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. 2022 Oct 5;17(10):e0274976.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274976. eCollection 2022.

Leaving academia: PhD attrition and unhealthy research environments

Andrea Kis  1 , Elena Mas Tur  1 , Daniël Lakens  1 , Krist Vaesen  1 , Wybo Houkes  1
Affiliations

Leaving academia: PhD attrition and unhealthy research environments

Andrea Kis et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

This study investigates PhD candidates' (N = 391) perceptions about their research environment at a Dutch university in terms of the research climate, (un)ethical supervisory practices, and questionable research practices. We assessed whether their perceptions are related to career considerations. We gathered quantitative self-report estimations of the perceptions of PhD candidates using an online survey tool and then conducted descriptive and within-subject correlation analysis of the results. While most PhD candidates experience fair evaluation processes, openness, integrity, trust, and freedom in their research climate, many report lack of time and support, insufficient supervision, and witness questionable research practices. Results based on Spearman correlations indicate that those who experience a less healthy research environment (including experiences with unethical supervision, questionable practices, and barriers to responsible research), more often consider leaving academia and their current PhD position.

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Conflict of interest statement

I have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: All authors are employed by the university from which they gathered their data (i.e., the study is based on the responses of PhD candidates employed by Eindhoven University of Technology).

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Facilitators of a responsible research climate experienced in the scientific environment.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Barriers to a responsible research climate experienced in the scientific environment.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Estimated Prevalence of Questionable Research Practices, in the discipline (panel A) and the work environment (panel B).
Note: Item descriptions were shortened for this figure. Full descriptions are in Table 8. Numbers in red are rate of respondents reporting occurrences “very rarely”.
Fig 4
Fig 4. PhD candidates’ characterization of their primary supervisor’s practices.
Fig 5
Fig 5. Vocational commitment.
Fig 6
Fig 6. Frequency of PhD candidates seriously considering quitting their current job and academia.
Fig 7
Fig 7. Rate of Dutch and non-Dutch PhD candidates who report experiencing sufficient time for work, unfair evaluation policies, or normalization of overwork.
Note: Scales range either from strongly disagree to strongly agree (marked “disagree”) or the opposite, strongly agree to strongly disagree (marked “agree”). Numbers in red represent the rate of respondents who at least “somewhat agree/disagree”.
Fig 8
Fig 8. Dutch and non-Dutch PhD candidates’ characterization of their primary supervisor’s practices.
Note: Scales range either from strongly disagree to strongly agree (marked “disagree”) or the opposite, strongly agree to strongly disagree (marked “agree”). Numbers in red represent the rate of respondents who at least “somewhat agree/disagree”.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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