2025/07/18 by Jeanne Boisselier · 1 voice
Health Professions · Medicine · Social Sciences · #Doctoral Education Challenges and Solutions #Health and Medical Research Impacts #Career Development and Diversity
paper · doi:10.1080/07294360.2025.2526816
openalex publication_date 2025/07/18 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/15
Doctoral supervision is a crucial aspect of the doctoral journey, influencing the research self-efficacy (RSE) of PhD candidates. However, the pathway through which supervision influences RSE is unclear. This study builds on research into help-seeking (HS) behaviors to shed light on this relationship. HS behaviors refer to (adaptive or maladaptive) strategies to seek assistance when facing difficulties and address the proactive role of learners and the relational dynamic in skills development. This study tests the predictive effect of doctoral supervision on both RSE and HS behaviors of PhD candidates, and the mediating effect of HS behaviors between supervision and RSE. Through an online questionnaire completed by 178 PhD candidates across representative scientific fields, the study unveils a predictive effect of the supervision relationship on the RSE and on HS behaviors of PhD candidates. Mediation analysis shows indirect effects of supervision on RSE, through HS behaviors. These effects vary depending on the specific dimension of supervision and HS behavior under consideration. This study offers a comprehensive perspective on how the supervision relationship relates to the behaviors and experience of PhD candidates, holding both scientific implications and practical insights.