Protecting the Marriage Relationship During the Doctoral Journey

Rockinson-Szpakiw, Amanda J.; Spaulding, Lucinda S.; Knight, Anita

doi:10.1177/1066480714565106

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Family value of the degree, family support, family adaption, and clearly negotiated roles were also essential to development and persistence. While some women in this study had spouses willing to take on more non-traditional or supportive roles, other women reported that their negotiated roles and division of labor remained mostly traditional, a finding consistent with prior research (Lyonette et al, 2015;Rockinson-Szapkiw, Spaulding, & Knight, 2015). The theme of motherhood and family as a motivation to develop and persist was not surprising given the fact that all participants were mothers and described motherhood as significant.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Does Family Matter? A Phenomenological Inquiry Exploring the Lived Experiences of Women Persisting in Distance Education, Professional Doctoral Programs

Rockinson‐Szapkiw

Spaulding

2018

IJDS

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Aim/Purpose: The qualitative study aims to examine the lived experiences of women persisting in the distance; professional doctoral degrees as they seek to integrate and balance their family of origin and current family system with their development as scholars. Background: A vital reason many women choose not to drop out of their doctoral programs is that they experience conflict between their identities as women and scholars – a conflict between “the enduring sense of who they are and whom they want to become” (Cobb, 2004, p. 336). A supportive family is a salient theme that arises in studies on doctoral persistence, with many researchers noting that the family is essential in helping women navigate the doctoral journey (e.g., Lott, Gardner, & Powers, 2009; Tinto, 1993). Methodology: This qualitative study employed Moustakas’ (1994) transcendental phenomenological approach through a purposive sampling of eleven women who are enrolled in distance education, professional doctoral programs at two universities in the southern United States. Contribution: This study furthers the existing research by demonstrating that family is intimately tied to the scholarly identity development and persistence of women enrolled in distance education, professional doctorate programs. While previous research has shown that family support is a factor promoting doctoral persistence, previous studies have not examined how women integrate and balance their family of origin and current family system with their development as scholars while persisting in a doctoral degree. Findings: Findings highlighted that the doctoral journey is marked by personal fulfillment and struggle. Women’s development and persistence are influenced by familial support, choosing to continue or discontinue family of origin patterns, and differentiation from the family. Recommendations for Practitioners: To support women’s persistence and scholar identity development, the university can facilitate discussions and provide opportunities that explicitly orient families to the rigors of doctoral training. The university can host family webinars, create family orientations, offer family counseling, and develop family social media groups. Recommendation for Researchers: This study is an essential step toward understanding the role of the family in the doctoral persistence of women. The study provides a foundation for further research with women who are divorced, never married, or identify as LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual). Further study should focus on women enrolled in various disciplines and residential programs. Impact on Society: If women are to succeed in doctoral programs, the academic institution cannot ignore the role of the family in persistence. Future Research: The role of the family in doctoral persistence for men and residential students needs to be explored. Experience of women in distance education and residential programs should be compared to highlight differences and similarities.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Does Family Matter? A Phenomenological Inquiry Exploring the Lived Experiences of Women Persisting in Distance Education, Professional Doctoral Programs

Rockinson‐Szapkiw

Spaulding

2018

IJDS

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“…Internal conflict between the developing academic identity and other identities may result in denial or discontinuance of as-pects of self or relationships associated with specific identities (Eisenbach, 2013;Wellington & Sikes, 2006). Divorce and marital difficulties are documented consequences of the doctoral journey (Middleton, 2001;Norton, Thomas, Morgan, Tilley, & Dickins, 1998;Rockinson-Szapkiw, Spaulding, & Knight, 2015), and researchers have noted, "family and personal relationships are sometimes strained and can even break down as a result of a student's involvement in their studies" (Wellington & Sikes, 2006, p. 731). As the average age of a recipient of a doctoral degree is 33, which is around the age many women choose to begin a family (Mason, Wolfinger, & Golden, 2013), women may choose to delay beginning a family or choose not to have children.…”

Section: The Current State Of the Literature And The Gapmentioning

confidence: 99%

Women in Distance Doctoral Programs: How They Negotiate Their Identities As Mothers, Professionals, and Academics In Order to Persist

