Challenge and hindrance demands of doctoral education: conceptualization, scale development and validation
Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education
ISSN: 2050-7003
Article publication date: 13 March 2023
Issue publication date: 2 January 2024
Abstract
Purpose
The present study develops, conceptualizes and validates a scale based on the transactional stress theory to assess the perceived challenge and hindrance demands of doctoral programs that impact doctoral students’ psychological well-being.
Design/methodology/approach
This research employs an exploratory-mixed methodology comprising five phases with a sequential qualitative-quantitative approach. A rigorous scale development process is adopted to validate the instrument’s psychometric properties. The study respondents are Indian full-time doctoral students in the management discipline.
Findings
The findings show that the construct of perceived challenge and hindrance demands is a first-order four-factor and a second-order two-factor model. The study has validated the scale to capture the challenge and hindrance demands of doctoral research programs with the following sub-constructs: doctoral program resource inadequacies, doctoral program ambiguity, doctoral program workload and complexity.
Practical implications
The recommended challenge demands and hindrance demands (CHD) scale provides a benchmark for doctoral institutes and program supervisors in focussing on research students’ perception of their doctoral education demands to reduce the strain and increase their well-being during their doctoral program journey.
Originality/value
Hindrance demands adversely influence the motivation resources needed for doctoral education; challenge demands positively impact the research students’ internal resources.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the Transdisciplinary Centre for Qualitative Methods (TCQM) help provided by Manipal for analyzing the study.
The authors would like to acknowledge and extend their gratitude to Dr. Badrinarayan Srirangam Ramaprasad, Associate Professor at Justice K. S. Hedge Institute of Management, NITTE, Mangalore, India, for his support in the scale development at various stages.
Citation
Acharya, V., Rajendran, A. and Prabhu, N. (2024), "Challenge and hindrance demands of doctoral education: conceptualization, scale development and validation", Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, Vol. 16 No. 1, pp. 18-41. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-10-2022-0330
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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