Dissertation
Diaper bags and doctorates: a phenomenological case study of doctoral student parents at a research university
University of Iowa
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
Summer 2022
DOI: 10.25820/etd.006505
Abstract
This phenomenological case study investigated the experiences of doctoral student parents at a research university. Purposeful sampling was used to select six participants for maximum diversity of experience. The participants shared if and how their experience in their academic departments differed from their non-parent peers. The research questions used in this study focused on interactions with faculty to determine if belonging was a crucial element to the overall experience of the doctoral student parents. This study used theories of role conflict, role strain, and the reimagined theory of student departure to determine how the roles of parent and student impacted the ways in which belonging was achieved, or not achieved by the participants. Current literature places a strong emphasis on high rates of attrition, and it was discovered that although parenting while pursuing a doctoral education is challenging, especially during a global pandemic, it is not impossible. It was determined that belonging did not have the influential role in academic success for the doctoral student parents as literature states for undergraduate and masters-level student populations. The three major themes that came from the findings are time management, managing relationships with faculty and peers, and resources and support systems. To support the blending of doctoral student parent’s personal and academic lives, academic departments and the Graduate College could look to increasing resources that address financial support, increased remote learning options, and reimagining space on campus.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Diaper bags and doctorates: a phenomenological case study of doctoral student parents at a research university
- Creators
- Abilasha Aparajithan France-Kelly
- Contributors
- Jodi L Linley (Advisor)Cassie Barnhardt (Committee Member)Andrew Beckett (Committee Member)Katharine Broton (Committee Member)Amanda H Thein (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Educational Policy and Leadership Studies
- Date degree season
- Summer 2022
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- DOI
- 10.25820/etd.006505
- Number of pages
- ix, 124 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2022 Abilasha Aparajithan France-Kelly
- Language
- English
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 117-124).
- Public Abstract (ETD)
Challenged to develop an academic identity and compete with peers, doctoral student parents find their already limited time split in multiple directions. Literature primarily focuses on high attrition rates that impact this population; however, this study highlights the success stories of six participants at a large, public, research institution. Utilizing a case study design, this study asks how skills gained through parenting can influence a doctoral student parent’s academic experience in a positive way.
It was discovered that although parenting while pursuing a doctoral education is challenging, especially during a global pandemic, it is not impossible. Balancing roles leaves very little time for students to devote time to creating meaningful relationship with faculty and peers to increase their sense of belonging, which was found to not be as influential in the long run as it is for undergraduate or masters-level students. It is proposed that academic departments and the Graduate College look to increasing resources that address financial support, increased remote learning options, and reimagining space on campus to support the blending of doctoral student parent’s personal and academic lives.
- Academic Unit
- Educational Policy and Leadership Studies
- Record Identifier
- 9984285051902771
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