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Boreout is a workplace issue characterised by low engagement, lack of meaning, and limited growth opportunities (Rothlin & Werder, 2008), and can affect anyone in the workforce, including early career researchers. This blog explores how boreout can impact mental health professionals, especially those new to academia, and provides practical strategies for preventing it. Understanding boreout is essential for mental health practitioners and researchers to maintain both personal well-being and career fulfilment.

What is Boreout?

While burnout has been recognised as a significant workplace issue for decades, boreout remains less understood. The term “boreout” was first introduced by Rothlin & Werder (2008) as a psychological state marked by low arousal and dissatisfaction due to a lack of stimulating work. Early career researchers may be especially vulnerable due to the often solitary, repetitive nature of research work, and the general lack of clear pathways for career advancement. According to Gallup’s 2021 State of the Global Workplace report, 80% of employees are not engaged at work, resulting in $8.1 trillion per year of lost productivity (Gallup, Inc., 2021).

Research has highlighted boreout as a significant mental health concern in workplaces, affecting productivity, motivation, and well-being (van Hooff & van Hooft, 2014). This is an important issue for mental health professionals to consider since the mental strain of boreout can lead to symptoms of depression and anxiety, ultimately impacting both personal and professional lives (Ozsungur, 2020).

Boreout in Early Career Researchers

Early career researchers often enter the field of mental health with a passion for contributing to meaningful change. However, they may encounter challenges that can lead to boreout. Stock (2015) suggested three main forms in which boreout can manifest:

1. Crisis of Meaning: Boreout often arises when individuals feel their work does not have a direct impact. Academic research can sometimes feel disconnected from real-world outcomes, especially when projects continue for years with little visible progress.
2. Job Boredom: Unlike clinical work, which involves direct contact with patients, research can sometimes involve long periods of data entry, literature reviews, or grant applications, leading to job boredom. Van Hooff & van Hooft (2014) discuss how boredom at work often stems from repetitive tasks, which can result in counterproductive work behaviours and reduced mental well-being.
3. Crisis of Growth: Early career researchers may find themselves in environments where growth opportunities are limited. When clear career advancement pathways are lacking, it can lead to frustration and a sense of stagnation, which may ultimately intensify the feelings of boreout (Stock, 2015).

Harju and Hakanen (2014) examined job boredom in 87 Finnish workplaces, finding that the lack of challenging and meaningful work can lead to disengagement. Their study highlighted that the experience of boreout increases the rates of job turnover and the desire to retire early, as well as an increase in self-rated ill-health and symptoms of stress. These findings pave the way for further research into boreout specifically among early career researchers, who face unique challenges like securing project funding, navigating the job insecurity of short-term contracts, striving to publish in high-impact journals, and balancing the demands of work with personal well-being. Although specific resources for addressing boreout in early career researchers are currently limited, general strategies may still be beneficial.

“Research has highlighted boreout as a significant mental health concern in workplaces, affecting productivity, motivation, and well-being.”

Addressing Boreout in Early Career Researchers

Addressing boreout involves a multifaceted approach that includes both personal strategies and institutional changes. Here are some suggestions for mental health professionals and early career researchers:

1. Personal Strategies: Researchers can fight boreout by diversifying their tasks and seeking meaning in their day-to-day work. This may include pursuing collaborative projects, setting smaller, achievable goals, and actively engaging in professional development opportunities.
2. Workplace Interventions: Institutions should consider creating more supportive and dynamic work environments for researchers. Some institutions, for example, offer health and wellness programs like yoga, sport, or crafts classes, which not only promote wellbeing but also foster connections within the work community. In terms of working interventions, this could involve offering cross-disciplinary projects, mentorship programs, and clear pathways for career progression. Promoting job crafting (i.e., where individuals modify their jobs to better align with their interests) has also been shown to reduce boreout (Harju and Hakanen, 2016).
3. Implications for Mental Health Practice: Mental health professionals, especially those involved in academic settings, should be aware of boreout as a mental health concern. Incorporating mental health support, such as counselling services and support groups, could provide researchers with the tools they need to manage stress and prevent boreout.

Conclusions: The Need for Awareness and Action

Boreout is a serious mental health concern affecting early career researchers, with impacts on both wellbeing and productivity. Institutions can help mitigate this by fostering environments that encourage engagement, growth, and a strong sense of purpose. Although establishing this sense of purpose can be challenging, for both the institution and researcher, it is essential for long-term wellbeing. As researchers advance through their careers, institutions should explore ways in which to help them maintain and nurture their sense of purpose. By supporting both personal and professional development, we can create a healthier, more fulfilling environment for all within the research community.

NB this blog has been peer-reviewed

References

• Gallup, Inc. (2021). State of the global workplace: 2021 report. Gallup, Inc. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx
• Harju, L., Hakanen, J., & Schaufeli, W. (2014). Job boredom and its correlates in 87 Finnish organizations.
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 56(9). https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000000248
• Harju, L., Hakanen, J., & Schaufeli, W. (2016). Can job crafting reduce job boredom and increase work
  engagement? A three-year cross-lagged panel study. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 95-96, 11–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2016.07.001
• Ozsungur, F. (2020). The effects of boreout on stress, depression, and anxiety in the workplace. Business &
  Management Studies: An International Journal, 8(2), 1391-1423. https://doi.org/10.15295/bmij.v8i2.1460
• Rothlin, P., % Werder, P. R. (2008). Boreout!: Overcoming Workplace Demotivation. Kogan Page. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=wjYlNQAACAAJ
• Stock, R. M. (2015). Is Boreout a Threat to Frontline Employee’s Innovative Work Behavior? Journal of Product Innovation Management, 32(4), 574-592.
• van Hooff, M.L., & van Hooft, E. A. (2014). Boredom at work: proximal and distal consequences of affective work-related boredom. J Occup Health Psychol, 19(3), 348-359. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036821

Author

Eliza joined the Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre at King’s College London in early 2024 as a Research Assistant on the Landscaping International Longitudinal Datasets project. The project aims to identify and review longitudinal datasets worldwide and bring attention to areas that could be enriched. Eliza obtained a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) at Deakin University, Melbourne, during which she completed a thesis focusing on the impacts of childhood trauma on mental health. Eliza has also contributed to research at Deakin exploring the effects of screen time on the psychosocial development of young children, as well as on the mental health of Australian Defence Force personnel and veterans.

