Factors affecting the well-being of PhD students at Imperial

Elaine Walsh

Graduate Schools

22

Background

• Graduate Schools’ remit includes: “to disseminate best practice in postgraduate training and education”.

• PRES(2008, n=953) showed 90% of PGRs would recommend Imperial to others.

• We were looking for a deeper insight into the issues contributing to dissatisfaction.

Well-being

• The well-being of employees has been shown to impact upon the individual and overall performance of organisations.

• No one had looked at well-being specifically for a PhD population before.

• Consistent with efforts to improve the student experience.

4

Definition of construct

“That part of a researcher’s overall well-being that is primarily influenced by their

PhD position and which can be influenced by college-based interventions”

55

Development of the instrument

• Item Generation Phase– Focus Groups, many interviews with staff and

students

• Student union endorsement– “The Graduate Schools really hit the nail on the

head with their PhD Wellbeing Survey. I could identify nearly every question as something I had experienced, seen or heard about and it will be a tremendously useful project for improving the experience of postgraduate researchers.”

Well-Being Scores

• Based on mean score• Data distribution normal (skewness within

acceptable limits)• Range 1 – 5:

1 = Did not experience/Not a problem at all2 = A bit important and bothersome3 = Moderately important and bothersome4 = Very important and bothersome5 = Extremely important and bothersome

77

Results and Statistical Analysis

• Questionnaire completed online May 2009

• 1202 responses (close to 50%)

• 229 free text comments

• Impact Analysis

• Frequency x Importance = Impact

• Final results comprise 58 discrete items grouped within 7 domains

8

Well-being overall – 1.90Domain Description Score

Research How subjects perceive the experience of their research to impact their well-being

2.13

Home and Health

How subjects perceive the work impacts their well-being in terms of affecting their private life, psychological and physical health status

2.07

Social How subjects perceive the social aspects of their role to impact their well-being

1.85

Development How subjects perceive opportunities for training and career development impact well-being

1.85

University How subjects perceive the wider activity of the college to impact their well-being

1.82

Supervisor How subjects perceive the behavior of their supervisor to impact their well-being

1.75

Facilities How subjects perceive provision of college facilities to impact well-being

1.72

Research Domain (2.13)

Rank Question

% very or extremely bothersome/important

Mean

1Feeling frustrated/demotivated by your results and apparent lack of progress?

31% 2.70

4Lacking confidence in your ability to conduct research to the necessary standard?

20% 2.33

10Feeling disappointed in your own abilities as an academic researcher?

17% 2.16

14Finding that your PhD experience is different to what you had envisaged initially?

17% 2.07

17 Lacking enthusiasm about your research? 13% 2.03

30Lacking motivation to complete your PhD in a timely manner?

10% 1.82

38 Feeling 'trapped' in your area of specialisation? 10% 1.77

Research Domain

“Transfer report is too early to have any decent results so depressing to try and make hard work so far look meaningful”

“The transition from 'top of the class' to 'bad researcher' is a pretty tough cookie to swallow.”

Health and Home Domain (2.07)

Rank Question

% very or extremely bothersome/important

Score

2Experiencing high levels of stress because of your research?

26% 2.56

6Having a high workload that impacts on your private life?

21% 2.27

7Making unreasonably high demands of yourself in the name of research?

19% 2.24

8Experiencing a persistent low mood because of your research?

17% 2.19

9Feeling constantly tired and run-down because of your workload?

17% 2.17

15Being unable to balance your research with home demands?

14% 2.05

18Experiencing poor quality sleep because of your studies?

16% 2.03

19 Finding it difficult to cover basic living expenses? 15% 2.01

Health and Home Domain

“At the start Imperial should be teaching students how to cope with stress rather

than let them get into the situation so many find themselves in”

Supervisor Domain (1.75)

Rank Question

% very or extremely bothersome/important

Mean Score

13Having insufficient feedback during your PhD to check progress?

17% 2.08

29 Feeling unsupported by your supervisor? 14% 1.83

32Lacking practical guidance on designing and conducting your research?

10% 1.82

50Feeling undervalued by those senior to you in your department?

9% 1.65

53Not getting the recognition you deserve from your supervisor for your work?

9% 1.60

56Having a supervisor who is unfamiliar with your field?

7% 1.55

14

Well-Being Overall – Top 10Rank Question

Domain%“4”or“5” Score

1Feeling frustrated/demotivated by your results and apparent lack of progress? RES/31% 2.70

2Experiencing high levels of stress because of your research? HH/26% 2.56

3Being unclear about the next stage of your career after your PhD? DVP/20% 2.37

4Lacking confidence in your ability to conduct research to the necessary standard? RES/20% 2.33

5 Being frustrated with the college's administration systems? UNI/22% 2.27

6 Having a high workload that impacts on your private life? HH/21% 2.27

7Making unreasonably high demands of yourself in the name of research? HH/19% 2.24

8Experiencing a persistent low mood because of your research? HH/17% 2.19

9Feeling constantly tired and run-down because of your workload? HH/17% 2.17

10Feeling disappointed in your own abilities as an academic researcher? RES/17% 2.16

15

Other Items

QuestionDomain %“4”or

“5”

Being unclear about the required standard of work for your thesis? DVP 15%

Lacking training to develop your technical research skills? DVP 9%

Feeling uninvolved with the wider research environment outside your department? SOC

15%

Feeling isolated from other research colleagues in your department? SOC 16%

Feeling unable to confide in colleagues about problems? SOC 10%

What does this mean from an educational point of view?

