scholarly journals The Relationships between Doctoral Students’ Perceptions of Supervision and Burnout

10.28945/3754 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 091-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solveig Cornér ◽  
Erika Löfström ◽  
Kirsi Pyhältö
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Attrition Rates ◽  
Arts And Humanities ◽  
Experience Survey ◽  
Doctoral Supervision

Aim/Purpose: Both the quality and the quantity of doctoral supervision have been identified as central determinants of the doctoral journey. However, there is a gap in our understanding of how supervision activities are associated with lack of wellbeing, such as burnout, and also to completion of the studies among doctoral students. Background: The study explored doctoral students’ perceptions of different aspects of supervision including the primary sources, frequency, expressed satisfaction and their interrelation with experienced stress, exhaustion and cynicism. Methodology: Altogether 248 doctoral students from three Finnish universities representing social sciences, arts and humanities, and natural and life sciences responded to an adapted version of a Doctoral Experience Survey. A combination of several measures was used to investigate the students’ experiences of supervision and burnout. Contribution: The results showed that students benefit from having several and different kinds of supervision activities. Various sources contribute not only to experiences of the doctoral journey and burnout, but also to the completion of the studies. Findings: Experienced lack of satisfaction with supervision and equality within the researcher community and a low frequency of supervision were related to experiences of burnout. Experiences of burnout were connected to students’ attrition intentions. Attrition intentions were related to source of supervision, the form of thesis, and inadequate supervision frequency. Frequency was related to both experience of burnout and likelihood of attrition. Recommendations for Practitioners: A recommendation developed from this research is to assist doctoral students with sufficient support, especially equality within the scholarly community and frequency of supervision. Further, greater emphasis could be put on group supervision and other collective forms of supervision. It is important that doctoral students develop networks both nationally and internationally. Recommendation for Researchers: A recommendation emanating from this research is to put greater emphasis on further investigation of the role of other predictors in burnout in order to enhance doctoral students’ well-being. Impact on Society: A better understanding of factors that promote lower attrition rates and enhance well-being for doctoral students is likely to lead to more efficient use of finacial and intellectual resources in academia and society more broadly. Future Research: Given the results of this study, qualitative interviews might be helpful in mapping out the dynamics that lead to attrition and to identify the mechanisms in the researcher community that support the doctoral students and enhance well-being in their doctoral journey.

scholarly journals All You Need is Self-Determination: Investigation of PhD Students’ Motivation Profiles and Their Impact on the Doctoral Completion Process

10.28945/4702 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 189-209
Author(s):  
Mikaël De Clercq ◽  
Mariane Frenay ◽  
Assaad Azzi ◽  
Olivier Klein ◽  
Benoit Galand
Keyword(s):  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Needs ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Doctoral Completion ◽  
Path Analyses ◽  
Completion Process ◽  
Doctoral Supervision

Aim/Purpose: The present study aimed at (1) identifying the naturally occurring patterns of motivation among doctoral students and (2) assessing their impact on the doctoral completion process. Background: Grounded in the self-determination theory, the paper investigated needs satisfaction and the doctoral completion process. Methodology: Two complementary methods were used. First, k-mean clustering was used to classify 461 doctoral students according to their feelings of competence, autonomy and relatedness. Second, the completion process of these five profiles was investigated through multi-group path analyses. Contribution: This paper provided a motivational perspective on doctoral completion process that highlighted significant individual differences. Findings: Five profiles were identified corresponding to different combinations of satisfaction of their innate psychological needs. The results also revealed significant differences in the completion process from one motivation profile to another. Recommendations for Practitioners: The doctoral supervision needs to consider the specificities of the patterns of motivation among doctoral students. Recommendation for Researchers: A more important investigation of motivational patterns is required to fully understand the doctoral completion process. Impact on Society: A better consideration of motivational profiles would increase doctoral students’ well-being and their persistence. Future Research: The effect of motivation and context on student satisfaction and professional efficiency could be further explored.

scholarly journals A Theoretical Perspective on How Doctoral Supervisors Develop Supervision Skills

10.28945/4446 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 721-739
Author(s):  
Katherine Fulgence Swai
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Doctoral Education ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Supporting Evidence ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
Contemporary World ◽  
Supervision Process ◽  
Doctoral Supervision

