View in EDS

PhD Students' Mental Health and Well-Being: A Qualitative Study from Doctorates' Perspective from Five Spanish Universities

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: PhD Students' Mental Health and Well-Being: A Qualitative Study from Doctorates' Perspective from Five Spanish Universities
Language: English
Authors: Amaya Ayala-Garcia, Marta Donat, Ariadna Cerdán-Torregrosa, Jose María Ramada, Guillermo García-González, Eva González-Menéndez, Elena Ronda-Pérez
Source: International Journal of Educational Psychology. 2026 15(1):61-79.
Availability: Hipatia Press. Claramunt, 4, Local 2 08030, Barcelona, Spain. Tel: +34-93-302-1226: e-mail: info@hipatiapress.com; Web site: https://hipatiapress.com/hpjournals/index.php/ijep/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 21
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Doctoral Students, Mental Health, Well Being, Student Attitudes, Student Characteristics, Foreign Countries, Stress Variables, Physical Health, Supervision, Student Needs, Work Environment, Student Employment, Leisure Time
Geographic Terms: Spain
ISSN: 2014-3591
Abstract: The aim of this study was to explore doctoral students' perceptions of how completing a doctoral thesis impacts their mental health and well-being, and the associated influencing factors. We conducted nine semi-structured interviews with PhD students from five Spanish universities in 2022 and analyzed them using qualitative content analysis. Participants reported experiencing mental health problems, which in some cases were perceived to lead to physical health problems. These problems were more frequent among PhD students without a predoctoral contract (i.e., without a funded research position). Support from supervisors and the research group, availability of free time and leisure time, future employment prospects, employment and working conditions and workload were factors that interviewees perceived as having an impact on mental health and well-being throughout the process of completing a PhD. Results highlight the need for institutional interventions to improve employment and working conditions for PhD students.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1506242
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ1506242
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1506242
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: PhD Students' Mental Health and Well-Being: A Qualitative Study from Doctorates' Perspective from Five Spanish Universities
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Amaya+Ayala-Garcia%22">Amaya Ayala-Garcia</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Marta+Donat%22">Marta Donat</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ariadna+Cerdán-Torregrosa%22">Ariadna Cerdán-Torregrosa</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jose+María+Ramada%22">Jose María Ramada</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Guillermo+García-González%22">Guillermo García-González</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Eva+González-Menéndez%22">Eva González-Menéndez</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Elena+Ronda-Pérez%22">Elena Ronda-Pérez</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Journal+of+Educational+Psychology%22"><i>International Journal of Educational Psychology</i></searchLink>. 2026 15(1):61-79.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Hipatia Press. Claramunt, 4, Local 2 08030, Barcelona, Spain. Tel: +34-93-302-1226: e-mail: info@hipatiapress.com; Web site: https://hipatiapress.com/hpjournals/index.php/ijep/
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 21
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Doctoral+Students%22">Doctoral Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+Health%22">Mental Health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Well+Being%22">Well Being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Characteristics%22">Student Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stress+Variables%22">Stress Variables</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physical+Health%22">Physical Health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Supervision%22">Supervision</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Needs%22">Student Needs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Work+Environment%22">Work Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Employment%22">Student Employment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Leisure+Time%22">Leisure Time</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spain%22">Spain</searchLink>
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 2014-3591
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The aim of this study was to explore doctoral students' perceptions of how completing a doctoral thesis impacts their mental health and well-being, and the associated influencing factors. We conducted nine semi-structured interviews with PhD students from five Spanish universities in 2022 and analyzed them using qualitative content analysis. Participants reported experiencing mental health problems, which in some cases were perceived to lead to physical health problems. These problems were more frequent among PhD students without a predoctoral contract (i.e., without a funded research position). Support from supervisors and the research group, availability of free time and leisure time, future employment prospects, employment and working conditions and workload were factors that interviewees perceived as having an impact on mental health and well-being throughout the process of completing a PhD. Results highlight the need for institutional interventions to improve employment and working conditions for PhD students.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1506242
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1506242
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 21
        StartPage: 61
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Doctoral Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mental Health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Well Being
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Stress Variables
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physical Health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Supervision
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Needs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Work Environment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Employment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Leisure Time
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Spain
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: PhD Students' Mental Health and Well-Being: A Qualitative Study from Doctorates' Perspective from Five Spanish Universities
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Amaya Ayala-Garcia
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Marta Donat
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ariadna Cerdán-Torregrosa
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Jose María Ramada
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Guillermo García-González
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Eva González-Menéndez
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Elena Ronda-Pérez
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 2014-3591
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 15
            – Type: issue
              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: International Journal of Educational Psychology
              Type: main
ResultId 1