In this In Conversation Podcast, Clara Faria is joined by Tanatswa Chikaura, a mental health researcher and advocate, Founder and Director of Ndinewe Foundation, and PhD candidate in the Department of Psychiatry in the University of Cambridge.

Tanatswa’s research interests include suicide prevention, trauma, and mental health among autistic children and adults. Tanatswa was acknowledged in 2023 with a Diana Award for her mental health advocacy work.

The focus of this podcast is on Tanatswa’s research journey, her mental health advocacy work, and how she conciliates both.

Discussion points include:

• The experience of moving from Zimbabwe to the UK to do an MPhil in Translational Neuroscience at Cambridge, and the process of adapting to a new country whilst studying.
• Tanatswa’s interest in studying anxiety and autism.
• Tips for choosing a research topic and supervisor when applying for PhDs.
• Insight into the Ndinewe Foundation, including what inspired its creation, the main goals and its achievements so far.
• Advice for young people from low- and middle- income countries who want to apply for postgraduate training in the UK.

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Tanatswa Amanda Chikaura is a PhD candidate at the University of Cambridge. Her research interests are centered on Autism and Mental Health. Prior to beginning her PhD, Tanatswa completed an MPhil in Basic and Translational Neuroscience from the University of Cambridge and a BSc Honours in Psychology from the University of Zimbabwe. In addition to her academic pursuits, Tanatswa is the Founder and Director of Ndinewe Foundation, a mental health organization in Zimbabwe. Her work in mental health has been recognized through the Diana Award, which is given to young people for their social action or humanitarian efforts. The award is in memory of Princess Diana and is administered by the charity of the same name. Tanatswa has worked with local and international organizations that focus on youth empowerment, young people’s mental health, and research, providing comprehensive advocacy and research to ensure mental health is given priority.

Transcript

[00:00:09.331] Clara Faria: Hello, welcome to the In Conversation Podcast series for the Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, or ACAMH for short. I’m Clara Faria, an ACAMH Young Personal Ambassador and in today’s episode, I have the pleasure to talk to Tanatswa Chikaura from the University of Cambridge.

Tanatswa is a Mental Health Researcher and Advocate. She is the Founder and Director of Ndinewe Foundation, a youth-led mental health organisation that seeks to promote good mental health for children, adolescents and youth in Zimbabwe. For her mental health advocacy work, Tanatswa was acknowledged in 2023 with a prestigious Diana Award. She’s also completing a PhD in the Department of Psychiatry in the University of Cambridge, looking at suicide prevention, trauma and mental health among autistic children and adults. Today, we will be discussing her research journey, her mental health advocacy work and how she conciliates both.

If you are a fan of our In Conversation series, please subscribe on your preferred streaming platform, let us know how we did, with a rating or review, and share with friends and colleagues. Welcome, Tanatswa, thank you so much for being here today. I’m very lucky to be your colleague in the department. Could you start with a brief introduction to our audience, explaining a bit of your research to them?

[00:01:22.434] Tanatswa Chikaura: Thank you so much, Clara. I’m very happy to be here today, and thank you for the lovely introduction. So, I’m currently nearing the end of my first year in my PhD, which is very, very exciting. Two and a half more years to go. I recently laughed at myself and I was like, I’ve literally just been in education for the whole of my life. I was born and then, I started doing school and I never looked back. But my research focuses on mental health, suicide prevention and trauma among autistic people. It’s an area that I’m very, very passionate about.

And sometimes I really laugh at myself that I have an advocacy that’s a science conundrum. Because sometimes you get so caught up in the science, but you also want to do your advocacy work and it’s very, very hard to balance. But my work really strives to ensure that autistic people’s voices are heard, number one. Number two, the services that they receive meet their needs and they’re effective, as well, and also, it’s a safe space to talk. It’s a safe space to receive the support that they do want. So, that’s my work at the moment and it’s going very well.

[00:02:32.734] Clara Faria: Brilliant, and well, congrats on completing your first year of PhD and congrats on becoming an official PhD candidate. I am sure you will do a brilliant job and I’m really looking forward to our conversation today. And I’m sure that our audience, especially the early career Researchers, will be fascinated by your journey. Going back a little bit to the beginning of your research journey in the UK, well, I know you initially moved here to do an MPhil in translational neurosciences in Cambridge, and could you tell us a little bit more about how was the experience and the process of adapting to a new country?

[00:03:03.545] Tanatswa Chikaura: I came to do the MPhil Basic and Translational Neuroscience Programme, which is absolutely fantastic. I 100% recommend it for people that are trying to get to the fundamentals of neuroscience and understand its translational aspects and also, just figure out, like, the area that you want to research later on in your life if you are considering becoming an academic.

I’ll start with the application journey itself. Applying to Cambridge, it was, like, a mix of emotions. It was very surreal, because at one point, I never thought I had the typical profile of a Cambridge student. I didn’t know whether I’m, I don’t know, ‘intelligent enough’. I just didn’t know if I could get in.

Applying for it, I was like, okay, I’ll qualify. On paper, I do qualify, so I’m just going to put in my application. And really, it took a lot of courage on my part, because I was very, very scared, I was very, very nervous. I had applied for postgrad programmes in other institutions, and it wasn’t as terrifying. Then, actually getting in and being able to come here, it just felt, again, I will say surreal, because it was a different environment, it was a different climate, as well. It was very different from home. I did all my education in Zimbabwe. So, moving to a new country, trying to adapt to the weather, don’t even get me started on the weather, and just get used to everything that happens, some of the culture shock, it was a lot to take in.

