Toward Understanding Factors Salient to Doctoral Students’ Persistence: The Development and Preliminary Validation of the Doctoral Academic-Family Integration Inventory

Abstract

Aim/Purpose: Despite the literature documenting the importance of family in persistence, doctoral students’ Academic-Family integration has been relatively ignored. Thus, in this study, the construct of doctoral academic-family integration is defined, followed by the creation and validation an instrument. Background: The challenge of integrating the doctoral degree program and family is a central concern for doctoral students and higher education personnel. Setting up boundaries to achieve a satisfactory balance between academic and family life is an issue that affects a doctoral student’s decision to persist. Methodology: An expert panel and principal component analysis (PCA) was used to analyze data from a sample of doctoral students to examine the validity of the Doctoral Academic-Family Integration Inventory (DAFII). Cronbach alpha coefficients were calculated to examine reliability. Contribution: While higher education institutions have made strides in work-family integration theory, research, and policy for their faculty and staff, the academic-family (AF) topic has not emerged as readily in policies and initiatives for doctoral students (Lester, 2013). The topic of AF balance of doctoral students, both in distance and residential programs, is understudied despite the fact that family is a consistent factor identified in doctoral persistence and attrition. Findings: An expert panel and PCA was used to analyze data, resulting in a 22 item valid Doctoral Academic-Family Integration Inventory with three components – Academic-Family Balance, Academic-Family Boundary Setting, and Academic-Family Interference. Cronbach alpha coefficients results demonstrate that the inventory has good reliability. Recommendations for Practitioners: Having the DAFII will likely prove to be of substantial utility to faculty and administrators in doctoral programs. The scale may be used as a formative assessment for doctoral students entering a program to provide information about academic-family boundaries and to address weaknesses in academic-family balance that could result in attrition. Recommendation for Researchers: This research provides a psychometrically sound instrument that can be used to advance the research on academic-family integration, a term that has not been previously defined and a topic that has been sorely understudied despite the fact that family is central to doctoral persistence. Researchers now have an instrument to examine this construct. Given the limited research on academic-family integration, the DAFII also provides a tool to extend research on persistence. Impact on Society: Understanding academic-family integration is vital as many doctoral students begin developing patterns for integration in their program that they carry into the workforce. Future Research: Further validation of the instrument can be pursued with doctoral students as well as graduate students in STEM and non-STEM fields, given the limited population sample used in this study. Future research is needed to examine how academic-family integration may vary within same-sex relationships and based on the doctoral student’s gender identity.

Program and Instructional Strategies Supportive of Doctoral Students’ Degree Completion

“…Social and psychological support is crucial to adult students’ ability to complete doctoral studies. Lack of academic integration, or isolation from meaningful participation with others, can contribute to adult students’ attrition from doctoral programs (Rockinson-Szapkiw, 2019). Many students have difficulty feeling they belong in doctoral education and experience the imposter syndrome—an inability to internalize accomplishments and persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud (Gardner, 2013; Parkman, 2016).…”

“…A doctoral degree is an enormous undertaking that demands significant time, energy, financial, and emotional commitments. Adult students enter doctoral programs of study with hope, aspirations for the future, and complex lives (Kasworm, 2008; Rockinson-Szapkiw, 2019). While they are students, most adults must maintain their personal responsibilities; therefore, they may struggle with multiple identities and role conflict (Kovalcikiene & Buksnyte-Marmiene, 2015a; Rockinson-Szapkiw, 2019).…”

“…Despite students’ investments of time and energy, approximately 50% of students do not complete a doctoral degree they begin (Cassuto, 2013; Rockinson-Szapkiw, 2019). Attrition rates for online doctoral students tend to be 10% to 20% higher than face-to-face programs (Graham & Massyn, 2019).…”

“…Adults entering doctoral programs tend to be nontraditional, part-time, or first-generation students who lack model parents who completed at least an undergraduate degree. Adult learners make sacrifices of time, energy, and money to attend school while balancing multiple family, community, and workplace commitments (Rockinson-Szapkiw, 2019). Adult learners experience challenges in understanding the unfamiliar process of graduate education and having enough financial support to complete graduate studies (Gardner, 2013).…”

Identifying Significant Personal and Program Factors that Predict Online EdD Students’ Program Integration

“…While many doctoral students attribute persistence to family support, many also report poor degree progression and integration associated with balancing their doctoral studies and families (Dabney & Tai, 2013). In a number of qualitative studies, doctoral students, namely women, explained that being married and having children during a doctoral can be stressful and salient in their lack of academic integration and persistence (Oswalt & Riddock, 2007;Rockinson-Szapkiw, Spaulding, & Lunde, 2017;Rockinson-Szapkiw, 2019;Smith, Maroney, Nelson, Abel, & Abel, 2006). For example, Brown and Watsons (2010) interviewed nine women enrolled in a residential Ph.D. program who identified three primary stressors, which included (a) the conflict between their roles as mothers and students, (b) the consistent balancing act of home and academic responsibilities, and (c) time for academics being slighted by family demands and responsibilities.…”