Experiences and challenges related to wellbeing faced by Australian higher degree research candidates prior to and during the Covid-19 pandemic
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21555894 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Caroline A Smith (0000-0002-7828-0597, Graduate Research School, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia, corresponding author), Kylie Barr (0000-0003-0572-9557, Graduate Research School, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia), Ghufran Alhassani (0000-0002-5645-8921, Western Sydney University), Emma Taylor (0000-0003-1471-1244, Mental Health and Wellbeing Clinical Manager, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia), Emma V Taylor (0000-0002-8612-4738, Western Sydney University), Janet Conti (0000-0002-5064-8003, Western Sydney University) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 43 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 421-436 |
| Publication date | 2024-02-17 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Higher Education Research & Development (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0729-4360 • E-ISSN: 1469-8366 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/07294360.2023.2246411 |
| OpenAlex | W4386255442 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 25 |
Higher degree research candidates experience higher rates of anxiety and depression than the general population. This study explored the wellbeing and experiences of two independent groups of HDR candidates. One participating prior to the pandemic, and the second group during the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed methods study comprising of a survey and focus group were conducted with 17 participants. The results of this preliminary study suggest there may have been differences in HDR candidates’ wellbeing between pre-pandemic and those participating in the study during COVID-19. However, the study sample was small, and the results cannot be generalised to the HDR cohort. Two main themes were identified from the focus groups: ‘wellbeing challenges, culture and connectivity’ and ‘university response: culture and connectivity’. Some participants identified multiple stressors that impacted their wellbeing including challenges of establishing a research community to support their voice, and identity. Additional challenges that related to connectivity were evident for international students during COVID-19, due to international border closures in Australia. Further studies are needed to inform evidence-based policies
2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Anxiety · Cohort · Focus group · Pandemic · Population · Psychiatry · Sociology · Stressor · Clinical Psychology · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Demography · Doctoral Education Challenges and Solutions · Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout · Medicine · Psychology
Challenges and burden of the Coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic for child and adolescent mental health
Mental health care for international Chinese students affected by the Covid-19 outbreak
Graduate Student Mental Health
The Job Demands–Resources model
Evidence for a mental health crisis in graduate education
Work organization and mental health problems in PhD students
The Perma-Profiler
Stress, appraisal, and coping
Short screening scales to monitor population prevalences and trends in non-specific psychological distress
Covid-19 impacts on early career trajectories and mobility of doctoral graduates in Aotearoa New Zealand
The carelessness of entrepreneurial universities in a world risk society
How can universities better support the mental wellbeing of higher degree research students? A study of students’ suggestions
The influence of the Covid-19 pandemic on PhD candidates’ study progress and study wellbeing
Illuminating the liminality of the doctoral journey
Psychological Wellbeing and Academic Experience of University Students in Australia during Covid-19
A Qualitative Inquiry of the Counseling Dissertation Process
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |