Betwixt and Between

Abstract

Graduate students occupy social positions within institutions of higher education that are rife with role strain and, relative to broader power relations within these institutions, are marginalized. In this study, we inquire how the social positions and concomitant roles of graduate students shape their mental health experiences, investigating potential institutional sources of stress. Our findings suggest that master’s and doctoral students have unique mental health concerns related to their roles and social positions as graduate students. Major institutional sources of stress include role strain, mentor relationships, isolation, and funding.

Parents enrolled in graduate programs and their experiences with faculty

“…In addition to a lack of empirical studies about the part faculty play in the lives of graduate student parents, the literature base has seldom included investigations of other factors that may contribute to conflict and enhancement for this population. This concept has been previously unexplored apart from studies suggesting that romantic partners' social support may ease role strain for graduate students (Grady et al, 2014) but may also add to the complexity of their responsibilities (Offstein et al, 2004). I argue that personal characteristics of graduate students and their children may lead to more or less strain, such as their general outlook on life and whether a child has a disability.…”

“…The findings also shed light on how graduate programs and faculty can continue and improve upon efforts to support graduate students who are parents. This work highlights the experiences of an understudied, marginalized group (Grady et al, 2014) and provides information that can advise policy changes within colleges, departments, and graduate programs.…”

“…Graduate student parents experience multiple marginalized roles such as those of the graduate student (Grady, La Touche, Oslawski-Lopez, Powers, & Simacek, 2014) and the working parent (Correll et al, 2007). Graduate students are marginalized because like faculty, they are expected to contribute significantly to the university's research, teaching, and service missions, yet they are not afforded benefits that faculty receive such as salary, retirement benefits, and professional development resources (Grady et al, 2014;Offstein, Larson, McNeill, & Mwale, 2004;TWIG Writing Group, 1996). Parents, particularly mothers, are also marginalized at work as they have historically received less pay and been rated as less competent than their childless counterparts solely because of their parenthood status (Correll et al, 2007).…”

“…Studies of graduate students have found that they experience high levels of stress, time pressure burdens (Offstein et al, 2004), and financial struggles (Grady et al, 2014;Hyun, Quinn, Madon, & Lustig, 2006). Students who are parents need to attend not only to endless graduate program requirements but also to the daily needs of their children.…”

“…Students who are parents need to attend not only to endless graduate program requirements but also to the daily needs of their children. I posit that because they assume multiple demanding roles (Chesser, 2015;Crabb & Ekberg, 2014;Douglas & Michaels, 2004;Hays, 1996), graduate students with children may experience more intensified difficulties with stress, finances, and struggles unique to their intersecting identities, as compared to graduate students who are not parents (Grady et al, 2014). However, parenthood and graduate school may also provide benefits to graduate student parents in that these roles may buffer the stress of one another (Wolf-Wendel & Ward, 2006) and allow students to gain new insights into parenting (Estes, 2011), research (Dillon, 2012), teaching, and service.…”