But the programme itself was brilliant, because I knew after undergrad, I wanted to pursue an MPhil or a master’s programme, but what I didn’t know was which area of research do I actually want to focus on? Because I had so many things that I was interested in. I was interested in, like, basically, all of neuroscience research and I had to really narrow it down to find my niche and the programme helped me work through that, because it’s really diverse and it’s both taught and research. So, you have that opportunity to attend seminars, to understand all of the programmes that are happening across neuroscience in Cambridge and then you have the choice to choose which lab you want to do your research project in. And it just gives you great insight to what pursuing a PhD could look like.

[00:05:23.269] Clara Faria: Well, thank you so much for sharing that, especially your MPhil experience. It’s so valuable to our early career audience, because I think many people also want to pursue a research career, but they are not really certain on, like, what specific research topic they want to pursue. And about the climate, the comment you made on the UK climate, I can 100% empathise with that difficulty in adapting. I’m still, myself, in that very process, as well.

Moving to your current PhD research. Have you always been interested in studying anxiety and autism and trauma in young people, or was that a gradual process that matured during your MPhil, as you commented? And just to contextualise to our audience, in Cambridge, in order to apply for a PhD in our department, you need to write a research proposal, and I wanted to ask you if you have any tips for our audience for them for choosing their research topic and Supervisor?

[00:06:15.837] Tanatswa Chikaura: So, I’m going to break it down a bit. So, starting with choosing my research area. When I was still on the ground in Zimbabwe with the foundation, because now I work with it virtually, since I’m not really in Zimbabwe on the ground that much, but I do go back home, so it’s always nice to then also get into the field. But when I was on the ground, I used to do lots of work with an autism school, and when I would talk to the parents, I would ask them questions about mental health for their kids and for themselves, as well, as parents. Are the parents themselves getting enough support, especially if they happen to be in areas that are stigmatised? But I’d also want to know whether their kids are getting support. What type of support are their kids getting and do they feel like their kids are getting support that helps them?

And to my surprise, I had one conversation with a parent, who said, “If I do want my child to receive mental health support, sometimes I was, basically, told to go away because people may say, “Oh, it’s just – you know, your child is autistic, so what other extra support do you want?”” And people really didn’t understand their kids’ mental health needs and it just seemed like there was just a lack of services for their kids to thrive to the best of their ability.

Because of that reason, I developed a deep passion for autism and mental health, especially autism and mental health research, and I told myself that this is an area that I really wanted to pursue. And at the same time, I was really, really interested in dementia research. I really enjoyed it. I was fascinated by it. Finishing my undergrad, I was really interested in it. I came across it when I was doing one of my undergrad courses. So, that’s also an area that I really, really wanted to pursue. And when it came to selecting a research project for my MPhil, I actually did a dementia project.

I focused on frontotemporal lobar degeneration. But when I had to then write my research proposal and choose what I wanted to do for, like, the next three and a half years, I decided that autism was the area I wanted to focus on, not only because I have a deep passion for mental health advocacy or for the area itself, but there is so much that we still need to know and there is so much work that still needs to be done.

Getting into mental health advocacy, it was because there were so many suicide cases that were happening when I was an undergrad and that really affected me because I wanted to know why. I kept on asking, “Why, why, why?”  When I couldn’t get the answer to the why, I kept on asking, “What are we then doing, not only the people in charge of ensuring their services, their – or the practitioners, but what are we doing as a community?” What am I doing as Tanatswa and what are you doing as Clara? Because at the end of the day, we all have some form of responsibility that we need to carry, and no-one could answer those questions.

So, that’s how I also then got into suicide prevention and then, learning that autistic people are at a very high risk of suicide, it was a no brainer for me that all of these stars really aligned, and this is the path that I was supposed to go on. And it’s something that I’ve been building on for the past six years, so why not then start my research career based on that? So, I guess it was years of inspiration that fed into me eventually making my decision to get on this path.

And for the research proposal, I’ll start by selecting the Supervisors. If you are thinking about applying, I really encourage you to write emails to your potential Supervisors and ask to have a conversation with them. Ask if they have any availability to jump on a Zoom call if – or ask – you know, have a meeting with them. But either way, email them way in advance, before application season starts, ask them if they are taking students. If they are taking students, ideally know what their research is about, but ask them if they feel like your research interests fits in well with their own research that they are currently doing and get that insight.

Also, if you can, if you know who their students are, perhaps email their students, people that are in their lab, that are in their research groups, just to get a feel to understand what the research group is like, or what the lab culture is like. I always say to my friends, “I think I’m very, very lucky ‘cause I’ve got two amazing Supervisors.” And I’m not just saying that because this is a podcast. I have amazing Supervisors. They are really, really great, and I think I’ll just take this opportunity to just say, do not underestimate the role your Supervisors play in your PhD role or in your academic career, ‘cause it’s a mentoring role. Yes, they are your Supervisor, but there’s that element of mentorship, as well, and when you’re looking for a mentor, you want someone who understands you, you know, who can also guide you, who can also help you discover your underlying skills and talents and help bring out the best out of you.

I’ll just say, reach out to them. That’s very, very important. Start your application early. I feel like this has been a very long answer, so I’ll pause there for now.

[00:11:43.667] Clara Faria: No, that was an amazing and very comprehensive answer, and I can definitely back that advice on the sending emails part. Like, I know that you think, oh, those Researchers are super busy and they’re not going to answer. Some of them won’t. That’s why it’s important to identify multiple interesting Supervisors, but definitely reaching out by email and asking for a Zoom call, it’s one of the best ways, I think.

[00:12:05.966] Tanatswa Chikaura: And also, I just want to add that if you are looking for a PhD Supervisor and you talk to someone and they say, “Oh, okay, I see that your work is really interesting but perhaps you don’t really fit in, in the work I’m doing, how about you go and talk to this person, a colleague of mine?” Don’t take that as a rejection and don’t then build up any attitude towards that PI. Try your best to then say, “Okay, thank you, but are you able to still give me feedback on what I may produce or to give me some form or guidance?”

