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Stojadinović A. et al. (2025). PhD Students’ Perceptions and Strategies For Managing Stress During Their PhD Studies,

International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2), 257-272.

Original scientific paper

Received: April 12, 2025.

Revised: July 14, 2025.

Accepted: July 30, 2025.

UDC:

159.944.4.072-057.875

10.23947/2334-8496-2025-13-2-257-272

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Corresponding author:

stojadinovicaleksandar@gmail.com

Abstract: The combined effects of academic demands, the need for effective time management, balancing work and

personal commitments, and financial challenges lead to a significant degree of stress among PhD students. Understanding

how stress is perceived and managed is crucial to understanding the challenges faced by PhD students during their most

intense period of academic study. The study aims to examine how doctoral students display stress during their studies. A

specially designed Questionnaire on how doctoral students perceive and manage stress during their studies was created

for this study. It had seven items, and respondents were asked to rate their level of agreement with each one on a five-point

Likert-type scale. A sample of 438 doctoral students from the Republic of Serbia with varying demographic, professional, and

academic characteristics was used in the study. ANOVA and correlation tests, among other statistical analyses, revealed

a high degree of stress related to difficulties balancing personal and academic commitments, particularly for doctoral stu-

dents who are self-funded and have jobs. Gender differences show that female PhD students experience higher levels of

stress, older PhD students struggle to find time for relaxation, and employed respondents report higher levels of stress than

their counterparts without jobs. Scientific disciplines also differ, so that PhD students in the humanities report high levels

of pressure. In contrast, those in the natural and technical sciences are less stressed by the competitive aspect of their

study. The results emphasize the necessity of specialized institutional support services, such as financial aid, mentorship,

and adaptable stress management programs, in order to reduce stress and enhance PhD students’ academic experiences.

Keywords: stress, stressogenic aspects, doctoral studies, time management, academic institutional support.

Aleksandar M. Stojadinović

Ana D. Spasić Stošić

, Tatjana B. Milosavljević Đukić

, Ivana D. Tasić Mitić

Biljana M. Novković Cvetković

, Slobodan M. Marković

University of Niš, Pedagogical Faculty, Vranje, Serbia,

e-mail:

stojadinovicaleksandar@gmail.com, anastosic974@gmail.com, tatjanamdj74@gmail.com,

ivana.tasic82@yahoo.com, biljananovkovic74@gmail.com, solevac@gmail.com

PhD Students’ Perceptions and Strategies For Managing Stress During

Their PhD Studies

Introduction

Doctoral studies are the most advanced form of academic education that an individual can pur-

sue, offering the opportunity to acquire the specialized knowledge and skills required to address com-

plex issues in various scientific and artistic disciplines. Despite the wealth of prospects for professional

growth that doctoral studies offer, they are frequently accompanied by several difficulties that can have

a detrimental impact on doctoral students’ academic performance and mental health. PhD students fre-

quently experience higher levels of stress during their studies due to issues including having too many

responsibilities, time constraints, financial instability, a competitive environment, and demanding aca-

demic requirements. Furthermore, certain stressors, like the academic environment’s competitive culture

and the varying expectations in scientific disciplines, can impede doctoral students’ progress and general

productivity (Pyhältö et al., 2009; Levecque et al., 2017; Karaman et al., 2019; Tadić and Kordić, 2023).

According to the majority of authors, stress is a person’s psychophysiological response to an imbal-

ance between their personal resources and the needs of their environment, whereby they believe that the

demands of the situation are greater than their capacity (Lazarus and Folkman, 1984). In an academic

setting, stress in doctoral students is frequently caused by the belief that the demands of their studies are

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Stojadinović A. et al. (2025). PhD Students’ Perceptions and Strategies For Managing Stress During Their PhD Studies,

International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2), 257-272.

too much for them, which can result in emotions of dissatisfaction and personal insecurity (

Bedewy and

Gabriel, 2015; Maluckov, 2018). According to the research findings, the most frequent causes of stress for

doctoral students are complicated tasks like writing a doctoral thesis, assessing one’s accomplishments,

balancing personal and academic commitments, and expectations surrounding the publication of scien-

tific papers (Stubb et al., 2011, 2012; Schmidt and Hansson, 2018).

The authors of the relevant articles often examine the causes of stress from two fundamental perspec-

tives: institutional and individual. PhD students report feeling more stressed on an individual basis due to is-

sues like time management, financial strains, and balancing personal and academic obligations (Jairam and

Kahl, 2012; Alkhawaldeh et al., 2023; Milovanović et al., 2023). However, during their studies, PhD students

experience more anxiety and insecurity due to institutional factors like regular performance reviews, a com-

petitive environment, and a lack of mentorship support (Schmidt and Hansson, 2018; Sverdlik et al., 2018).

Furthermore, PhD students’ perceptions of stress are significantly influenced by their professional

and demographic characteristics. According to earlier studies, female PhD students are more likely than

their male counterparts to experience higher levels of stress, which may be related to taking on more

social tasks and obligations (Cotton et al., 2017; Schmidt and Hansson, 2018). While unemployed PhD

students report lower levels of stress than working ones, who have to handle professional and academic

obligations, older PhD students are more likely to struggle to find time for relaxation (

Sverdlik et al., 2018

;

Barry et al., 2018; Husić and Dautbegović, 2023). An individual’s experience of stress during the most

advanced period of academic study is significantly influenced by their financial status. While self-funded

students often feel more strain due to the high cost of their studies, PhD students who receive budgetary

support report feeling less stressed (Lovitts, 2001; Cotton et al., 2017). Additionally, the nature of study

programs can affect stress levels. For example, students in the natural and technical sciences frequently

have to deal with the demands of laboratory research and results publication, whereas students in the

social sciences and humanities report higher levels of stress because of the difficulties of conducting field

research (Stubb et al., 2012;

Schmidt and Hansson, 2018

; Miltojević et al., 2022).

Anxiety, depression, and burnout are among the detrimental effects of high stress levels on PhD

students’ mental health (Pascoe et al., 2020). Additionally, stress might lower a person’s academic per-

formance and satisfaction with studies (Bedewy and Gabriel, 2015). A combination of individual tactics,

including time management techniques, utilizing social support, building mental resilience, and imple-

menting institutional measures, is necessary for effective stress management (Walker et al., 2008; Py-

hältö et al., 2012; Turkal et al., 2018; Trigueros et al., 2020). Flexible academic requirements, mental

health promotion programs, and consistent mentorship assistance are some ways that higher education

institutions can help reduce stress (McAlpine and McKinnon, 2013; Lonka and Ketonen, 2019; Simić and

Vranješević, 2022). The key to lowering stress and improving doctoral students’ academic performance

lies in effective time management, as well as intellectual and social support (Pyhältö et al., 2012; Mijatović

and Strižak, 2023; Knežević and Polak, 2024).

