This study examines the role of doctoral supervision in the development of PhD candidates, with a focus on their research self-efficacy and the strategies they use to seek help.
Doctoral supervision is a critical factor in shaping the doctoral journey and influencing the research self-efficacy (RSE) of PhD candidates. This study investigates how supervision affects RSE, with a focus on the mediating role of help-seeking (HS) behaviors. HS behaviors capture the strategies candidates use to seek support when facing difficulties. Using data from an online questionnaire completed by 178 PhD candidates, the study shows that supervision predicts both RSE and HS behaviors, and that HS behaviors mediate the relationship between supervision and RSE. The effects vary depending on the specific supervision dimensions and the type of HS behavior. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how doctoral supervision shapes PhD candidates’ development.
This study looks at how doctoral supervision influences PhD candidates’ confidence in their ability to conduct research (called research self-efficacy). We explore the role of help-seeking behaviors, that is, the ways PhD candidates ask for support when they face difficulties. By analyzing responses from 178 PhD candidates in different scientific fields, we show that supervision not only has a direct effect on their confidence, but also an indirect effect through these help-seeking strategies. These results shed light on how the relationship with supervisors can shape the doctoral experience and provide insights that can help strengthen supervision practices.
The study was conducted in 2023 through an online questionnaire, completed by 178 PhD candidates enrolled across diverse scientific fields.
Jeanne Boisselier
boisselier@adoc-tm.com
Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Studies on the Doctorate, Adoc Talent Management, 21 rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, 75011 Paris, France