When I was looking for a PhD Supervisor, I spoke to lots of Supervisors and most of them really helped me find my now Supervisors. So, it was the referral pathway that was then created, but they were all very instrumental in how I then gathered my thoughts, got clarity on the projects I wanted to do, and eventually said, “Okay, this is what I’m doing. This is the path I’m going on.”

[00:13:05.727] Clara Faria: One of the things I find most impressive about you and your work is how you’re able to juggle your PhD in Cambridge with your mental health foundation in Zimbabwe, and also, we’re not publicising ages in this podcast, but I know for a fact that when you created the foundation, you were very young. And I just wanted to ask you, like, what inspired you to do it and how the idea for creating the foundation came up? Did you use any models for inspiration? Because creating a foundation from the ground, at such a young age, is something that, like, amazes me and yeah, if you could tell us a little bit more about it.

[00:13:39.453] Tanatswa Chikaura: Thank you so much for your kind words, as well. It means so much to me because sometimes it can get so challenging. You know, just hearing some of these things really reassures me and strengthens me to keep on going. Starting the foundation, I will go back to what I said earlier about how I got into my mental health advocacy work and the unfortunate incidences that were happening around me. I then decided to start blogging when that was going on. I was in my first year of my undergrad degree and all of these emotional things were happening and it wasn’t okay that we were just quiet about it, as a community or as a society, or as a people.

So, I decided to start blogging and I started a blog, and on that blog, I wrote anything and everything. I was doing my psychology degree and to be honest, I was in my first year, fresh out of high school, I didn’t really know much about what I was doing. I was reading textbooks and attending classes and doing all of these tests, but to be honest, in your first year, I mean, we have all been in our first years, we’re, kind of, trying to juggle things and see what’s going on.

So, I didn’t really know what I was doing, so I made the decision to write about my own experiences instead, in times where I felt distressed, what I’ve done, you know, the coping mechanisms that I’ve had. And then, as I gradually grew into my degree, that’s when I started incorporating some of the psychology concepts into the work I was writing, and to my surprise, people were responding. People were opening up. People were saying, “What you’re talking about is not new for me. I have experienced this before, but I just don’t know where to get the support, who to talk to or where to get more knowledge. And also, I want to be able to join you in your movement for mental health advocacy.” And I was like, oh, wow, there are people that want, number one, safe spaces to have conversations about mental health, but there are also people that want to join me in this movement of raising awareness and providing those safe spaces.

And I realised that writing was not enough, because there’s only so much that you can do with writing. It’s great, it’s perfect and it’s a good steppingstone, but I wanted something that would then help build a community, and I was like, okay, maybe a charity will work. And to be honest, when I said I wanted to start a mental health charity, I looked at myself in the mirror and I was like, “Girl, where are you even going to get money to start a mental health charity?” But I started saving up, I started communicating my vision with family members. I started communicating with people that this is what I wanted to do and this is why I want to do it. I sat down with my parents. I had a conversation with them. I said, “This is what I’ve decided to do,” and they were very, very supportive about it.

And the first step I took was literally writing an organisational profile and calling Lawyers and saying, “Okay, this is my organisational profile. This is what I want to do. I want us to register this as a trust in Zimbabwe.”  And they said, “Okay, this is the process,” and I was like, “Let’s do it.” It took a couple of months, but I was very patient about it and in November 2021, we registered Ndinewe Foundation as a trust in Zimbabwe. And it was very – it was a big thing for me. It was an emotional thing, as well, because it was like, okay, I’ve done all of this advocacy work and we now have something. Like, we can – we have something to show that this is what we’ve created for young people to be able to get a safe space to come and learn and grow and heal. And since then, we have been going strong and we have an amazing group of volunteers, as well. So, that’s how Ndinewe Foundation started.

[00:17:34.695] Clara Faria: Wow, that’s a really, really inspirational story and to follow up on that, what are your current main goals of the foundation? What project that the foundation achieved do you feel most proud of so far?

[00:17:47.141] Tanatswa Chikaura: There are a couple of things that I’m really proud of. Our main goal, our main aim as a foundation, is to ensure that we’re creating a safe space for young people to thrive, for young people to receive support. But most importantly, we want the mental health education that we provide to be tailormade to the Zimbabwean context. We want it to fit. We want it to be culturally relevant, and I think the way we are really trying to do that is to ensure that we have all these focus group discussions with young people. We understand young people’s thoughts, but also, ultimately, we want to close the generational gap between our parents’ generation and ourselves, as well. We’re both speaking the same language, but we’re also not passing generational trauma from one generation to another. So, those are some of the main things that we’re trying to address as an organisation.

I’ll just pick two main things. So, in July 2022, we launched a mental health booklet, which was endorsed by the Allied Health Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe. So, the Allied Health Practitioners Council is the health regulatory body in Zimbabwe, and this mental health booklet focuses on providing mental health information to young people. What is our understanding of mental health? What are some of the risk factors? What are some of the coping mechanisms? This is something that I’m really, really proud of. It took a lot of work to do, as well.

The second thing that I’m really, really proud of is our mental health education course. So, we started a mental health education course two years ago. The main purpose of this course is to ensure that young people are empowered to make decisions about themselves, about their own mental health, but also, to make a change and to champion change in their own communities.

When I started my advocacy journey, I didn’t have any guidance or any mentorship. I didn’t know where to go and I feel like I was very, very fortunate to be able to talk to some of the people I talked to and get the opportunities and obviously, continue my academic life as well, but it was very, very hard.

So, the purpose of this course is to ensure that people are not starting from scratch. If you’re interested and you want to know more about mental health, this is, you know, someone’s opportunity to do so. And also, if you want to receive inspiration about, you know, potential research you can do in this space, this is also a great opportunity to learn that. There’s so many things I didn’t know and this is what this course is trying to cover.

[00:20:24.347] Clara Faria: Okay, I feel you’ve spoke about so many important points in that answer, but just to cover some of the things you’ve said. Regarding the generational gap, I think that’s the universal truth. In Brazil, that’s definitely also a challenge and here in the UK, talking to some friends who were born here, as well, I know young people who have been referred to as, like, the ‘snowflake generation’ and as you said, like, people saying, “Oh, back in the day we had much worse and we had to deal with much more stuff.” And I agree, I totally agree with you, I don’t think that that way of framing things is helpful.