Research analyzing the differences in stress levels based on academic, occupational, and demo-

graphic variables is uncommon, despite the large number of studies on the prevalence of stress among

PhD students. Although time management techniques, institutional support, and mentoring have been rec-

ognized as important stress-reduction variables, little is known about how these elements impact various

PhD student populations. In order to identify the variations in the levels of particular aspects of stress among

various groups of doctoral students and the relationship between the level of certain aspects of stress and

age and length of work experience, the research was conducted in the context of examining the expression

of key stress-inducing factors, adhering to the previously mentioned framework. Additionally, the study ana-

lyzed the overall stress level and found correlations and variations among the variables indicated.

Materials and Methods

The study aims to investigate how doctoral students manage stress while pursuing their doctoral

degrees. The goal was operationalized using the following tasks:

1. To investigate how different stress-managing factors manifest during doctoral studies, such as the

capacity to control stress, the ability to find positive ways to lessen overload, the ability to cope with

a competitive environment, the effectiveness of time management, the frequency of achievement

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Stojadinović A. et al. (2025). PhD Students’ Perceptions and Strategies For Managing Stress During Their PhD Studies,

International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2), 257-272.

evaluations, the ability to balance academic and personal commitments, the ability to secure quality

free time for relaxation, and the overall level of stress;

2. Ascertain the differences in the level of success of using the named stress management techniques

in light of the various academic, professional, and demographic traits of PhD students;

3. Ascertain the relationship between doctorate students’ age and duration of work experience and the

ability to manage stress;

4. Identify the differences in the overall stress management associated with doctoral studies, taking

into account the various academic, professional, and demographic traits of doctoral students;

5. To identify the correlation between doctoral students’ age and duration of job experience and the

overall degree of stress management behaviours associated with their studies.

The primary research hypothesis is that PhD students experience a significant amount of stress

while pursuing their degrees. Additionally, the following auxiliary hypotheses were proposed:

The ability to manage stress, finding constructive ways to reduce overload, coping with a competi-

tive environment, time management efficiency, the frequency of achievement evaluations, balancing

academic obligations with personal life, and securing quality free time for relaxation are all significant

stress-managing aspects of doctoral studies. These factors are reflected in the overall stress level of

doctoral students, with those who manage their time more effectively reporting lower levels of stress.

Certain aspects of doctoral students’ stress levels vary statistically significantly based on their aca-

demic, professional, and demographic characteristics; female doctoral students, unemployed stu-

dents, and students who finance themselves all exhibit higher levels of stress, whereas no statistical-

ly significant difference was found when it came to belonging to a particular scientific or artistic field;

: There is a statistically significant correlation between doctoral students’ age and length of job expe-

rience and the degree of specific stressors, with older doctoral students and those with more work

experience reporting greater levels of stress;

: While there are no differences observed between doctoral students in different scientific or artistic

fields, there are statistically significant differences in the overall level of stress among doctoral stu-

dents when taking into account various demographic, professional, and academic characteristics;

male doctoral students who are employed and self-financed exhibit a higher level of stress;

: There is a statistically significant correlation between doctoral students’ total stress level and their

age and length of work experience; older doctoral students report higher levels of stress overall, but

there is no significant correlation between the two variables.

The study included 438 doctoral students, 62.6% of whom were female, from various universities in

the Republic of Serbia who are currently enrolled in doctoral programs. The average age of the respond-

ents is M = 31.63 (SD = 4.81), with a range of 21 to 45 years. With an average tenure of M = 6.71 years

(SD = 4.42), the majority of respondents (92.2%) are employed. When it comes to the scientific and artis-

tic fields, the highest percentage of participants (40.9%) came from the social and humanities, followed by

the natural and mathematical sciences (21.5%), technical and technological sciences (17.6%), philologi-

cal sciences (7.1%), and medical sciences (6.6%). Four respondents (1%) were from the fields of arts and

agriculture, while 5.5% of respondents did not specify the profession to which they belonged. In terms of

funding their education, over half of the respondents (45.0%) do so with assistance from the Republic of

Serbia’s budget, whereas 28.3% do it on their own. 13.9% of respondents said that their doctoral school

expenses are covered by their employer, while 10.3% said that their employer and the Republic of Ser-

bia’s budget partially finance their studies. 2.5% of respondents mentioned other sources of funding for

their doctoral studies. Table 1 displays the sample’s professional, academic, and demographic attributes.

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Stojadinović A. et al. (2025). PhD Students’ Perceptions and Strategies For Managing Stress During Their PhD Studies,

International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2), 257-272.

Table 1. Demographic, academic, and professional characteristics of the sample

General sample characteristics

Demographic

characteristics

Gender, n (%)

Male

164 (37.4%)

Female

274 (62.6%)

Age (mean value (standard deviation), range)

31.63 (4.81), 21.00

– 45.00

Professional

characteristics

Employment status, n (%)

Employed

404 (92.2%)

Unemployed

34 (7.8%)

Length of service (mean value (standard deviation), range)

6.71(4.42), 1.00 –

26.00

Academic characteristics

Scientific/artistic field, n (%)

Social and Humanities Sciences

179 (40.9%)

Medical Sciences 29 (6.6%)

Engineering and Technology Sciences 77 (17.6%)

Natural and Mathematical Sciences 94 (21.5%)

Philological Sciences 31 (7.1%)

Other* 4 (1.0%)

I was not selected for the position

24 (5.5%)

Method of funding doctoral studies, n (%)

Funded by the Budget of the Republic of Serbia

194 (45.0%)

Self-Funded by the Student 124 (28.3%)

Funded by the Budget of the Employing Institution 61 (13.9%)

Partially Funded by the Budget of the Republic of Serbia and the Employing Institution 45 (10.3%)

Other

11 (2.5%)

* Due to the small number of respondents (N = 2) in the categories: Art and Agriculture, they were combined into the category “other”

For the purposes of the study, A questionnaire on the perception and management of stress among

doctoral students during their doctoral studies was created. The questionnaire consists of seven items,

with respondents rating their level of agreement on a five-point Likert-type scale (1 - completely agree,

2 - agree, 3 - undecided, 4 - disagree, 5 - completely disagree) for each of them. The items refer to:

successful management of stress levels related to doctoral studies; finding constructive ways to reduce

the burden of doctoral studies; the emergence of a competitive atmosphere at doctoral studies; time or-

ganization in order to continuously engage in doctoral studies; provision of quality free time or relaxation

activities; constructive ways of accepting frequent evaluations of personal achievements and finding a

balance between academic obligations. The questionnaire was designed to achieve the study’s aim, and

the metric features were subsequently determined.

The structure of the seven-question questionnaire was examined using factor analysis. The Kaiser-

Meyer-Olkin test of sample adequacy was used to assess the reliability of the factor analysis, and the re-

sult was 0.840, indicating that the model’s factor analysis may be conducted. The correlation between the

questions was checked using Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity. The test resulted in a value of χ

= 1382.917 (p

< 0.001), indicating that factor analysis can examine the questionnaire structure. Only one eigenvalue is

greater than one, indicating that a single construct accounts for all seven items. A single factor explained

55.19% of the variance. This one-dimensional questionnaire assesses the ability of doctoral students to

manage stress. Factor saturation for all items ranges from 0.828 to 0.616. The reliability is appropriate (α

= 0.858 to α = 0.829), and the overall reliability of the questionnaire is strong (α = 0.860). Table 2 presents

the results of the factor analysis and reliability analysis.

