Affective Challenges Faced by Doctoral Students: Supporting them to Completion

Volume 13 Issue 1 May - July 2019

Research Paper

Affective Challenges Faced by Doctoral Students: Supporting them to Completion

Dana Sparkman * , Cheryl Doran**

*Mayo Clinic, USA.

** School of Education, Capella University, USA.

Sparkman, D., & Doran, C. (2019). Affective Challenges Faced by Doctoral Students: Supporting them to Completion.i-manager’s Journal on Educational Psychology, 13(1), 14-23. https://doi.org/10.26634/jpsy.13.1.15484

Abstract

For decades, doctoral attrition has been a concern for administrators and faculty in higher education, along with doctoral students themselves. Although most doctoral students have the academic skills that they need in order to complete their degree, many struggle with challenges outside of the scholarly process. Affective challenges may be particularly present in online learning situations, as doctoral students are usually located far from their chairperson and are isolated from face-to-face interaction with faculty and their peers. In this article, the authors identify stressors that doctoral students experience, and discuss the relationship between isolation and anxiety. This “perfect storm” can result in disengagement from their work and their university, and they may ultimately leave their doctoral studies. The authors offer recommendations for supporting students through this stressful time, including support from their chair, other faculty, and their peers.