A systematic review and a comprehensive approach to PhD students' wellbeing

Abstract

The pursuit of a doctoral degree is a challenging process that can have a negative impact on the wellbeing of PhD students. Therefore, the aim here is to offer a systematic review of the current state of the literature on wellbeing among PhD students and the variables it involves in order to build an integrative model that will enrich future research. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology for systematic reviews has been used to lay out the process in a flow diagram. We systematically review studies up to 2021 (N = 38) published on the Web of Science and SCOPUS databases. The results show the current state of the literature on wellbeing in PhD students, the characteristics of the studies (location, study design, and sample), how the literature defines the concept, the variables involved, the study limitations, and future perspectives to improve the quality of life of doctoral students. Finally, a comprehensive approach to the topic is presented in an integrative model that encompasses all variables identified in the literature and offers a guide for future research.