Aim/Purpose: The paper establishes how doctoral supervisors develop the supervision skills needed to handle the doctoral supervision process in the contemporary world. Background: While the existing literature confirms that PhD holders can supervise doctoral students, there is a need to provide supporting evidence that the skills they possess qualify them to do this. Methodology: Using the qualitative research approach, the study established the knowledge and skills that are needed to supervise doctoral students in the contemporary world. Through thematic analysis of 82 scholarly publications, the study established, in order of preference, five mechanisms through which doctoral supervisors develop supervision skills, i.e. the supervision process, doctoral education, institutional guidelines, institutional training courses and individualized learning. Contribution: The study contributes to the ongoing research on the supervision of doctoral studies in the 21st century. Findings: Findings show that a well-structured doctoral education, including the related processes, imparts the knowledge and skills needed for doctoral supervision. Likewise, a combination of the mechanisms and an individual’s commitment, in terms of time and engagement, develop the skills that are relevant for doctoral supervision. Recommendations for Practitioners: Higher Education Institutions need to make supervisors aware of the potential of these mechanisms for developing the skills necessary for doctoral supervision and encourage them to use them Recommendation for Researchers: Further research on the development of doctoral supervision skills should broadly consider the role of different programmes in developing doctoral supervision skills in different contexts. Impact on Society: The study has implications for doctoral supervisors and universities as regards the need to ensure that both mechanisms are instituted to enable doctoral supervisors to develop doctoral supervision skills. Future Research: Since the study was done theoretically, it might be important to conduct further research using mixed-methods research with a phenomenological design to establish the skills possessed by doctoral supervisors and the mechanism they used to develop the supervision skills in any context.

scholarly journals Development of a core outcome set for evaluative research into paediatric cerebral visual impairment (CVI), in the UK and Eire

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. e051014
Author(s):  
Anna Pease ◽  
Trudy Goodenough ◽  
Cath Borwick ◽  
Rose Watanabe ◽  
Christopher Morris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Visual Impairment ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Core Outcome Set ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Consensus Meeting ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Core Outcome ◽  
Outcome Set ◽  
Cerebral Visual Impairment

ObjectivesCerebral visual impairment (CVI) comprises a heterogeneous group of brain-related vision problems. A core outcome set (COS) represents the most important condition-specific outcomes according to patients, carers, professionals and researchers. We aimed to produce a COS for studies evaluating interventions for children with CVI, to increase the relevance of research for families and professionals and thereby to improve outcomes for affected children.DesignWe used methods recommended by the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials Initiative. These included a proportionate literature review of outcomes used in previous studies; qualitative interviews with children and families; a two-round Delphi survey involving parents, children and professionals and a consensus meeting to ratify the most important outcomes.SettingTelephone interviews and online Delphi surveys of participants who all lived in UK or Eire.ParticipantsEighteen parents and six young people were interviewed. Delphi participants (n=80 did both rounds) included professionals working with children who have CVI (teachers, orthoptists, ophthalmologists, optometrists, qualified teachers for visually impaired, family members (parents and siblings) and affected children.ResultsThe literature review included 13 studies yielding 37 outcomes. Qualitative interviews provided 22 outcomes. After combining and refining similar items, the first round contained 23 outcomes and the second 46. At the consensus meeting, 5 attendees recommended 27 outcomes for inclusion in the CVI COS, of which 15 were ratified as most important, including 4 related to vision; 1 to family well-being; 1 to adults around the child being informed about CVI and the rest to the child’s abilities to engage with people and surroundings.ConclusionsGood engagement from participants led to the development of a COS. Future research will be useful to identify the best ways to measure COS items and potentially to update this COS as more interventions for CVI are developed.Trial registration numberISRCTN13762177.

scholarly journals Preparing Doctoral Students for the Professoriate through a Formal Preparatory Course

10.28945/4174 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 033-067
Author(s):  
Mohammed S Alkathiri ◽  
Myrna R Olson
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Doctoral Programs ◽  
Doctoral Student ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Graduate Preparation ◽  
Multiple Data ◽  
The Impact

