Balancing Work, School, and Personal Life among Graduate Students: a Positive Psychology Approach

To Cope or Not to Cope? Characterizing Biology Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Coping with Teaching and Research Anxieties

“…Biology GTAs Primarily Used Adaptive Coping Strategies, but Maladaptive and In-Between Strategies Were Also Used Our findings about adaptive coping strategies being used most often by graduate students were consistent with previous work investigating other graduate student stressors (Kjerulff and Wiggins, 1976;Nelson et al, 2001;El-Ghoroury et al, 2012;Ickes et al, 2015;Nicklin et al, 2019). We posit that this may be true because GTAs have practiced using such strategies in managing anxieties during their undergraduate careers.…”

Finding a Balance: Characterizing Teaching and Research Anxieties in Biology Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs)

“…There are several ways graduate student well-being can be improved throughout their program. Through professional development opportunities, stress management techniques, teaching self-compassion, gratitude journaling, effective and supportive advisor mentoring, or encouraging counselling, academia can be a place for graduate students to maintain well-being (DeChenne, Enochs, and Needham 2012; Flinchbaugh et al 2012; Golnaraghi 2016; National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine 2018; Nicklin, Meachon, and McNall 2019; Reeves et al 2018). For example, introducing coping strategies in new graduate student orientations or professional development may help to reduce anxieties from the outset.…”

“…Besides anxieties arising from teaching or research alone, another source of anxiety for GTAs may be related to tensions between teaching and research roles (Reid and Gardner 2020). Graduate students must learn how to balance multiple roles over their degree program (Kajfez and McNair 2014;Nicklin, Meachon, and McNall 2019;Winstone and Moore 2017). GTAs often teach undergraduate labs or discussions along with taking their own classes and conducting research (Gardner and Jones 2011;Prieto and Scheel 2008;Sundberg, Armstrong, and Wischusen 2005).…”

Meeting graduate student needs: an exploration of disciplinary differences

“…Similarly, graduate students also experience high levels of uncertainty as they balance academic and personal responsibilities, manage stress, and maintain mental health (Abetz, 2019;Evans et al, 2018;Nicklin et al, 2019). This uncertainty is further heightened by the global COVID-19 pandemic, as universities are faced with potential budget cuts, course reductions, and limited access to physical spaces and resources which could impact graduate student stipends, teaching opportunities, and research productivity (How will the pandemic change higher education?…”