Familial roles and support of doctoral students

Abstract

ObjectiveIdentify the role(s) and support(s), if any, that family members provide to first‐generation and historically marginalized doctoral students, including strengths and challenges of this support.BackgroundNonfinancial family support is important for the success and retention of first‐generation and historically marginalized graduate students. More empirical studies of the role(s) and support of family members of these doctoral students are needed.MethodDuring an intervention designed for first‐generation and historically marginalized doctoral students and their families, we conducted four focus groups with doctoral students (n = 22) and three focus groups with the family members they chose to accompany them (n = 15). Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis.ResultsTwo themes emerged from the data: support and connection. In addition to providing distinct types of support, families play both supportive and connective roles. There are challenges to family roles and support in areas such as communication, doctoral student stress, and different ways that family members and doctoral students think about and approach life.ConclusionThe study provided key insights to understanding the roles and support of family of doctoral students; more efforts are needed across graduate schools in the United States.ImplicationsFamily science faculty and graduate schools may collaborate to provide meaningful interventions for graduate students and their families for the goal of promoting graduate student retention and success.

The impact of parenting practices and family economy on psychological wellbeing and learning patterns in higher education students

“…A meta-analysis by Kim et al ( 2020 ) concluded that parents’ engagement and involvement show a powerful positive impact on the student’s academic achievement and motivation. Other studies found parents’ support as significant in the student’s academic adjustment and achievement also in higher education (e.g., Dorrance et al, 2020 ; Walsh et al, 2023 ). Fass and Tubman ( 2002 ) reported positive parent-student attachment as a relevant protective factor in university students.…”

International doctoral students’ identity formulations through their orientations to their children’s languages as both stressors and assets

“…Cohen (2011), for example, maintained that students who had to juggle the needs of their families such as assisting their children with schoolwork, were at greater risk of non-completion as were students who experienced difficult family relationships (Schmidt & Hansson, 2018). Other findings to emerge are how well-integrated (Rochinson-Szapkiw et al, 2016) and how well-informed students' families are about what doctoral study entails (Breitenbach et al, 2019;Walsh et al, 2023). These findings have led researchers (e.g., Breitenbach et al, 2019;Rochinson-Szapkiw et al, 2016;Walsh et al, 2023) to conclude that there is a need for universities to provide resources to support both the education and the integration of doctoral students' families.…”

“…Other findings to emerge are how well-integrated (Rochinson-Szapkiw et al, 2016) and how well-informed students' families are about what doctoral study entails (Breitenbach et al, 2019;Walsh et al, 2023). These findings have led researchers (e.g., Breitenbach et al, 2019;Rochinson-Szapkiw et al, 2016;Walsh et al, 2023) to conclude that there is a need for universities to provide resources to support both the education and the integration of doctoral students' families.…”