Aim/Purpose: This study aimed to investigate doctoral student preparation for the professoriate through a formal course entitled “The Professoriate.” Background: Many studies addressed the need for improved graduate preparation, however, the study of doctoral student experiences in preparation courses, designed as part of the doctoral academic programs, has received less attention. Methodology: Eleven doctoral students (one withdrew from the study) were enrolled in a formal course that was designed to prepare them for the professoriate. The study was conducted using an ethnographic case study approach with multiple data collection methods that included observation, interviews, member checking, and examination of related documents. Contribution: Acquainted with critical realist ontology, the researchers argued that it was necessary to investigate the concerns and preparation of doctoral students in order to better clarify the complex experiences that underlie their practices of making meaning and maintaining balance and well-being in the professoriate. Findings: Three prominent themes emerged that pointed out the experience of doctoral students with regard to their preparation for the professoriate: (1) Perceived concerns with regard to working in the professoriate; (2) Students’ preparatory practices and preparatory opportunities available to them; and (3) Students’ perspectives about “The Professoriate” course and its value. Recommendations for Practitioners: The findings highlighted that educators in doctoral programs need to address and evaluate students’ concerns and preparatory activities in order to make adjustments for students that enhance their success in the program as well as in the professoriate in future. Recommendation for Researchers: The findings suggest further research into the formal preparatory opportunities available for students within doctoral programs and the barriers affecting students’ ability to participate in informal preparatory activities. Impact on Society: The findings supported the importance of providing formal preparatory courses as part of doctoral programs. Formal courses within doctoral programs allow students to devote their time for preparation which will help them to better understand the professoriate and plan for their careers. Future Research: Future research may continue the study of formal opportunities to prepare for the professoriate that are available for doctoral students from different disciplines, the experiences of doctoral students taking part in such opportunities, and the impact on doctoral student readiness for the professoriate.

Low frequency and infrasound: A critical review of the myths, misbeliefs and their relevance to music perception research

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörg H. Mühlhans
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Research ◽  
Music Perception ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Well Being ◽  
General Information ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Future Research ◽  
History Of ◽  
Production Measurement ◽  
The One

Over the last several decades low frequency and infrasound have become relevant to many fields of research – most recently psychology and musicology, among others. Interpretation of data from experimental research has raised concern that low frequency and infrasound could be potentially harmful to humans’ well-being. While the physiological and psychological effects of infrasound are well documented, a variety of myths promulgated by pseudoscientific authors and newspapers still make it difficult to distinguish between fact and fiction, especially for people with little or no knowledge in acoustics. Myths are widespread today and result mainly from the one-dimensional view on sound, out-of-context citations, and a number of “sensational” findings from biased studies. The aim of this review is to evaluate the relevance of data from a music-psychological and psychoacoustic point of view, to give a consistent overview of the history of research, to examine the transferability of findings, and to trace the origins of myths to debunk them. Additionally, general information about the characteristics of low frequency sound, its production, measurement, and difficulties in experimental research is given to avoid mistakes in future research.

‘We deal with human beings’

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 140-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Huey ◽  
Hina Kalyal
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Labor ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Criminal Investigation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Central Feature ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Police Services ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Related Stress

Dealing with emotions is a central feature of everyday police work. This is especially the case in relation to criminal investigation work, in which police investigators must grapple with both their own emotions and those of the victims and families with whom they deal. Despite the importance of emotional labor in understanding criminal investigation work, this aspect of their work remains understudied. This study is based on data from 13 in-depth qualitative interviews with members of the Canadian police services. Within it, we explore how officers engage in emotional labor, as well as its impact on these individuals. Although our results are preliminary in nature, they do reveal how managing emotions according to organizationally sanctioned display rules can affect officers’ well-being, and highlight the need for future research to enable police organizations to deal more effectively with this form of work-related stress.

scholarly journals Internal Motivation among Doctoral Students: Contributions from the Student and from the Student’s Environment

10.28945/4091 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 255-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin F Lynch ◽  
Nailya R Salikhova ◽  
Albina Salikhova
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Basic Needs ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Personal Relationships ◽  
Scholarly Activity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Internal Motivation ◽  
Academic Activities ◽  
The University