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Stojadinović A. et al. (2025). PhD Students’ Perceptions and Strategies For Managing Stress During Their PhD Studies,

International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2), 257-272.

Table 2. Results of factor analysis, Varimax rotation

Initial Eigen values

Factor

saturations

Crombach Alpha

coefficient

Total Variance (%) Cumulative values

1 3.863 55.19 55.19 0.828 0,829

2 0.92 13.144 68.334 0.813 0,826

3 0.628 8.975 77.309 0.783 0,858

4 0.596 8.511 85.82 0.718 0,844

5 0.482 6.889 92.708 0.717 0,845

6 0.284 4.051 96.759 0.703 0,846

7 0.227 3.241 100.000 0.616 0,829

Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy = 0.840, Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity = 1382.917 (p < 0,001). α Total = 0,860

1 = Most of the time, I successfully controlled the level of stress I experienced in connection with

doctoral studies, 2 = I found constructive ways to reduce the overload of doctoral studies, 3 = I tolerated

well the emergence of a competitive atmosphere during doctoral studies, 4 = I organized my time so that

I could regularly engage in my doctoral studies, 5 = I provide myself with sufficient quality free time or

relaxation activities, 6 = I can deal constructively with frequent evaluations of personal achievement,

7 = I generally find a balance between obligations and private life.

The dimensionality of the questionnaire was investigated using factor analysis (Varimax rotation),

and its reliability was assessed using the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. One-way ANOVA and Student’s

t-test were used to compare differences between groups. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to

assess the relationship between two numerical variables. The mean value with the appropriate standard

deviation was employed to calculate descriptive statistics, whilst qualitative variables were given as fre-

quencies and percentages. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05 for the null hypothesis. SPSS

ver. 24 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) was used to process and analyze the research results.

Results

To investigate the ability to manage stress among doctoral students during their studies, numerous

stress-management factors were examined in relation to the respondents’ demographic, professional,

and academic characteristics. The similarities and variations in stress management techniques among

doctoral candidates with different characteristics were also examined.

The first research objective was to examine the prevalence rate of various stress-managing tech-

niques during doctoral studies, including the ability to manage stress, finding constructive ways to reduce

overload, coping with a competitive environment, the effectiveness of time management, the frequency

of evaluation of achievements, balancing academic obligations with private life, and the ability to ensure

quality free time for relaxation, as well as examining the general level of stress among doctoral students.

The study’s findings reveal that doctoral students generally manage well in a competitive environment (M

= 3.99, SD = 0.99) and with frequent evaluations of their achievements (M = 3.89, SD = 0.90), perceiv-

ing these characteristics as less stressful. In contrast, the study results show that doctoral students feel

more pressure in the segments related to controlling the level of stress experienced during their studies

(M = 3.53, SD = 1.09), organizing their time (M = 3.37, SD = 1.26), and establishing a balance between

academic obligations and their private life. While some PhD students successfully apply stress-reduction

measures, others face significant difficulty in effectively managing these aspects (M = 3.53, SD = 1.10).

It is crucial to note that doctoral students experience more difficulty in acquiring quality free time or en-

gaging in relaxation activities (M = 3.21, SD = 1.35), resulting in insufficient time for rest and relaxation.

The collected research findings show that the aforementioned elements imply a moderate level of stress

management among PhD students (M = 3.55, SD = 0.84). Graph 1 illustrates the average ratings of vari-

ous stress-related behaviours throughout PhD studies, as well as the overall average score of doctoral

students’ abilities to apply them.

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Stojadinović A. et al. (2025). PhD Students’ Perceptions and Strategies For Managing Stress During Their PhD Studies,

International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2), 257-272.

Graph 1. Average perceptions of the stress-managing behaviours among PhD students

With regard to various demographic, professional, and academic characteristics of doctoral stu-

dents (gender, work status, belonging to a certain scientific or artistic field, financing methods), the second

research task aims to ascertain the differences in the level of success of using the named stress manag-

ing techniques (ability to manage stress, finding constructive ways to reduce overload, coping with a com-

petitive atmosphere, efficiency of time management, frequency of evaluation of achievements, balancing

academic obligations with private life, and the ability to ensure quality free time for relaxation).

Differences in respondents’ judgments according to gender are evident in the examination of re-

search findings on stress perception and stress management in PhD studies. In the areas of stress

management and identifying productive strategies to lessen overload during coursework or thesis work,

statistically significant gender disparities are evident. While female doctoral students exhibit a higher

level of overall stress management (M = 3.39, SD = 1.13, p < 0.01) and find constructive ways to reduce

overload (M = 3.43, SD = 1.16, p < 0.01), male doctoral students are more capable to control their stress

level (M = 3.78, SD = 0.99, p < 0.01). No statistically significant gender differences were found in other

stress-managing segments, such as managing a competitive environment, scheduling time, guaranteeing

quality free time, constructively handling frequent evaluations of accomplishments, and creating a bal-

ance between responsibilities and personal life.

The research findings regarding differences in various aspects of stress management based on the

employment status of the respondents indicate statistically significant differences between PhD students

who are employed and those who are not, for the majority of studied factors. The statistical evidence sup-

ports the aforementioned claim that unemployed doctoral students are better able to handle the stress

of their studies (M = 4.12, SD = 0.95, p < 0.01), find positive ways to reduce overload (M = 4.03, SD =

0.97, p < 0.01), learn how to manage the time needed to complete their studies (M = 4.44, SD = 0.75, p <

0.01), ensure quality leisure time (M = 4.09, SD = 1.06, p < 0.01), and balance their personal and profes-

sional commitments (M = 4.00, SD = 1.10, p < 0.01). However, when it came to managing the competitive

environment and overcoming the regular evaluations of accomplishments required by PhD studies, the

investigation revealed no statistically significant differences between employed and unemployed doctoral

students. Regardless of the examinees’ employment position, the challenges related to these areas of

PhD study are common and equally severe.

