While postgraduate research may feel like a solitary endeavor, the mental health and wellbeing of postgraduate researchers (PGRs) are inextricably linked to some of the key relationships and social support during this period. Research shows that PGRs who report good relationships with peers and supervisors, or describe their departments as supportive and inclusive, experience higher wellbeing, more academic success, and are less likely to abandon their studies. Nevertheless, few studies capture detailed characteristics of multiple relationships within the PGR community and their role in its outcomes. In my PhD, I am using a social network approach to link the patterns in PGR relationships, interactions, and support provision to the mental health and wellbeing of 480 PGRs from 44 universities in the UK.

The participants in my study, which took place during the 2021 Covid-19 lockdown, were on average 33 years old and three quarters of them identified as female. Around one third were experiencing depression, while around half felt anxious or lonely. Their networks comprised around 11 individuals, 8 of whom they had been in touch with recently. A typical network included a partner, two family members, three friends, two supervisors, a fellow PGR, and a colleague. One in five PGRs also had a mentor. Eight of these relationships were described as supportive and one, normally with a family member or a supervisor, as ‘stressful or demanding’.
The larger the network, the higher was the number of supportive relationships, but the same applied to the negative ones. PGRs with more supportive relationships and fewer negative ones had lower distress and higher wellbeing, and so did those who felt closer to others and talked to them more frequently. Networks with more diverse social roles (family, friends, supervisors, fellow PGRs, colleagues, etc.), as well as a higher number of family members and friends played a positive role. The presence of mentors and supervisors was beneficial, with the best outcomes being linked to the networks with two supervisors, closely followed by those with three. Worryingly, almost one in five PGRs did not name a supervisor as part of their research support network.
Between three and four people were named as reliable providers of emotional support, while up to three people were relied upon for advice on the PhD project, i.e., research support. Partner, family, and friends were the most likely providers of emotional support, while supervisors, fellow PGRs, and colleagues provided research support. PGRs who had more pressing need for support had poorer mental health and wellbeing, while those who were highly satisfied with support reported better outcomes. Their social networks were not significantly larger, but they felt they could count on more people for these types of support, specifically on partners, family members, supervisors, and mentors. High emotional support satisfaction was also related to denser networks, where more people knew each other, while high research support satisfaction was more common in PGRs who had fewer negative relationships in their networks. In both cases, these PGRs felt closer to the people in their circle and saw them more often.

These results reveal the complexity of PGR relationships and wellbeing, highlighting the importance of fine balance between quantity and quality. Large networks might be desirable, but only when they are dominated by close, supportive relationships, strengthened by frequent contact and interconnectedness. Nevertheless, very large networks might put more pressure on the person to maintain frequent contact and closeness, exacerbating the risk of some relationships being experienced as stressful or demanding and, consequently, detrimental to PGR wellbeing. Many universities are helping PGRs build and maintain support networks by including them in departmental governance and facilitating social interactions and mentorship programmes. However, some of the key relationships in PGR wellbeing are the non-academic ones, which are only too often sacrificed to the high demands and long hours of postgraduate research. Supporting life-work balance by helping PGRs build an optimal schedule, set boundaries and priorities, and safeguard their time is another avenue to take in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of this community.

Jelena Milicev, Postgraduate researcher, MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit

First published: 30 April 2024

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