groups when making results public. Although this is not the goal of this project, it is essential to ensure the accurate use and dissemination of data, avoiding contributing to the revictimization of studied groups. In sum, be aware that participating in this kind of research may generate discomfort or well-being associated with participants' experiences related to axes of oppression/privilege. This can also affect researchers in the study. Therefore, we recommend allocating the necessary means and resources to address these issues.