There are statistically significant disparities in doctoral students’ capacities to navigate a competi-

tive environment, according to an analysis of respondents’ perceptions of stress associated with doctoral

studies across various scientific and artistic professions. Compared to those in other scientific or artistic

disciplines, doctoral students in the scientific field of medical sciences (M = 4.17, SD = 0.93, p < 0.05)

and those not elected to the title (M = 4.17, SD = 0.87, p < 0.05) are better able to handle the stresses of

competition. On the other hand, in light of the prevailing competitive atmosphere during doctoral studies,

respondents from the scientific discipline of Philological Sciences (M = 3.58, SD = 1.29, p < 0.05) exhibit

a lower level of stress management. Doctoral students, coming from various domains report varying de-

grees of coping skills, including the Natural Sciences (M = 3.77, SD = 1.07, p < 0.05), Engineering and

Technology Sciences (M = 4.12, SD = 0.87, p < 0.05), and Social Sciences (M = 4.08, SD = 0.94, p <

0.05). However, they are more skilled in coping techniques than those in the Philological Sciences. The

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Stojadinović A. et al. (2025). PhD Students’ Perceptions and Strategies For Managing Stress During Their PhD Studies,

International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2), 257-272.

respondents classified as “other” (Art and Agriculture) exhibit a moderate level of stress management (M

= 3.75, SD = 1.26, p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were found among doctoral students

of different scientific and artistic fields in other stress-management behaviors, such as time management,

providing quality free time, frequency of achievement evaluations, effectiveness of managing stress re-

lated to studies, finding constructive ways to reduce overload, and balancing professional and private

obligations. This suggests that these challenges have an equal impact on the presence of stress in all

doctoral students, regardless of their specific academic discipline.

Statistically significant differences in stress management are observed concerning the method of

financing doctoral studies, particularly in the areas of time management, maintaining quality free time,

and balancing professional and personal obligations. Doctoral students funded by the Republic of Ser-

bia’s budget experience the highest stress-management abilities related to time management in meeting

the demands of their doctoral studies (M = 3.58, SD = 1.27, p < 0.05). PhD students who receive partial

funding from the Republic of Serbia’s budget and/or their employer report slightly lower abilities in time

management (M = 3.02, SD = 1.25, p < 0.05), indicating that combining multiple funding sources does not

make time management any easier. The somewhat lower time management ability among self-financing

students (M = 3.22, SD = 1.21, p < 0.05) could be a result of extra financial strains that make time man-

agement challenging. Doctoral students who receive funding from their employer’s budget exhibit even

more reduced stress-managing ability (M = 3.30, SD = 1.24, p < 0.05), indicating that time management

remains challenging even with a steady income. Lastly, the group of PhD students who received funding

from “other different ways” reported stress-managing levels that were comparable to those of self-funded

students (M = 3.27, SD = 1.35, p < 0.05). This suggests that various unconventional funding sources can

have comparable impacts on time management. When it comes to methods of funding doctoral studies,

statistically significant variations in stress management are visible in the area of achieving quality leisure

time. When it comes to planning their spare time, doctoral students who have alternative sources of fund-

ing report the highest score (M = 3.73, SD = 1.27, p < 0.05), which suggests that they have more time

to relax and fewer demanding responsibilities. Furthermore, a major factor in reducing stress associated

with time management is the financial stability of doctoral students, which is derived from funds allocated

to their institution’s budget (M = 3.41, SD = 1.46, p < 0.05). Although budget money (M = 3.36, SD = 1.32,

p < 0.05) offers some assurance, free time management might still be challenging due to academic com-

mitments. The lowest level of leisure time quality is experienced by self-funded PhD students (M = 2.88,

SD = 1.34, p < 0.05), suggesting that financial difficulties may severely restrict their leisure time. Doctoral

students who receive partial funding from the Republic of Serbia’s and/or the institution’s budgets (M =

3.07, SD = 1.32, p < 0.05) struggle to manage their free time; even with partial funding, they find it chal-

lenging to plan leisure activities. There were also statistically significant differences in the balancing of

personal and professional commitments among PhD students based on the financing strategy. Doctorate

students with various unconventional sources of funding exhibit the highest scores in this segment (M =

3.64, SD = 1.12, p < 0.05), suggesting that these sources of funding offer them more flexibility or extra

resources that help them better balance their personal and professional commitments. Additionally, PhD

students funded by the Republic of Serbia’s budget (M = 3.50, SD = 1.28, p < 0.05) report finding a bal-

ance between their private lives and responsibilities more challenging. Doctoral students who get funding

from their employer’s budget report significantly lower scores (M = 3.20, SD = 1.29, p < 0.05), suggesting

that while institutional funding can offer some stability, it can still present difficulties in balancing commit-

ments. Similar to this, doctoral students who receive partial funding from both the Republic of Serbia’s

budget and their employer report an average score (M = 3.18, SD = 1.17, p < 0.05), indicating that it can

be challenging to manage responsibilities when funding comes from several sources. Self-funded PhD

students, on the other hand, report the lowest levels of balance (M = 3.06, SD = 1.11, p < 0.05), indicating

that financial strain significantly impairs their ability to strike a balance between personal and professional

obligations. Additionally, research findings on funding did not reveal statistically significant differences in

how doctoral students cope with a competitive environment, find constructive ways to reduce overload,

and manage frequent evaluations of their accomplishments.

There is a significant correlation between the age of the respondents and the ability to manage

stress. Specifically, a substantial negative correlation (r = -0.166, p < 0.01) confirms that older PhD stu-

dents are less likely to provide quality leisure time or relaxation activities. According to these findings,

older PhD candidates struggle more to find time for rest and relaxation, which may be a contributing factor

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Stojadinović A. et al. (2025). PhD Students’ Perceptions and Strategies For Managing Stress During Their PhD Studies,

International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2), 257-272.

to their elevated stress levels. However, there was no significant correlation found between the length of

job experience and any particular component of stress management ability (the ability to manage stress,

find constructive ways to reduce overload, deal with a competitive atmosphere, the effectiveness of time

management, the frequency of evaluation of achievements, balancing academic obligations with private

life, and the ability to ensure quality free time for relaxation), indicating that it is not a significant factor in

determining how PhD students manage stress. Correlations between length of service and stress man-

agement ability are very low and not statistically significant (p > 0.05) (r = 0.05 for stress level control, r

= 0.049 for finding constructive ways to reduce pre-load, r = 0.034 for coping with a competitive atmos-

phere, r = 0.021 for time management, r = -0.094 for ensuring quality free time, r = -0.028 for constructive

behavior with frequent evaluation of achievements, r = -0.024 for balancing duties and private life).

Table 3 displays the results concerning the relationship between the age and the duration of work

experience of the respondents and theeur ability to cope with the specific stressors.