And I think also, well, very fortunately, speaking from a research perspective, mental health research has evolved a lot in the past decades and while we still have a long, long way to go, now we have access to better treatments. Not only pharmacological treatments, but also, we have access to better therapies that we know are effective in treating some of the most common mental health disorders. So, it’s good that things are different because 50 years ago, we didn’t have half of the knowledge we have today and – but I – definitely, that creates a generational gap.

And I think the work you have been doing with your foundation trying to address it is brilliant. Especially trying to address it from a culturally informed perspective. Because as you’ve said, the mental health dialogue is also so influenced by culture and I think sometimes me and you, who are from low and middle income countries, where we see a lot, especially when it comes to interventions and stuff like that, is, like, people trying to implement an intervention that has been tested in a higher income country and just trying to immediately transfer that to a low and middle income context. And then, even among low and middle income countries, there is huge heterogeneity. So, I think that the culturally informed perspective your foundation is adopting is oh so important.

Just to shift the focus of the conversation a little bit, because it’s not all roses and we all have our challenges, I wanted to ask you, what do you think has been your greatest academic challenge so far?

[00:22:22.964] Tanatswa Chikaura: Okay, so my greatest academic challenge so far has been learning how to code. Learning R has been a big challenge, I’m not going to lie. It’s a really – my Supervisor calls it, “a really steep learning curve, but once you get it, you get it, and then it flattens out and you’re good to go.” And I completely, completely agree with that one. I think it was very difficult for me, but also, I think I will say, trying to balance academic life and personal challenges, especially after moving to a new country, is really, really hard. I know it’s not completely academic itself, but thinking from a holistic perspective, right, so everything is all linked somehow. I will say that’s also one of the big challenges.

Also, imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome, I think, trumps all of those other challenges that I’ve just talked about. The reason why I say it does that is because if one is not careful, one may feel like they don’t deserve to be in the position they are in or they don’t belong in a specific space or environment, especially if you’re surrounded by so many high achieving people, people that are doing amazing, amazing work. You can question your abilities, you can question your skills, and I mean, I’m told that everyone has that – people always say, “Everyone in Cambridge has that at some point in their lives.” But it’s so important to be able to circle back to where you started and say, okay, how did I even get there? I got there because I had the abilities to get there, I had the skillset to get there. And now I’m building on my skillset, I’m building on my abilities.

And something that I said to one mentee was that “Whenever you start comparing yourself to someone, or you start feeling like you don’t belong in a space, you have to ask yourself, number one, how old is this person and how old am I?” I mean, if someone has been doing a PhD for four years, of course they’re going to know how to do R more than you. You just started. So, you really have to be realistic with some of your expectations as an individual. So, learning how to be realistic about where I am was a really huge challenge, because I was coming from a space where I’ve done my undergrad and obviously, after three/four years of the undergrad degree, you now know what they have taught you in those four years and you feel good about it. And you have achieved what you wanted to achieve and everything is going great. And then, you come and you realise okay, I’m starting from square one again. So, I think that’s been one of the major challenges for me, but I’m working on it.

[00:25:10.859] Clara Faria: Just also to add to that. I 100% emphasise with the R thing. A really important point I think you brought up was the comparing thing. As you said, I think it’s so important to ask, well, one, where is that person now? Like, of course, a fourth year PhD student is going to have much more advanced coding skills than you because he or she is in the fourth year, while we are just starting. But also, people have different background. So, sometimes you’re going to have a first year PhD student who codes extremely well, but then you look at that person’s undergrad and it was in computer science. ‘Cause one of the cool things about mental health, in my opinion, is that it’s so interdisciplinary that it attracts people from the most varied backgrounds. So, you have Psychologists, you have Doctors, you have Computational Science, you have all sorts of people with different backgrounds looking at the same topics.

I also hear that some – imposter syndrome is something that is common in Cambridge and everyone gets it every once in a while, but I feel not everyone talks about it that openly. So, when you put it out there so bravely, as you always do, it’s – it really opens up the dialogue. And speaking of inspiration, I wanted to ask you, do you have any advice for young people, especially young people from non-traditional backgrounds in low and middle income countries, who want to apply for postgraduate training in the UK? Any particularly good online sources of support?

[00:26:29.400] Tanatswa Chikaura: I will say that firstly, do not doubt yourself. You can do it. That’s what – that’s, like, my main message. To any young person who is thinking about applying for postgrad studies, do not doubt yourself. It’s okay to feel scared. It’s part of the process, because you’re making a very big step. You’re – it’s a big decision. You’re making a big decision about your life. So, it’s completely normal to feel scared. Try your best to do as much research as you can, to understand the type of programme that you want to do. So, if you’re just finishing your undergraduate degree, for example, and you’re thinking of doing an MPhil, do so much research about the type of MPhils that are there, or the type of master’s programmes that are there, so that you get the right fit for you. So, that it’s like a lock and key approach.

I always use the example of my own MPhil programme because it was really important, it was really instrumental in shaping me up for a PhD. And I knew I wanted to do a PhD, and it was a programme that literally trained you and prepared you for a PhD. So, if you are thinking of doing things that are a bit more clinical, for example – I did psychology, but I came on to do an MPhil in neuroscience as opposed to doing a master’s in clinical psychology, for example, for me to then eventually train to become a Clinical Psychologist. If you’re thinking of wanting to do, you know, clinical work and to then become a health practitioner, perhaps, you know, obviously, you would then have to go a different path.

But also, don’t think that limits you or closes the door for research, because there are so many people that may – they – and this is – these are things that we’re not told, as well. When you’re doing your degree, it seems like there’s only one career path that’s there for you. It’s either you’re going to be a Researcher or you’re going to then decide that no, I’m then going to go and, you know, get into health practice, but you can do both. So, it’s important to also find mentors.

