Abstract:

This article focuses on the challenges of pursuing a doctorate, particularly when writing a dissertation. Numerous reports on successful and abandoned doctoral studies can be found in the literature (Muench/Mankowski 2013, p. 114; Audehm/Nikol 1996, p. 104). Nevertheless, there are no reliable figures on doctoral dropouts. The figures for Germany vary between two-thirds of failed attempts (Baur/Schmidt 2010, p. 27) to moderate figures of around one-fifth if the doctorate is pursued without a scholarship or without a position at a university (Brandt/Franz 2020, p. 22). These figures indicate that pursuing a doctorate is a desired goal for some university graduates, but at the same time it is not an easy undertaking. Since dropout rates are particularly high for so-called independent (external or individual) doctoral programs (Brandt/Franz 2020, p. 22), it is important to examine the specific challenges of pursuing a doctorate without a structured program, i.e., independently of a university, and how these challenges can be overcome by doctoral candidates.

In this respect, the article aims to examine the conditions and resources that lead to a successful doctorate. It also seeks to identify protective factors that prevent students from abandoning their dissertation projects.

With the help of theories from the fields of health and occupational psychology, resources and conditions can be identified that allow an impending dissertation withdrawal to be viewed as an opportunity. Specifically, I use the Job Demands-Resources Model (Bakker/Demerouti 2007) and the Integrative Development and Maintenance Model (Berking 2012). To investigate the above-mentioned questions, I draw on grounded theory (Struebing 2021) and use interview data from a doctoral podcast. This is a single case analysis. The selection is limited to one case in which a doctoral candidate was informed by her doctoral supervisor shortly before submitting her dissertation that her supervision would be terminated and that she would therefore fail. The results of the study show how the doctoral candidate managed to overcome these challenges.

The results regarding the research question “What resources support the doctoral process?” indicate that, in relation to the challenges of pursuing a doctorate, a variety of resources form a valuable basis for dealing with setbacks and increasing the likelihood of successfully completing a dissertation. The specific resources and protective factors are described in detail in the presentation and classified according to psychological theories and models.

Various scientific disciplines benefit from these findings. Psychological disciplines gain insights into the effects of critical life events and their developmental opportunities. For adult education, there are new insights into the challenges of lifelong learning and balancing different areas of life such as family, job, and continuing education. For the field of social work, evidence can be extracted on the importance of maintaining the ability to act, and on the empirical social research side, the usefulness of grounded theory as a method has been reinforced.

Keywords:

Doctorate, dissertation, grounded theory, protective factors, resources.