Table 3. Differences in doctoral students’ levels of particular stress-management factors according to their aca-

demic, professional, and demographic traits, as well as the correlation between these factors and the students’

ages and duration of work experience

Stress-management factors during doctoral studies

General characteristics of the

respondents

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

M(SD) M(SD) M(SD) M(SD) M(SD) M(SD) M(SD)

Gender (p)

< 0,01 < 0,01

Male

3.78(0.99) 3.71(1.00) 4.04(0.96) 3.45(1.22) 3.25(1.36) 3.99(0.86) 3.29(1.21)

Female

3.39(1.13) 3.43(1.16) 3.96(1.01) 3.33(1.28) 3.18(1.36) 3.83(0.93) 3.31(1.24)

Employment status (p)

< 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.01

Not employed

4.12(0.95) 4.03(0.97) 3.97(0.97) 4.44(0.75) 4.09(1.06) 4.18(1.00) 4.00(1.10)

Employed

3.49(1.09) 3.49(1.11) 4.00(1.00) 3.28(1.26) 3.13(1.36) 3.87(0.89) 3.25(1.22)

Scientific/artistic field (p)

< 0.05

Social and humanities

3.55(1.13) 3.58(1.14) 4.08(0.94) 3.32(1.27) 3.13(1.36) 3.93(0.85) 3.30(1.18)

Medical sciences

3.76(1.06) 3.59(1.05) 4.17(0.93) 3.52(1.21) 3.21(1.24) 3.72(1.16) 3.45(1.18)

Technical and technological

sciences

3.61(1.02) 3.48(1.07) 4.12(0.87) 3.36(1.22) 2.96(1.39) 3.79(0.95) 3.12(1.25)

Natural and mathematical

sciences

3.32(1.12) 3.45(1.09) 3.77(1.07) 3.45(1.29) 3.39(1.30) 3.86(0.86) 3.30(1.29)

Philological sciences

3.35(1.14) 3.26(1.18) 3.58(1.29) 3.10(1.27) 3.19(1.40) 3.77(1.09) 3.26(1.26)

Other*

3.25(0.96) 3.25(0.96) 3.75(1.26) 3.25(1.50) 3.25(2.06) 4.25(0.96) 3.50(1.91)

Not appointed

4.04(0.81) 4.04(1.00) 4.17(0.87) 3.71(1.27) 3.83(1.34) 4.33(0.64) 3.83(1.20)

Method of funding doctoral

studies (p)

< 0.05 < 0.05 < 0.05

Funded by the Budget of the

Republic of Serbia

3.54(1.13) 3.51(1.16) 4.06(0.99) 3.58(1.27) 3.36(1.32) 3.95(0.93) 3.50(1.28)

Self-Funded by the Student

3.53(1.02) 3.56(0.96) 3.94(0.94) 3.22(1.21) 2.88(1.34) 3.74(0.88) 3.06(1.11)

Funded by the Budget of the

Employing Institution

3.59(1.19) 3.61(1.16) 4.00(1.05) 3.30(1.24) 3.41(1.46) 4.07(0.89) 3.20(1.29)

Partially Funded by the Budget

of the Republic of Serbia and the

Employing Institution

3.44(1.06) 3.36(1.21) 3.87(1.01) 3.02(1.25) 3.07(1.32) 3.73(0.86) 3.18(1.17)

Other

3.45(1.13) 3.82(0.98) 3.82(1.33) 3.27(1.35) 3.73(1.27) 4.09(0.83) 3.64(1.12)

r r r r r r r

Age (p)

-0.041 -0.026 -0.02 -0.058 -0.166** -0.067 -0.091

Years of employment service (p)

0.05 0.049 0.034 0.021 -0.094 -0.028 -0.024

Stress-menagement factors: 1 = Most of the time, I successfully kept under control the level of stress I experienced in

connection with doctoral studies, 2 = I found constructive ways to reduce the overload of doctoral studies, 3 = I coped well with

the emergence of a competitive atmosphere during my doctoral studies, 4 = I organized my time in a way that allows me to

focus on my doctoral studies regularly, 5 = I provide myself with enough quality free time or relaxation activities, 6 = I can deal

constructively with frequent evaluations of my achievement, 7 = I generally nd a balance between obligations and private life.

Abbreviations: M (SD) = mean (standard deviation), r = Pearson correlation coefcient.

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Stojadinović A. et al. (2025). PhD Students’ Perceptions and Strategies For Managing Stress During Their PhD Studies,

International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2), 257-272.

Student’s t test;

ANOVA test;

Pearson correlation coefcient

** Statistical signicance at the < 0.01 level

The table shows values of p ≤ 0.05

The obtained research results demonstrate the existence of significant differences in the general

ability to manage stress among doctoral students. The examined differences were related to doctoral

students in regard to demographic, professional, and academic characteristics (gender, work status, be-

longing to a particular scientific or artistic field, and methods of financing). Although male respondents

reported slightly higher levels of stress management (M = 3.64, SD = 0.78) compared to female doctoral

students (M = 3.49, SD = 0.88), generally, coping with potential stress can not be attributed to gender

differences. The degree of stress management varied statistically significantly based on employment

status, with unemployed respondents demonstrating a higher capacity to manage stress during doctoral

studies (M = 4.12, SD = 0.73) than employed doctoral students (M = 3.50, SD = 0.84), p < 0.01. The stress

management associated with doctoral studies is similar for PhD students in the following scientific and

artistic fields: Philological sciences (M = 3.36, SD = 0.92), Natural and Mathematical Sciences (M = 3.50,

SD = 0.84), Medical Sciences (M = 3.63, SD = 0.92), Technical and Technological Sciences (M = 3.49,

SD = 0.82), Social and Humanities (M = 3.55, SD = 0.83), the category “other” (Art and Agriculture) (M

= 3.50, SD = 1.32), and those who were not appointed (M = 3.99, SD = 0.69). There are no statistically

significant differences between PhD students who receive different forms of funding; however, those who

self-finance (M = 3.42, SD = 0.80) and those who receive partial funding from the Republic of Serbia’s

and the institution’s budget (M = 3.38, SD = 0.83) reported lower levels of stress management. In contrast,

respondents who receive funding from the Republic of Serbia’s budget (M = 3.64, SD = 0.87) and those

who have “other different ways of financing” (M = 3.69, SD = 0.65) reported the highest levels of coping

with stress. These variations are not statistically significant, though.

Table 4. Differences in doctoral students’ overall stress coping across various demographic, professional, and academic

traits, as well as the correlation between overall stress coping and doctoral students’ age and length of work experience

General characteristics of the respondents Stress related to PhD studies, total

Gender (p)

M (SD)

Male 3.64 (0.78)

Female 3.49 (0.88)

Employment status (p)

< 0.01

Not employed 4.12 (0.73)

Employed 3.50 (0.84)

Scientific/artistic field (p)

Social and humanities 3.55 (0.83)

Medical sciences

3.63 (0.92)

Technical and technological sciences 3.49 (0.82)

Natural and mathematical sciences 3.50 (0.84)

Philological sciences 3.36 (0.92)

Other* 3.50 (1.32)

Not appointed 3.99 (0.69)

Method of funding doctoral studies (p)

Funded by the Budget of the Republic of Serbia 3.64 (0.87)

Self-Funded by the Student 3.42 (0.80)

Funded by the Budget of the Employing Institution 3.59 (0.87)

Partially Funded by the Budget of the Republic of Serbia and the Employ-

ing Institution

3.38 (0.83)

Other 3.69 (0.65)

Age (p)

-0.096*

Years of employment service (p)

-0.002

Abbreviations: M (SD) = mean (standard deviation), r = Pearson correlation coefcient

Student’s t test;

ANOVA test;

Pearson correlation coefcient

* Statistical signicance at the level < 0.05

The table shows values of p ≤ 0.05

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266

Stojadinović A. et al. (2025). PhD Students’ Perceptions and Strategies For Managing Stress During Their PhD Studies,

International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2), 257-272.