So, if you’re thinking of a specific path to walk on, look for people that have walked the same path as you, or a similar path as you. Reach out to them and seek for that advice. Hear them out, talk to them, email them, have a meeting, just to get a feel of what it may look like for you if you continue going down that path. As for the online resources that people may want to get access to, I’m not really sure if there are any resources in particular that are there for people worldwide or, like, globally, or, like, in the Global South, for example. But I will say if you are from Zimbabwe, for example, there is a Zimbabwe Research Network which is very, very helpful, especially for early career Researchers or people that want guidance. And that’s something that’s – you know, if you are Zimbabwean, you could access. So, if you are from other countries, you could try to find out if there are similar type of networks that have been created, and those can be very helpful in getting mentors.

[00:29:38.570] Clara Faria: What you’ve just said about mentorship is so, so important. So, for instance, Tanatswa has a background in psychology and in the UK, there’s a very specific path if you want to become a Clinical Psychologist, which would be a Psychologist that does the clinical work, but also, you could or could not be involved in research. It’s the same thing for Clinicians, so a Junior Doctor, and now I’m taking a year of out of training to do an MPhil and in the future, I will go back to clinical training. And then – especially for clinical academics, so if you have a medical background, there’s a very well delineated pathway you can take. You’re allowed to take time out of training to do a research degree, either a MPhil or a PhD.

So, with clinical academia, it’s also so important to find mentors. Well, Tanatswa and I, we share a mentor in common, Professor Tamsin Ford, and she’s great, and I wouldn’t be doing a tenth of the things I’m doing if it were not for her guidance. So – and also, everything started with an email, just to put that on the record. So, I definitely think that all the advice Tanatswa gave about looking out for a potential mentor, then people that have walked similar paths that you want to walk, or you wish to pursue in your future, it’s, like, it’s gold, because it also inspires you to see that it’s possible.

And also, just because you didn’t mention because you’re a very modest person, but there is – all of the advice Tanatswa gave is great. She’s also a very good blogger and if I’m not mistaken, you just launched a blog last week giving tips for postgraduate applicants. So, I definitely think you could access that, as well, and in the page for this podcast, we will link up some of Tanatswa’s resources and we’ll also link up the website to her foundation, if you want to take a look. There are also other similar resources out there, so there’s always postgraduate students who say that they’re available to reach out if you wish to. And that’s also a really good way to get application tips and to get a feel of the group you’re looking to apply to.

So, thank you so much, Tanatswa for sharing your research and your inspirational journey with us today. For more details on Tanatswa’s work, please visit the ACAMH website, which is www.acamh.org, and you can also have a look at our Twitter @ACAMH. Also make sure to have a look at her foundation website and her social media, which will be linked in the page of this podcast. ACAMH is spelt A-C-A-M-H and do keep an eye out for other podcasts in the In Conversation series. Don’t forget to follow us on your preferred streaming platform and let us know if you enjoy the podcast, with a rating or review, and do share with friends and colleagues.

Imposter syndrome is a pertinent issue in academia. The phenomenon was first defined by Clance and Imes (1978) as an experience of feeling inadequate in one’s work or academic setting, and undeserving of rewards, promotions, and recognition. Furthermore, research has shown that university students with high levels of imposterism are more likely to report low self-efficacy, which is defined as a belief one holds about their ability to succeed (Pákozdy et al., 2023). This lack of self-confidence in their own abilities frequently leads to stress and anxiety, therefore these individuals strive to minimise both by working longer and harder, and adopting perfectionist behaviours (Holden et al., 2021). Imposter syndrome can be especially pronounced for women (Muradoglu et al., 2022) and racialised groups (Ayorech, 2021) during their early career, as institutions often lack representation and lack spaces where diversity and inclusivity are prioritised and welcomed (Ayorech, 2021).

A recent article from May 2023 titled “The imposter phenomenon and its relationship with self-efficacy, perfectionism and happiness in university students” (Pákozdy et al., 2023) sheds light on this pressing issue. This blog aims to summarise the key findings of the article, discuss its strengths and limitations, evaluate its evidence, and provide a personal perspective on how this evidence can inform practice and future research.

Summary of Pákozdy et al., 2023

Pákozdy et al., (2023)’s article explores the association between imposter syndrome and happiness, maladaptive perfectionism, and self-efficacy in university students. Specifically, the authors were interested in whether this association differed between male and female students, given that research has shown that women are more likely to experience imposterism than men (Muradoglu et al., 2022). An online survey was completed by 261 students from universities across the world, such as the United Kingdom, Mexico, Portugal, United States, and Poland. The students were recruited either via the survey platform (www.prolific.co) or via a convenience sample at the home institution. The authors found that, unsurprisingly, high imposterism amongst these students was related to low self-efficacy and low happiness. Individuals with high imposterism were also more likely to exhibit high perfectionism, agreeing to statements such as “It is important to me to be perfect in everything I attempt”. Additionally, consistent with previous research, women reported higher levels on average of both imposter syndrome and perfectionism compared to men.

Some key findings include:

• Imposter syndrome in university students is linked to negative outcomes such as lower self-confidence in their own abilities, lower happiness, and maladaptive perfectionist behaviours.
• Female university students reported higher levels of imposter syndrome and perfectionism compared to their male counterparts.
• The negative impact of maladaptive perfectionism on happiness is fully mediated by imposter syndrome, suggesting that interventions targeting imposter syndrome may have positive effects on wellbeing in students.

“Individuals with high imposterism were also more likely to exhibit high perfectionism, agreeing to statements such as “It is important to me to be perfect in everything I attempt”.”

Strengths and Limitations of the Research

This study has a comprehensive approach in examining multiple psychological constructs and their interrelations among university students. The use of well-established scales, a large-scale online survey, and robust statistical analyses lends credibility to the findings. Furthermore, by highlighting the unique challenges faced by women, the article provides valuable insights into the intersection of gender and professional identity. Future studies could investigate female students’ exposure to gender stereotypes and/or gender discrimination, and the development of imposterism and perfectionism. These results may shed light on why women are disproportionately affected compared to men, providing higher education institutions with information on how to remove the barriers that women may experience.

