A Practical Guide to Supporting PGR Wellbeing
Student wellbeing is a concern across the higher education sector, with an increasing numbers of students disclosing mental health disorders. Professionals have paid acute attention to the difficulties faced by undergraduates at various points in the student journey, especially during their transition into university and their final year of study.
Yet postgraduates also face uniquely challenging scenarios during their student journey, which can have negative outcomes for their wellbeing. On top the pressures faced by undergraduate students, PGRs may also have to contend with:
Isolation as a result of independent study and being away from home.
Pressure to produce high quality work and publish research.
Stress and uncertainly around securing employment after graduation.
Managing relationships with supervisors and peers.
The statistics when it comes to the mental wellbeing of Postgraduate Research Students (PGRs) are concerning: one study posits that PhD students are 6 times more likely than the general population to experience mental health problems, while another survey finds that 30% of postgraduate research students met the threshold for probable anxiety or depression.
So, how to develop targeted interventions that support PGR wellbeing? Professionals and academics who interact with these students have a key role to play. This blog article outlines 3 key areas and institutional processes that those working to enhance student outcomes can focus on to improve wellbeing for postgraduates.
Supervisory Relationships
Research on mental health among PGRs has consistently shown that a healthy supervisory relationship is important for wellbeing. A researcher’s supervisor is a key stakeholder in their university experience, so a poor working relationship can seriously impact their time in the institution.
You might consider the following interventions to support students to build and maintain good relationships with their supervisors:
Consistently review and manage these relationships.
Provide wellbeing training to all supervisors, like Birkbeck, University of London. These sessions should also cover the provision of encouraging feedback as well as constructive criticism.
Create ‘neutral’ spaces where students can reflect on their supervisory relationship, such as coaching or mentoring sessions. One report suggests using an Action Learning (AL) approach.
Offer resources to both students and staff on navigating these relationships. Some examples include the University of Southampton’s guidance on how to navigate supervisory relationships when distance learning, external guidance for students by Vitae and the University of Hull’s PGR Supervisor Guide to Supporting the Mental Health and Wellbeing of PGRs.
Provide guidance on what students can do when a supervisory relationship breaks down. The University of Edinburgh do this by signposting students to their Advice Place hub.
Integrate key findings from UKRI’s research into supporting excellent supervisory relationships and attempting to build a positive research culture.
By supporting your students to build and maintain strong working relationships with their supervisors, you undertake a preventative approach towards PGR wellbeing.
Research Networks and Community
Due to the largely independent nature of their mode of study, PGRs are more likely to experience loneliness or isolation than other kinds of students. As such, supporting them to build research networks and community is key to supporting their wellbeing and academic development.
You might consider:
Organising social events and convening shared spaces to bring PGRs together, such as the University of Edinburgh’s SolidariTEA campaign.
Integrating group projects into the curriculum, such as research presentations.
Signposting PhD students to relevant research groups, like the University of Westminster.
Facilitating a peer support system that is unique for PGRs, such as Queen Mary University’s PhD Support Group or SOAS’ Postgraduate Research Mentoring scheme.
A 2019 report commissioned by the Office for Students (OfS) found that student-led approaches to building community, such as peer support networks, can be effective. However, it also warns that these interventions benefit from strong institutional support. So, it’s important to ensure students are properly supported by your institution to develop these networks.
By encouraging students to build networks that are well integrated with their research, you offer vital sources of support for both their academic and personal wellbeing.
Personal and Professional Skills
While ensuring PGRs are sufficiently supported in their academic progression is important, making sure they have the tools to navigate their personal and professional lives is also fundamental to developing a preventative wellbeing approach.
Some potential options to explore could include:
Offering study skills sessions targeted at PGRs, such as the University of Exeter’s Research Development Programme (RDP), which supports students in areas such as working from home, maintaining motivation and navigating imposter syndrome.
Providing information and guidance on career paths and options. The University of Bath have developed a careers helpsheet for postgraduate students in addition to publishing guidance for supervisors on careers advice for their doctoral students.
Engaging a panel of research students to feedback on the support they receive from your institution, like SOAS’ Research Students Association.
Building personal and professional skills among postgraduate students can help to offset some of the anxieties they may feel around securing employment after their studies. The University of Sheffield’s Academic Skills Centre provide a great overview of how personal and professional capability can contribute to improved wellbeing among students.
Key Questions for Practitioners
This article has explored suggestions for preventative wellbeing interventions to support the mental health of PGRs. Some key questions for practitioners hoping to trial these approaches are:
What are the specific challenges PGRs face within my institution when it comes to wellbeing?
Where can researchers be better supported in developing professional and personal communities?
How can we use student voice from PGRs to inform the interventions we deliver?