The relationship between PhD students’ overall stress management ability and their age and length

of job experience was also analyzed as part of the study. According to the study’s findings, older PhD

candidates experience greater difficulty coping with stress related to their studies (r = -0.096, p < 0.05),

whereas there was no significant correlation between stress levels and the length of job experience (r =

-0.002, p > 0.05). According to these results, doctoral students’ abilities in stress management are more

significantly influenced by age as a demographic component than by professional experience.

Table 4 presents the findings from the analysis of variations in overall stress coping among PhD can-

didates with diverse demographic, professional, and academic characteristics. It also shows the correlation

between the overall stress coping during PhD studies and the students’ age and length of work experience.

Discussions

The study’s objective was to investigate how PhD students experience stress, and it identified the

ways students manage stress while pursuing their degrees. The established patterns, as determined by

statistical results, validate that a variety of institutional, professional, and individual factors influence doc-

toral students’ perceptions and stress levels (Bair and Haworth, 2004; Gardner, 2009; Barry et al., 2018).

The multifaceted nature of the stress management experience for doctoral students is illustrated by

the examination of the manifestation of several stress-management behaviours throughout their doctoral

studies. A high degree of competence in handling a competitive environment and regular performance

reviews demonstrates that PhD students can effectively manage their stress levels in these areas, even in

the face of a competitive setting and ongoing evaluations. However, there is a greater emphasis on manag-

ing stress through time management and finding a balance between personal and academic commitments.

These factors are significant sources of coping with stress for PhD students. According to statistical data,

the need to improve time management abilities and, consequently, reduce stress levels should be high-

lighted. For doctoral students, finding productive strategies to reduce overload and guarantee quality free

time also presents obstacles. Although some PhD students are able to apply stress-reduction techniques

successfully, many still struggle significantly with these areas. Research indicates that doctoral students

often lack sufficient time for rest and relaxation, which has a detrimental impact on their overall and mental

well-being. The results obtained support earlier studies that show doctoral students are resilient to aca-

demic stress, despite competition and frequent evaluations. Time constraints and overload continue to

be major obstacles in managing stress, particularly for those balancing work and personal commitments

(Jairam and Kahl, 2012; Cotton et al., 2017; Schmidt and Hansson, 2018; Sverdlik et al., 2018). Overall,

the study’s findings indicate that doctoral students deal with stress moderately (M = 3.54, SD = 0.84), sug-

gesting that while they are able to manage certain aspects of stress effectively, there are still important is-

sues that need further attention. The hypothesis, which holds that doctoral students who manage their time

better deal with stress more easily, was partially confirmed based on the research findings. Time manage-

ment has been recognized as a key stressor, which further supports its significance in lowering the feeling

of stress, even if it is not the only factor that impacts the overall amount of stress among PhD students.

The analysis of the research findings reveals significant differences among respondents with vary-

ing demographic, professional, and academic characteristics in their perception and management of stress

through stress-management techniques in the context of doctoral studies. First, based on the respondents’

gender-based evaluations, male PhD students are better able to manage their stress levels and discover

healthy strategies to reduce their study overload, whereas female PhD students exhibit lower levels of stress

management in the aforementioned segments. According to earlier studies, women are more prone to stress

due to their emotional sensitivity, adherence to gender norms, and the challenge of balancing work and per-

sonal commitments (Stubb et al., 2012; Watson and Watson, 2016; Cotton et al., 2017; Schmidt and Hansson,

2018; García-Martínez et al., 2021). These data support these findings. Other stress-management factors,

such as managing a competitive environment, organizing time, guaranteeing quality leisure time, coping with

frequent appraisals of accomplishments, and striking a balance between academic responsibilities and per-

sonal life, did not show statistically significant gender differences. This data supports the gender-disparities

portion of the hypothesis, which states that female PhD students find it harder to manage stress. It also em-

phasizes the necessity of specific guidance techniques for female PhD students in order to lower their stress

levels.

The level of adaptability of both genders in a competitive setting disagrees with previous research,

which suggests that men are more resilient to pressures from competition (Schmidt and Hansson, 2018).

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Stojadinović A. et al. (2025). PhD Students’ Perceptions and Strategies For Managing Stress During Their PhD Studies,

International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2), 257-272.

The study’s findings reveal that employed and unemployed doctoral students perceive stress in

distinctly different ways. Compared to PhD students who were employed, unemployed students showed

greater efficacy in managing study-related stress, identifying positive strategies to reduce overload, time

management, finding free time, and balancing work and personal commitments. These findings align

with earlier studies that have found unemployed PhD students to be better organized and experience

less stress, as they have more time and flexibility to devote to their academic obligations (

Sverdlik et al.,

2018

; Barry et al., 2018). However, doctoral students who are employed encounter additional difficulties

because of their work commitments, which results in a shortage of time and resources for both academic

work and appropriate stress management. Maintaining a balance between work and studies was identi-

fied as a major issue for this set of respondents, and this study demonstrates that it is challenging due

to the combination of professional and academic expectations. However, no statistically significant differ-

ences were found between employed and unemployed doctoral students in the sections on overcoming

frequent evaluations of accomplishments and dealing with a competitive atmosphere. This suggests that

these challenges are universal regardless of employment status (

Cotton et al., 2017

;

Schmidt and Hans-

son, 2018

). The section of the hypothesis that predicts a lower level of stress management among unem-

ployed doctorate students is rejected by the aforementioned findings, which imply that unemployed doc-

toral students show higher level of stress management due to better flexibility and resource availability.

According to the study’s findings, PhD students’ perceptions of stress management vary signifi-

cantly depending on how they intend to pay for their education. The results of previous studies on the

significance of financial stability in reducing academic pressure are supported by the fact that doctoral

students funded by the Republic of Serbia’s budget report better coping with stress in terms of time

management and balancing obligations (Lovitts, 2001;

Cotton et al., 2017

). Self-funded PhD students, on

the other hand, find it harder to manage stress in every area studied, suggesting that financial insecurity

presents additional challenges (Barry et al., 2018;

Sverdlik et al., 2018

). The results for PhD students who

receive partial funding from their own budget or the budget of the organization where they work are es-

pecially intriguing because they show the lowest degree of time management. According to this research,

balancing many sources of funding might make academic work much more challenging and make it more

difficult to manage obligations. Doctorate students with alternative funding sources report less stress

while balancing their personal and professional commitments, which may be a sign of more flexibility or

more resources offered by this type of support (

Stubb et al., 2012

). However, the hardest time in stress

management in this segment is reported by PhD students who finance themselves and those who share

funding sources, which supports earlier findings about the detrimental effects of financial insecurity on the

capacity to balance personal and professional commitments (

Sverdlik et al., 2018

). Doctoral students who

receive funding from their employer’s budget report to experience fewer concerns when it comes to find-

ing quality free time, demonstrating the stability this type of funding offers. On the other hand, self-funded

PhD students report the lowest level of stress management, which can be because of their continuous

financial and academic commitments that limit their free time. These results are in line with studies by

Cotton et al. (2017), which emphasize how crucial institutional support is for reducing academic stress.