• Research is inherently difficult. Student concerns included:– No direct relationship between work done and results

achieved– Making unfavourable comparisons with peers– Not feeling good enough – “imposter syndrome”– Institutional culture “work must be perfect!”– Concerns about fairness

• Loss of effectiveness due to unnecessary worries?

What can we do as supervisors?

• Remember what it is like to be a novice researcher

• Offer appropriate support

• Encourage open communication of difficulties

• Help student to distinguish between lack of progress and lack of ability

• Aim to build confidence of PhD students

Within the research group..• Encourage formation of good working and

social relationships• Review the norms of working hours /

taking holidays, breaks, etc• Be proactive about spotting and managing

stress• Clarify expectations about standards of

work• Share key knowledge e.g. about admin

procedures

Within the university

• Make students aware of resources such as Careers Service, Counselling Service, Graduate Schools, Student Advisor, Student Union, Clubs and Societies, Chaplaincy, etc.

• “Even PhDs are not heads on sticks”…

Significant differences - gender

Dom CodeFemale (574)

Male (628) Domain Sig? (p <.05)

RES 2.24 2.02 2.13 Y

HH 2.19 1.96 2.07 Y

SOC 1.88 1.82 1.85 N

DVP 1.93 1.77 1.85 Y

UNI 1.82 1.83 1.82 N

SUP 1.84 1.68 1.75 Y

FAC 1.81 1.64 1.72 Y

Significant differences – stage of study

Dom Code

Pre-transfer (513)

Post-transfer (499)

Writing-up (142)

Other (48)

Domain Score

Sig? p<.05

RES 1.96 2.24 2.23 2.35 2.13 Y

HH 1.87 2.14 2.37 2.50 2.07 Y

SOC 1.78 1.83 2.02 2.22 1.85 Y

DVP 1.74 1.90 1.96 2.12 1.85 Y

UNI 1.80 1.80 1.94 1.95 1.82 N

SUP 1.62 1.80 1.99 2.00 1.75 Y

FAC 1.61 1.77 1.91 1.75 1.72 Y

Significant differences – fee status

Dom Code EU (326)Outside EU (279)

UK (597)Domain Score

Sig.? (p<.05)

RES 2.12 2.05 2.17 2.13 N

HH 2.13 2.11 2.02 2.07 N

SOC 1.86 1.96 1.79 1.85 Y

DVP 1.88 1.93 1.79 1.85 Y

UNI 1.80 1.94 1.78 1.82 Y

SUP 1.79 1.68 1.77 1.75 N

FAC 1.69 1.77 1.71 1.72 N

Significant differences - campus

Dom Code

H’smith (177)

Silwood (51)

S. Ken (798)

St Mary's (84)

Other (92)

Domain Score

Sig.? (p <.05)

RES 2.05 2.14 2.15 2.04 2.13 2.13 N

HH 2.07 2.00 2.07 1.96 2.14 2.07 N

SOC 1.85 2.12 1.83 1.75 1.93 1.85 N

DVP 1.92 2.04 1.82 1.80 1.87 1.85 N

UNI 1.82 1.97 1.80 1.98 1.83 1.82 N

SUP 1.75 1.89 1.74 1.74 1.82 1.75 N

FAC 1.89 1.76 1.67 1.82 1.72 1.72 Y

Largest Responding Departments

Count %

Life Sciences 117 10

Medicine 95 8

Physics 80 7

Investigative Science 79 7

Chemistry 76 6

Civil Engineering 65 5

NHLI 61 5

Mechanical Engineering 56 5

Electrical Engineering 56 5

Total percentage 58%

Departments (collapsed from 25 to 5)

Departments (collapsed sub-groups)

10%

33%

16%

33%

8%

Life ScienceEngineering

Physical ScienceMedicine

Other0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

No o

f obs

10%

33%

16%

33%

8%

Significant differences - departmentDom Code

Engineering(395)

Life Sciences(117)

Medicine(440)

Physical Sciences(195)

Other(99)

Sig.?p<.05

RES 2.15 2.21 2.06 2.17 2.13 N

DVP 1.82 1.96 1.87 1.73 1.94 Y

SOC 1.85 1.99 1.79 1.75 2.08 Y

UNI 1.82 1.88 1.83 1.68 2.02 Y

SUP 1.73 1.87 1.75 1.66 1.90 N

HH 2.07 2.26 2.08 1.96 2.04 N

FAC 1.66 1.68 1.80 1.62 1.88 Y

Positive experience - 1If I could turn back the clock, I would still chose to do my PhD at Imperial

28%

42%

17%

8%

5%

1 2 3 4 50

100

200

300

400

500

600

No

of o

bs

28%

42%

17%

8%

5%

70% agree

Positive experience - 2The PhD programme at Imperial is fully meeting my expectations

13%

36%

29%

16%

6%

1 2 3 4 50

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

No o

f obs

13%

36%

29%

16%

6%

49% agree

Key Drivers of a PhD Positive Experience

25%

14%

14%

9%

7%

7%

51%PhD

Experience

Relative importance of

each Driver

Total impact of all drivers.

25%Supervisor

Research

Social

Development

University

Health & Home

Facilities

Dominance analysis of comparing importance of predictors in multiple regression

For copies of summary documents for students and supervisors…

• Please go to my pwp

• www.imperial.ac.uk/people/elaine.walsh– And download from the main page.

Thank you for your attention