Not just a phase: Understanding the role of doctoral program stage on motivation and well-being

Research on doctoral students is increasingly focusing on the motivation (Gardner, 2009; O’Meara et al., 2013) and well-being (Hyun et al., 2006; Morris, 2013) of students across the disciplines. However, no quantitative research to date has explored the effects of phase in the doctoral program on these factors. In the present study, a web-based survey was conducted to explore doctoral students’ motivation and well-being (N = 3,155). One-way ANCOVAs revealed significant effects of phase in the program on doctoral students’ self-efficacy, stress, and satisfaction with their program. The findings highlight the need for a differential approach to supporting doctoral students throughout their programs, both in terms of training and guidance, and in terms of access to health and wellness resources. Copyright © 2018 AERA.