Rockinson‐Szapkiw

Spaulding

Lunde

2017

IJDS

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Aim/PurposeThe purpose of this study was to explain how Distance Education women EdD students who are mothers balanced and integrated their multiple identities (e.g., mother, student, professional) to persist. Background It is well documented that parenting students experience higher levels of stress and pressure during their degree pursuit than their non-parenting counterparts. It is also well documented that doctoral attrition is a persistent problem across decades and disciplines, and examination of specific populations was necessary to better understand how to foster doctoral persistence. Methodology Data were collected from 17 women via questionnaires, life maps, and interviews and were analyzed in accordance with grounded theory procedures. ContributionThis study generated a novel theoretical model to explain women EdD students' academic identity progression from students to scholars and its intersection with other salient identities, especially mother, and the core sense of self in alignment with other identity theories. Findings Academic identity development from student to research scholar is complex and challenging, but follows a unique progression that begins with gaining competence in research, followed by a confidence to conduct research. This positive attitude toward research is often shaped by an influential advisor or mentor, a relationship that enables a student mother to envision herself as a scholar and mother. However, it is a woman's social conditions (e.g., supportive spouse, friends, or employer) that provide her the confidence and space to difWomen in Distance Doctoral Programs 50 ferentiate, develop, and intersect multiple identities, a process that allows for successful negotiation and integration of identities, and ultimately, persistence and attainment of the doctorate. Recommendations for PractitionersFindings highlight the need for more women faculty role models in higher education. To increase the number of women faculty mentors in academia, program administrators can recruit, retain, and support and encourage parental visibility through developing structures and supports for faculty with families. Given the women candidates' emphasis on stewardship, faculty should design coursework to allow students to intersect assignments with professional goals and practices, and support empirically and theoretically grounded dissertations aimed at not only solving problems of practice but also aimed at advocacy. Recommendation for ResearchersResearch is needed with women doctoral candidates in other disciplines from other institutions and regions of the country, including those without children and individuals in non-heterosexual relationships. Impact on Society This study is an important first step in better understanding female identity development through the doctoral process. Future ResearchThemes uncovered in this research need further investigation. Ruptures in relationships were uncovered but not fully explored or saturated. More research is needed to understand the specific co...

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“…Se han identificado en la literatura, afectaciones emocionales y psicosociales propias del estudiante de doctorado. Estas incluyen el burnout (Löfström y Pyhältö, 2019), distrés y riesgo de desarrollo de un trastorno psiquiátrico (Levecque et al, 2017) y alteraciones en las relaciones interpersonales (Rockinson et al, 2015;Rockinson et al, 2017). Al ser parte del proyecto de vida y tener repercusiones psicosociales, los estudios doctorales son una vivencia que realiza el estudiante.…”

Section: Desarrollo Conceptualunclassified

Psicología y Educación. Una aproximación a estudios recientes de ámbitos, facetas y contextos de desarrollo

Isaza Valencia

2024

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Este libro presenta contribuciones de estudios empíricos, básicos o aplicados realizados en diferentes ámbitos educativos (educación formal, no formal e informal) en los últimos dos años. En cada capítulo se hace énfasis en temas que son transversales y de interés investigativo en el campo educativo y de la psicología educativa. Desde la línea de psicología educativa y contextos de desarrollo del Grupo Emoción, cognición y comportamiento -ECCO- de la Facultad de Psicología de la UPB, se propone con la publicación de este libro promover la divulgación y visibilidad de trabajos empíricos, de sistematización de experiencias educativas y reflexiones teóricas que retomen situaciones educativas actuales, como producto de investigaciones en las que han participado investigadores del Grupo ECCO con financiación interna o externa a la Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, trabajos de grado de estudiantes de pregrado y postgrado vinculados a proyecto de investigación del Grupo.

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Protecting the Marriage Relationship During the Doctoral Journey

Cited by 7 publications

References 25 publications

Does Family Matter? A Phenomenological Inquiry Exploring the Lived Experiences of Women Persisting in Distance Education, Professional Doctoral Programs

Does Family Matter? A Phenomenological Inquiry Exploring the Lived Experiences of Women Persisting in Distance Education, Professional Doctoral Programs

Women in Distance Doctoral Programs: How They Negotiate Their Identities As Mothers, Professionals, and Academics In Order to Persist

Psicología y Educación. Una aproximación a estudios recientes de ámbitos, facetas y contextos de desarrollo

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