The results did not reveal statistically significant differences between groups of doctoral students in the

areas of managing stress levels, identifying healthy strategies to lessen overload, navigating a competi-

tive environment, and regularly evaluating accomplishments. This may suggest that, as prior research has

shown, these factors are generally stressful for PhD students, irrespective of the funding source (Jairam

and Kahl, 2012;

Schmidt and Hansson, 2018

). The part of the hypothesis related to the method of funding

is supported by findings indicating that financial insecurity significantly lowers the level of stress manage-

ment ability among PhD students, which is consistent with the results of previous research (

Lovitts, 2001;

Cotton et al., 2017

;

Sverdlik et al., 2018

The findings of how PhD students in various scientific and artistic disciplines manage stress show

notable variations in their capacity to handle a competitive environment. While PhD students in the Philo-

logical Sciences find it harder to cope in the aforementioned area, doctoral students in the Medical Sci-

ences and those who were not selected for the title handle competing pressures better than others. These

results emphasize the significance of specialized techniques and strategies to support PhD students by

pointing to particular requirements and obstacles within each academic subject. No statistically significant

differences were found among doctoral students of various scientific and artistic fields in other stress-

managment segments, such as time management, ensuring quality free time, dealing with frequent evalu-

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Stojadinović A. et al. (2025). PhD Students’ Perceptions and Strategies For Managing Stress During Their PhD Studies,

International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2), 257-272.

ations of accomplishments, the effectiveness of stress management, and balancing professional and

private obligations. This suggests that these challenges are universal regardless of the academic disci-

pline. While the individualized nature of research and reliance on subjective evaluations of results in other

fields can increase the level of stress (

Cotton et al., 2017

;

Schmidt and Hansson, 2018

), the established

differences in prior research indicate specific challenges and needs within each academic discipline, high-

lighting the fact that teamwork and professional discipline characteristics of the medical field can reduce

stress among doctoral students (Vekkaila et al., 2013;

Sverdlik et al., 2018

). Since it was not found that,

aside from the appearance of a competitive atmosphere, doctoral students’ stress levels are significantly

impacted by their affiliation with a particular scientific or artistic field, part of the hypothesis that says that

affiliation does not have a significant effect on the perception of stress was partially confirmed.

In conclusion, it was partially confirmed that there are statistically significant differences in how doctoral

students manage stress across various demographic, professional, and academic characteristics. Specifi-

cally, female doctoral students, those without employment, and students who finance themselves find it harder

to manage stress, while belonging in a particular scientific or artistic field has no discernible impact on stress

perception. The respondents’ employment status revealed results that were contrary to expectations, even

though the influence of gender differences and funding methods on the presence of coping behaviours among

doctoral students was confirmed. The influence of belonging to a particular scientific or artistic field was also

partially confirmed, with statistical significance only noted when dealing with a competitive atmosphere.

The study’s findings about the link between doctoral students’ age and length of work experience

and coping with stressful aspects of their studies show a strong correlation between respondents’ age and

stress management ability. In particular, a significant negative correlation (r = -0.166, p < 0.01) indicates

that older PhD students are less likely to engage in quality leisure time or relaxation activities, which may

lead to elevated stress levels. These findings are consistent with earlier studies that show older PhD

students have less schedule flexibility and greater constraints when it comes to planning leisure time

because of work and family commitments (

Sverdlik et al., 2018

). Nevertheless, there was no discernible

correlation between the duration of work experience and any particular stress management behaviour.

Doctoral students’ stress management behaviors and the duration of their work experience had very

weak and statistically negligible correlations. According to these results, doctoral students’ responses to

stress are not significantly influenced by length of service, suggesting that this aspect of the hypothesis

is not supported by empirical evidence. Furthermore, Cotton et al. (2017) found that PhD students’ stress

is caused by the demands of their studies rather than by their prior work experience. In summary, the

hypothesis that the age and length of work experience of doctoral students are correlated to managing

stressful aspects of their studies was partially confirmed. It is assumed that older doctoral students and

those with more extensive work experience tend to have higher levels of stress.

The study’s findings shed important light on how the general stress levels of doctoral students differ

depending on their academic, professional, and demographic characteristics. First, the research find-

ings do not support the section of the hypothesis that deals with gender differences in doctoral students’

stress management. Stress management levels were marginally greater among male respondents than

among female respondents, but the differences were not statistically significant. While certain factors like

emotional sensitivity and social roles can lead to gender differences in the perception of certain stress-

ors, the findings are consistent with earlier research showing that academic stress is universal among

doctoral students, regardless of gender (

Cotton et al., 2017

;

Schmidt and Hansson, 2018

). Because statisti-

cally significant variations were observed in the stress responses of employed and unemployed doctoral

students, part of the hypothesis regarding the working status of PhD students was validated. According

to the findings, PhD students who are unemployed report better stress management because they have

more flexibility and time to dedicate to their studies, whereas PhD students who are employed balance

their professional and academic responsibilities, which reduces their stress management abilities.

The

results of Jairam and Kahl (2012), who highlight the significance of time and flexibility in the successful

completion of doctoral studies, and

Sverdlik et al., (2018)

, who noted that additional professional obliga-

tions for employed doctoral students increase the level of stress, are both supported by a statistically

significant difference in stress management between employed and unemployed doctoral students (p <

0.01).

According to the findings, doctoral students in various scientific or artistic fields had similar average

stress management behaviors, and the differences in stress management between these groups were

not statistically significant. This suggests that doctoral students’ overall stress levels are not significantly

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Stojadinović A. et al. (2025). PhD Students’ Perceptions and Strategies For Managing Stress During Their PhD Studies,

International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2), 257-272.

impacted by their affiliation with a scientific or artistic field. Within the hypothesis, it was confirmed that

there were no appreciable differences in stress management across PhD students from various scien-

tific and creative disciplines. According to this research, stressors are present in all academic domains,

meaning that PhD candidates in other fields face comparable difficulties while pursuing their degrees.

There was no evidence to support the notion that students who finance their own education experience

higher levels of stress than those who receive funding from the Republic of Serbia’s budget. But, the

results showed that self-funded students and those partially funded from the budget of the RS reported

lower levels of stress management, whereas those who received funding from the RS budget and those

who had other sources of funding reported better handling of stress management behaviours. Although

the changes were not statistically significant, the results suggest that stress management may become

harder in response to financial strains, but not to the extent that the financing method significantly affects

overall stress management. This result aligns with research by Barry et al. (2018) and Lovitts (2001),

which suggests that while financial stability may mitigate certain stressors, it does not entirely eliminate

the common stressors associated with PhD studies. Regarding various demographic, professional, and

academic characteristics, the hypothesis that there are statistically significant differences in the general

stress management among doctoral students was partially confirmed. It was assumed that female doc-

toral students who are employed and self-financed exhibit a lower level of stress management, while

differences are not recorded among doctoral students of different scientific or artistic fields. According to

these findings, doctoral students’ stress management abilities vary statistically significantly based on their

employment status; however, there were no statistically significant differences in stress management ac-

cording to gender, financing method, or affiliation with the scientific or artistic community.