However, the study has some limitations. For instance, the cross-sectional design means that causality cannot be established. While the study shows a correlation between imposter syndrome and negative outcomes, it cannot definitively state that imposter syndrome causes these outcomes. Longitudinal studies would be beneficial to track changes over time and provide a clearer picture of the cause-and-effect relationship. Furthermore, the reliance on self-reported data could introduce bias, as individuals may underreport or overreport their feelings and experiences. The study also did not include gender minority groups, such as transgender young people, therefore the findings may not generalise to these groups. Finally, although the survey reached students from a variety of universities across the globe, the majority (67%) came from European universities. Additionally, because the sample includes a convenience sample, there is underrepresentation from universities in the Global South and North America. This means the findings may not be generalisable to the general student population.

Commentary on the Evidence

The evidence presented in the article highlights the importance of addressing imposter syndrome within university settings, and particularly in female students. The negative associations with self-efficacy and happiness indicate that imposter syndrome can significantly reduce a student’s academic and personal wellbeing. To address this, academic institutions could promote a growth mindset, emphasising that intelligence and abilities can be developed through effort and perseverance. It may be helpful to also implement mentorship programs that provide support and guidance, particularly for women, and foster inclusive environments where diverse perspectives are valued and respected.

There have been a number of attempts to address imposter syndrome in university students. For example, MIT and California Technology have implemented support programs and myth-debunking programs about belonging, which helps students recognise and reduce imposter syndrome tendencies. Various workshops and books serve as resources on beating imposter syndrome, such as the Center for Creative Leadership’s book titled “Beating the Imposter Syndrome” (Mount and Tardanico, 2014) or, and the University of Oxford’s “Common Approach to Support Student Mental Health” program (www.ox.ac.uk/students), which includes workshops on tools to approach perfectionism and imposter syndrome.

“The negative associations with self-efficacy and happiness indicate that imposter syndrome can significantly reduce a student’s academic and personal wellbeing.”

A Personal Perspective

As an early-career researcher in developmental psychology at King’s College London, I have felt imposter syndrome frequently. There are high expectations to produce the best quality work, which can be stressful, especially when surrounded by highly accomplished colleagues. However, the collaborative and supporting nature of my team prevents me from experiencing this anxiety in isolation, and we foster a great sense of camaraderie in our office. For example, when I first joined the team, I felt pressure to make a good first impression and worked hard to complete my work quickly. My colleagues recognised my anxiety and assured me I had set unrealistic expectations, joking about how I did not have to worry about my performance. We often have coffee breaks and team outings together, which has created a tight-knit team where open discussions and shared experiences are encouraged. They have been instrumental in reducing these feelings of isolation and self-doubt.

Finally, rejection is a common experience in academia, and may come from journal publishers, job and grant applications, and supervisors. For example, before receiving an offer from King’s College London to work as a research assistant, I had been rejected from countless jobs over the course of several months. I found that having open and honest conversations about these rejections with early-career researchers have helped me to understand that I was not alone, and it is a normal part of academic life.

This personal experience highlights the importance of creating supportive networks within academic institutions. By fostering a culture of openness and collaboration, we can help mitigate the effects of imposter syndrome and empower early-career researchers, especially women early-career researchers, to thrive.

Conclusion

Imposter syndrome is a significant and common barrier to success and well-being for many early-career academics, particularly women. The article “The Imposter Phenomenon and its Relationship with Self-Efficacy, Perfectionism, and Happiness in University Students” provides valuable insights into this issue, highlighting the need for change in academic culture. By promoting a growth mindset, implementing mentorship programs, and fostering supportive environments, we can create a more supportive academic culture. To tackle imposter syndrome, we may need to further adopt an intersectional lens to tackle structural inequalities in institutions, as imposter syndrome is also a particular issue within minority groups.

NB this blog has been peer-reviewed

References

• Ayorech, Z. (2021) Intersectionality in academia – the edit blog, The EDIT Blog. Available at: https://blogs.kcl.ac.uk/editlab/2021/03/08/intersectionality-in-academia/ (Accessed: 18 June 2024).
• Clance, P.R. and Imes, S.A. (1978) ‘The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention.’, Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 15(3), pp. 241–247. doi:10.1037/h0086006.
• Holden, C.L. et al. (2021) ‘Imposter syndrome among first- and continuing-generation college students: The roles of perfectionism and stress’, Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 25(4), pp. 726–740. doi:10.1177/15210251211019379.
• Introducing a common approach to student mental health at Oxford (2023) University of Oxford. Available at: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/news/2023-05-30-introducing-common-approach-student-mental-health-oxford (Accessed: 10 June 2024).
• Mount, P. and Tardanico, S. (2014) Beating the Impostor Syndrome. Center for Creative Leadership.
• Muradoglu, M. et al. (2022) ‘Women—particularly underrepresented minority women—and early-career academics feel like impostors in fields that value brilliance.’, Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(5), pp. 1086–1100. doi:10.1037/edu0000669.
• Pákozdy, C. et al. (2023) ‘The imposter phenomenon and its relationship with self-efficacy, perfectionism and happiness in university students’, Current Psychology, 43(6), pp. 5153–5162. doi:10.1007/s12144-023-04672-4.

About the author

Pauline studied BSc in Biomedical Sciences – Neuroscience at King’s College London. Throughout the BSc, she worked as a Research Assistant in Global Mental Health at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, developing, testing, and implementing depression interventions in low- and middle- income countries. Pauline then completed a MSc in Psychological Research at the University of Oxford, researching how antidepressants impact affective learning under distinct environmental conditions. Pauline is passionate about developmental psychology and data-driven methodologies for research, as well as making data more discoverable from low- and middle- income countries.

