A new study published in Higher Education Quarterly explores a largely overlooked aspect of doctoral education—so-called taboo topics, that is, problems that are difficult to voice within academia despite having a significant impact on well-being and academic persistence.

Drawing on a mixed-methods design combining qualitative interviews (N = 21) and a national survey of 190 doctoral students, the study shows that, alongside “common” problems (such as financial strain or workload), their tabooized forms play a crucial role. Financial difficulties emerged as the most prevalent issue, reported by approximately 75% of students, often linked to the need to work outside academia.

The key finding, however, is that what remains unspoken often has stronger effects than the problems themselves. Taboo topics—such as supervisory quality, parenthood, authorship, and unequal opportunities—rank among the strongest predictors of burnout, depression, anxiety, and intentions to leave academia.

The analyses further show that supervisor quality is the most powerful predictor of burnout and dropout intentions. In contrast, taboos surrounding parenthood have the strongest associations with depression, anxiety, and stress, while authorship-related taboos are closely linked to decisions about staying in academia.

Overall, the study highlights that doctoral education is shaped not only by structural conditions but also by a “culture of silence” that amplifies psychological strain. Improving doctoral well-being and retention, therefore, requires not only addressing existing problems but also confronting the mechanisms that render them unspeakable.

Read the full article here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/hequ.70142