Doctoral Problems and Taboos: Silence, Well-Being and Academic Persistence in Czech Doctoral Education
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Peer-reviewed scientific article |
| Magazine / Source | HIGHER EDUCATION QUARTERLY |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://doi.org/10.1111/hequ.70142 |
| Doi | https://doi.org/10.1111/hequ.70142 |
| Keywords | doctoral experiences; doctoral study; mixed-methods; PhD; taboo; well-being |
| Attached files | |
| Description | This paper examines how the taboos and problems perceived by doctoral students are associated with their well-being and their intentions to persist in or leave academia. We distinguish between doctoral problems—stressors associated with doctoral study—and doctoral taboos, understood as issues that remain difficult to voice in relationships with supervisors or peers because their disclosure may evoke shame or threaten these relationships. Drawing on a mixed-methods design conducted in the Czech Republic, we first developed core perceived doctoral problems and taboos based on a qualitative analysis of 21 in-depth interviews. Doctoral problems and taboos were subsequently examined in a national survey of 190 doctoral students using machine learning models. Financial difficulties constituted the most prevalent doctoral problem, reported by roughly 75% of students. Partial dependence analyses indicated that several doctoral taboos (e.g., finances, parenthood, supervisor quality) were among the strongest predictors of burnout, depression, anxiety, stress and intentions to drop out or leave academia. The study contributes to debates on well-being in doctoral education by illuminating which issues within doctoral education become taboo and how such tabooization relates to doctoral well-being and intentions to remain in academia. |
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