Aim/Purpose: The present quantitative, cross-sectional study aimed to investigate objective and subjective factors in the self-determination of doctoral students in their educational activities. Objective determinants included major discipline and forms of academic and scholarly activity (that is, attending classes and writing papers), and subjective determinants included personal characteristics of the doctoral students, including dispositional autonomy and perceptions of environmental supports for students’ basic psychological needs. Background: The quality of students’ motivation for learning has been linked with many different outcomes. Specifically, students who are more internally motivated (that is, who engage in learning activities for reasons that are personally important and freely chosen) demonstrate better performance outcomes and are more likely to choose and to persist in challenging tasks, to enjoy learning, to exhibit greater creativity, and in general to experience greater psychological well-being. Important questions remain, however, regarding the sources that affect student motivation, in particular at the level of graduate school. The present study expands on existing research by exploring contributions to students’ motivation both from the students, themselves, and from supports stemming from two interpersonal contexts: close relationships and the university environment. Methodology: Participating in the study were 112 doctoral students from various natural sciences departments of a major university in the Volga region of Russia. Self-report measures included dispositional autonomy, motivation for various types of academic and scholarly activity, and satisfaction of basic needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness in various interpersonal contexts. Analyses included descriptive statistics, comparison of mean differences, correlation, and structural equation modeling. Contribution: The present study goes beyond existing research by considering both dispositional and situational factors that influence the motivation of doctoral students for their scholarly and academic activities, and by comparing the impact on motivation of close personal relationships with that of various interpersonal contexts in the university setting. Findings: Doctoral students reported greater supports for their basic needs (for competence, autonomy, and relatedness) from their close personal relationships than in their university contexts. Students felt less support for their autonomy and competence with their research supervisor than in other university settings. The early stages of a scholarly activity, such as gathering sources and analyzing materials, were more likely to be characterized by external motivation, whereas the later stages, like the actual writing of a manuscript, were more likely to be internally motivated. When competing for variance, need supports from university-based but not from close personal relationships were significant contributors to students’ internal motivation for scholarly and academic activity; this effect, however, was fully mediated through students’ own dispositional autonomy. Recommendations for Practitioners: The present study underscores the importance of creating an environment in the university that supports doctoral students’ needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Educators, and in particular research supervisors, should attend to the ways in which their policies and practices support versus undermine these needs, which are shown to play an important role in promoting doctoral students’ own internal motivation for their scholarly and academic activities. Recommendation for Researchers: Although in this sample need supports from university-based interpersonal contexts outweighed the role of need supports from close personal relationships, in terms of doctoral students’ scholarly and academic motivation, it seems important to keep both contexts in mind, given the general importance of close relationships for motivation and other educational and well-being outcomes. As well, accounting for students’ own dispositional attributes, such as their own personal tendency toward autonomy, seems a critical counterpoint to looking at environmental contributions. Future Research: Future research should examine whether the mediational model tested in the present study applies to other samples of doctoral students, for example, to those from other disciplines, such as the humanities, and those in other cultural or geographic locations, where it is possible that close personal relationships may contribute more substantially to students’ motivation than was the case in the present sample. As well, future studies would do well to include other relevant outcomes, such as academic grades, successful degree completion, and measures of well-being, in order to confirm previous findings of the link between internal motivation and various educational outcomes.

scholarly journals Leading the way: Qualities of leaders in preventing mis-implementation of public health programs

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Moreland-Russell ◽  
Emily Rodriguez Weno ◽  
Romario Smith ◽  
Margaret Padek ◽  
Louise Farah Saliba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Programs ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Public Health Programs ◽  
Public Health Agencies

Abstract Background Public health agencies are increasingly concerned with ensuring they are maximizing limited resources by delivering effective programs to enhance population-level health outcomes. Preventing mis-implementation is necessary to sustain public health efforts and resources needed to improve health and well-being. Because executive management is responsible for making decisions such as approving or disapproving the continuance of a program, it is important to understand the attributes of public health leaders in preventing program mis-implementation. The purpose of this paper is to identify the important qualities of leadership in preventing the mis-implementation of public health programs. Methods In Spring 2019, we selected eight state health departments (SHD) to participate in qualitative interviews on decision making around ending or continuing programs. Forty-four SHD chronic disease employees were interviewed via phone, audio-recorded, and the conversations transcribed verbatim. All transcripts were consensus coded, and themes were identified and summarized. This analysis focused on themes related to leadership. Results Participants were program managers or section directors who had on average worked 11 years at their agency and 15 years in public health. The following themes emerged from their interviews regarding the important leadership attributes to prevent mis-implementation: (1) engagement, use of quality improvement, and being adaptive; (2) transparent and bidirectional communication; and (3) ability to navigate political influences. Conclusion This first of its kind study showed the close inter-relationship between mis-implementation and leadership. Increased attention to public health leader attributes can help to reduce mis-implementation in public health practice and lead to more effective and efficient use of limited resources. A better understanding of those attributes can provide further direction to future areas of attention and capacity building among current and future public health practitioners. Future research should incorporate a mixed-methods approach to more comprehensively understand the relationships of leaders and practitioners.

scholarly journals “Sometimes It’s Difficult to Have a Normal Life”: Results from a Qualitative Study Exploring Caregiver Burden in Schizophrenia

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Gater ◽  
Diana Rofail ◽  
Chloe Tolley ◽  
Chris Marshall ◽  
Linda Abetz-Webb ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Caregiver Burden ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Subjective Experiences ◽  
Societal Costs ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Persons With Schizophrenia ◽  
Provision Of Care

