Putting PhD Students Front and Center: an Empirical Analysis Using the Effort-Reward Imbalance Model

Overview

Journal Front Psychol

Date 2024 Feb 9

PMID 38333427

Authors

Melanie Vilser

Selina Gentele

Irmgard Mausz

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: A doctorate is associated with numerous challenges for many PhD students, including financial insecurities, little support from supervisors, and time pressure. The present study explores well-being of PhD students via the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) model as well as the potential protective factor resilience.

Method: A web-based questionnaire survey was conducted among 1,275 PhD students from Germany. Data was collected at two measurement points over a six-week follow-up period.

Results: As hypothesized, overcommitment was found to mediate the relationship between ERI and perceived stress while no mediation effect was found for work engagement. Resilience strengthened the relationship between ERI and overcommitment, especially for an increasing unfavorable ERI, and counterintuitively did not act as a protective factor.

Discussion: Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, providing a deeper understanding on the ERI model and the negative coping pattern overcommitment in the context of PhD students.

Citing Articles

Psychosocial work stressors and mental health in Ph.D. students in Germany-Evidence from two cross-sectional samples.

Heming M, Angerer P, Diebig M PLoS One. 2024; 19(12):e0311610.

PMID: 39724226 PMC: 11670949. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0311610.

Putting PhD students front and center: an empirical analysis using the Effort-Reward Imbalance Model.

Vilser M, Gentele S, Mausz I Front Psychol. 2024; 14:1298242.

PMID: 38333427 PMC: 10851940. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1298242.

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