The study’s findings provide an empirical foundation for testing the hypothesis that there is a sta-

tistically significant relationship between age and length of work experience, as well as overall stress, in

the context of doctoral studies. The findings indicated that the respondents’ age and stress coping ability

had a strong negative correlation (r = -0.096, p < 0.05), suggesting that older PhD students find it harder

to apply stress magement behaviours. This result validates the portion of the hypothesis concerning

PhD students’ ages. With increased work and family obligations, as well as other challenges, older PhD

students may struggle to balance their studies with other aspects of their lives, which further exacerbates

their stress levels. However, there was no statistically significant correlation between the duration of job

experience and overall stress management (r = -0.002), which lends support to the theory that work ex-

perience has no discernible effect on PhD students’ stress management techniques. This finding can be

explained by the fact that, in the context of doctoral studies, work experience does not always translate

into improved stress management abilities. Instead, other factors-like personal coping mechanisms and

the support doctoral students receive-are more crucial in lowering the stress levels of doctoral candidates.

According to the hypothesis, the study’s findings support the idea that older PhD candidates feel higher

levels of stress overall, but there is no discernible correlation between stress perception and the duration

of job experience.

Conclusions

The primary hypothesis of the study, according to which PhD students experience difficulties in

managing stress while pursuing their degrees, was validated. The findings demonstrated that doctoral

students experience considerable stress, regardless of their varying demographic, professional, and aca-

demic characteristics. This suggests that there are common difficulties and stressful elements that arise

throughout PhD study. Although specific characteristics, such as work status, had a specific impact on

the ability to manage stress, we assumed that a general trend of high stress was present in all groups

of doctoral students, which highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to student support during

doctoral studies. These results suggest that stress is a pervasive issue that warrants systematic interven-

tions to enhance the academic experience and reduce stress levels among all PhD students, rather than

being limited to specific groups. Universal stressogenic factors, such as high academic expectations, time

pressures, and frequent evaluations, remain important sources of stress (Tadić and Kordić, 2023). In addi-

tion, the psychological well-being of doctoral students also depends on the institutional environment and

support, whereas unfavorable academic expectations might result in burnout and exhaustion (Maluckov,

2018). PhD students’ varying stress levels are caused by a variety of stressors, which have an immedi-

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Stojadinović A. et al. (2025). PhD Students’ Perceptions and Strategies For Managing Stress During Their PhD Studies,

International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2), 257-272.

ate impact on their mental health and stress management ability. The completion of education and future

professional direction may become more uncertain, leading to anxiety as a result of these circumstances.

The findings of the study indicate that in order to reduce stress and enhance doctoral students’

academic experiences, an encouraging academic atmosphere must be established. Academic standards

should be more flexible, time management skills should be enhanced, and institutions should promote

mental wellness. Doctoral students’ ability to balance their personal and academic lives depends on

their perception of the academic environment, highlighting the necessity of institutional support through

organizational programs, mentoring, and stress-coping mechanisms (

Pyhältö et al., 2012; Lonka et al.,

2019; Mulyati et al., 2023). Some authors (Miltojević et al., 2022) draw attention to the issue of burnout

among technical faculty students, while Simić and Vranješević (2022) note the particular difficulties faced

by sensitive categories of PhD students, such as those from marginalized populations. Doctoral students’

academic and psychological well-being can be enhanced by specially designed support programs, such

as courses on time management and stress management. Strategies for coping with the academic diffi-

culties that PhD students experience are important in addition to institutional support measures. Research

indicates that PhD students’ academic and psychological well-being can be enhanced by flexible academ-

ic time management, stress management classes, and increased mentor participation (Milovanović et al.,

2023). Additionally, financial assistance can reduce certain types of stress and enhance PhD students’

commitment to their research, especially when financial security alleviates pressure and allows for better

focus and academic engagement (Levecque et al., 2017; Barry et al., 2018; Sverdlik et al., 2018).

This study’s shortcomings include the respondents’ subjective assessments of stress management,

which could compromise the accuracy of the findings, and the exclusion of key academic and cultural set-

tings from the sample. Furthermore, not all possible stress-management factors have been examined,

including institutional regulations and the particular possibilities of particular scientific domains. The afore-

mentioned conditions limit the broad applicability of the findings, but they also underscore the need for

further study. Recommendations are provided to lessen stress and enhance doctoral students’ academic

experiences based on the research that has been done. To help doctoral students better handle academic

problems, time management skills must be improved in the direction of more flexible academic standards,

which highlights the necessity of institutional support through organizational programs, mentoring, and

stress coping mechanisms (Posselt, 2018). The use of technological solutions, such as mobile applica-

tions for time management, has been shown to be effective in supporting students’ self-organization and

reducing stress levels (Alhasani and Orji, 2023; Malik et al., 2024). At the same time, enhancing the role of

mentors through training and resources to provide high-quality support is essential to improving the aca-

demic experience. The introduction of mental health programs, such as mindfulness training, relaxation

techniques, and group support, can greatly contribute to lowering stress and improving the general well-

being of aspiring doctors (Mulyati et al., 2023). Furthermore, granting PhD students financial assistance

and reliable support networks might lessen additional pressure and free them up to concentrate more on

their academic obligations. It is advised to carry out longitudinal research to track shifts in stress percep-

tion during the course of PhD studies and assess how well stress-reduction techniques work.

In conclusion, the results of this research highlight the need for a comprehensive approach to sup-

porting doctoral students, including the specific challenges faced by certain groups, in order to effectively

reduce stress levels and personal well-being. The research results point to the need to create a supportive

academic environment that will reduce stress and improve the academic experience of doctoral students.

Acknowledgements

The study was conducted at the Faculty of Pedagogical Sciences in Jagodina, University of Kragu-

jevac, and the Faculty of Pedagogy in Vranje, University of Nis, under the auspices of the inter-institutional

scientific project Professional competence of scientific research youth in the system of university educa-

tion (contract number 981/30.6.2021).

Conflict of interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Stojadinović A. et al. (2025). PhD Students’ Perceptions and Strategies For Managing Stress During Their PhD Studies,

International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2), 257-272.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, A.S.S., T.M.Đ., A.S., B.N.C, I.T.M., S.M.; methodology, A.S.S., T.M.Đ., A.S.,

B.N.C, I.T.M.; software, B. N. C.; formal analysis, A.S.S. and T.M.Đ.; writing—original draft preparation,

A.S.S., T.M.Đ., A.S., B.N.C, I.T.M., S.M.; writing—review and editing, A.S.S., T.M.Đ., A.S., B.N.C, I.T.M.,

S.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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