Objectives. As a disease typified by early onset and chronic disease course, caring for a person with schizophrenia may have a significant impact on caregivers’ lives. This study aimed to investigate the subjective experiences of caregivers of people with schizophrenia as a means of understanding “caregiver burden” in this population.Methods. Face-to-face qualitative interviews were conducted with a diverse sample of 19 US-English speaking caregivers of people with schizophrenia (who were at least moderately ill). Interview transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory methods and findings used to inform the development of a preliminary conceptual model outlining caregivers’ experiences.Results. Findings support assertions that people with schizophrenia were largely dependent upon caregivers for the provision of care and caregivers subsequently reported lacking time for themselves and their other responsibilities (e.g., family and work). Caregiver burden frequently manifested as detriments in physical (e.g., fatigue, sickness) and emotional well-being (e.g., depression and anxiety).Conclusions. Caring for a person with schizophrenia has a significant impact on the lives of informal (unpaid) caregivers and alleviating caregiver burden is critical for managing individual and societal costs. Future research should concentrate on establishing reliable and valid means of assessing burden among caregivers of persons with schizophrenia to inform the development and evaluation of interventions for reducing this burden.

scholarly journals The PhD Experience: A Review of the Factors Influencing Doctoral Students’ Completion, Achievement, and Well-Being

10.28945/4113 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 361-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Sverdlik ◽  
Nathan C. Hall ◽  
Lynn McAlpine ◽  
Kyle Hubbard
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Doctoral Education ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Doctoral Student ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Family Responsibilities ◽  
Doctoral Experience

Aim/Purpose: Research on students in higher education contexts to date has focused primarily on the experiences undergraduates, largely overlooking topics relevant to doctoral students’ mental, physiological, motivational, and social experiences. Existing research on doctoral students has consistently found mental and physical health concerns and high attrition rates among these students, but a comprehensive understanding of these students’ experiences is still lacking. Background: The present review paper aims to offer deep insight into the issues affecting doctoral students by reviewing and critically analyzing recent literature on the doctoral experience. An extensive review of recent literature uncovered factors that can be readily categorized as external and internal to the doctoral student; external factors include supervision, personal/social lives, the department and socialization, and financial support opportunities, while internal factors motivation, writing skills, self-regulatory strategies, and academic identity. Methodology: 163 empirical articles on the topic of doctoral education are reviewed and analyzed in the present paper. Contribution: The present paper represents a comprehensive review of the factors found to influence the experiences (e.g., success, satisfaction, well-being) of doctoral students in their programs. It represents a unique contribution to the field of doctoral education as it attempt to bring together all the factors found to date to shape the lived experiences of doctoral students, as well as evidence-based ways to facilitate students’ success and well-being through these factors. More specifically, the present paper aims to inform students, faculty, and practitioners (e.g., student support staff) of the optimal practices and structures uncovered to date, as most beneficial to doctoral students in terms of both academic success and well-being. Impact on Society: Decreases to doctoral students’ well-being as they progress in their programs, financial struggles, and the notable difficulty in maintaining a social life/family responsibilities have been widely discussed in popular culture. The present paper aims to highlight these, and other, issues affecting the doctoral experience in an attempt to contribute to the conversation with comprehensive empirical evidence. By facilitating discussions on the issues that play a role in the attribution and dissatisfaction of existing doctoral students, and perhaps deter potential doctoral students from ever entering doctoral education system, we hope to contribute to a student-cantered focus in which departments are concerned with the academic success of doctoral students, but also equally concerned with maximizing students’ well-being in the process of attaining a doctoral degree. This, we hope, will enhance the societal perception of doctoral education as a challenging, yet worthwhile and rewarding process. Future Research: Future research in which the confluence of the factors discussed in this review, particularly with respect to the cross-cutting impact of socialization variables, is recommended to provide a sufficiently in-depth examination of the salient predictors of doctoral student development and persistence. Future research efforts that steer away from single-factor foci to explore interactive or redundant relationships between factors are thus recommended, as are analyses of the potential effects that changes to one aspect of the doctoral experience (e.g., motivational interventions) can have on other factors. Finally, studies employing various alternative methodologies and analytical methods (e.g., observational, questionnaire, experimental, experience sampling) are similarly expected to yield valuable knowledge as to the nature and extent of the afore-mentioned and novel contributing factors, as well as the utility of student intervention programs aimed at improving both the personal and professional lives of doctoral students internationally

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