Introduction

Loneliness is a significant and often overlooked issue among early career researchers (ECRs). Loneliness is defined as a subjective feeling of distress, resulting from perceptions of unfulfilling or inadequate social connection (Matthews et al., 2016). This phenomenon can have profound implications for both personal well-being and professional development. Recent studies have highlighted the prevalence of loneliness among academics, particularly those in the early stages of their careers (Moran et al., 2020)(Ellard et al., 2022), suggesting that this issue warrants serious attention from both research and policy perspectives.

Wellcome Trust’s report on researchers’ experiences of research culture

The Wellcome Trust (2020) published a report in 2020 on researchers’ experiences of research culture (Moran et al., 2020). The authors conducted a literature review, followed by in-depth qualitative interviews with researchers from the United Kingdom (UK), workshops in England and Scotland, and a quantitative survey that was open worldwide of over 4,000 researchers in various stages of their careers. The report identified that ECRs often experience high levels of isolation and loneliness, which can be exacerbated by the competitive and solitary nature of academic work. For example, many early-career researchers found that they often had to prioritise their research over personal relationships, which may require leaving behind their friends or their partner. This impact on personal relationships was found to lead to social isolation and loneliness, which was most significantly felt by ECRs. “I have felt the most isolated I ever have in my life in this PhD”, confessed an anonymous interviewee.

“The report identified that ECRs often experience high levels of isolation and loneliness, which can be exacerbated by the competitive and solitary nature of academic work.”

Furthermore, the Wellcome study found that isolation and loneliness manifested in various ways and shifted according to the researcher’s situation. The nature of work is often structured for individual task completion, which may be more compatible with certain personality types than others. In addition, heightened competitive research environments can prevent camaraderie and reduce the sense of community in the workplace. Finally, the study highlighted that there is often a lack of agency and support for addressing issues when problems arise or where psychological well-being is concerned. This seemed particularly apparent in doctoral students, where working independently with long working hours and being unable to raise concerns with supervisors or peers lead to feelings of isolation during their PhD. To support this, the online survey revealed that 70% of junior researchers believed a research career was lonely and isolating.

These findings are supported by a study by Janta et al., (2014), where the authors investigated loneliness and social isolation in doctoral students around the world. The researchers analysed an online forum, which aimed to support previous, current, and prospective postgraduate students to exchange ideas online. Specifically, Janta et al., (2014) analysed approximately 35 threads across 122 pages that mentioned loneliness. Findings revealed that loneliness was a part of many doctoral students’ experiences. For example, one participant, a doctoral student, wrote: “I am 100% alone day and night, all the time. I am alone in my office all day.” Overall, whilst some students expressed contentment with their progression, their lack of social connection and belonging to a social group resulted in loneliness and even depression.

Strengths and Limitations of the Research

The studies mentioned above provide a robust foundation for understanding the prevalence and impact of loneliness among ECRs. Their strengths lie in large sample sizes and the comprehensive nature of the studies, which encompass a wide range of academic disciplines and geographic regions. This broad scope ensures that the findings are widely applicable and relevant to various contexts within child and adolescent mental health.

However, there are limitations to consider. The reliance on self-reported data can introduce bias, as individuals may underreport or overreport their feelings of loneliness due to social desirability or stigma associated with mental health issues. Additionally, cross-sectional designs limit the ability to infer causality; longitudinal studies would be more effective in understanding the temporal relationship between academic pressures and loneliness.

Commentary on the Evidence

The evidence suggests that loneliness among ECRs is a pressing issue that requires targeted interventions. In practice, institutions could implement structured mentorship programs and peer support groups to foster a sense of community and belonging. Some universities have begun to implement such groups where students have been trained to address mental health and well-being issues amongst their students. For example, King’s College London in the UK launched their student-led “Campus Conversations” support group, which offers free weekly in-person activities, one-to-one conversations, well-being resources, and student skills workshops.

Furthermore, policy changes should focus on reducing the pressure and competition inherent in academic environments, promoting collaborative rather than competitive research cultures. Such policies have begun to be implemented. For example, as of January 2024, there are 11 research culture initiatives in the UK focused on ensuring a supportive, healthy, and inclusive research environment for researchers (Powell et al., 2024). Initiatives such as these are the first step to building a more positive research culture and could be implemented further across the globe with a focus on early-career researchers.

Future research could explore the long-term effects of loneliness on career trajectories and mental health outcomes among ECRs. Longitudinal studies could provide deeper insights into how loneliness evolves over time and identify critical periods where interventions may be most effective.

“In practice, institutions could implement structured mentorship programs and peer support groups to foster a sense of community and belonging.”

A Personal Perspective

As a research assistant in developmental psychology, I have observed firsthand the isolating effects of academic research. The solitary nature of data analysis and the pressure to publish can lead to feelings of disconnection from peers and mentors. Establishing regular check-ins with supervisors and participating in departmental social events have been crucial in mitigating these feelings. In my role, I have also seen how supportive networks can enhance productivity and well-being. Collaborative projects and informal peer discussions have not only improved my research skills but also provided a sense of camaraderie and mutual support.

Conclusion

In conclusion, addressing loneliness among ECRs is essential for fostering a healthy, productive academic environment. By leveraging evidence-based interventions and fostering a culture of support and collaboration, we can enhance the well-being and career satisfaction of ECRs.

NB this blog has been peer-reviewed

References

• Ellard, O.B., Dennison, C. and Tuomainen, H. (2022) ‘Review: Interventions addressing loneliness amongst university students: A systematic review’, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 28(4), pp. 512–523. doi:10.1111/camh.12614.
• Janta, H., Lugosi, P. and Brown, L. (2014) ‘Coping with loneliness: A netnographic study of doctoral students’, Journal of Further and Higher Education, 38(4), pp. 553–571. doi:10.1080/0309877x.2012.726972.
• Matthews, T. et al. (2016) ‘Social isolation, loneliness and depression in young adulthood: A behavioural genetic analysis’, Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 51(3), pp. 339–348. doi:10.1007/s00127-016-1178-7.
• Moran, H. et al. (2020) ‘Understanding research culture: What researchers think about the culture they work in’, Wellcome Open Research, 5, p. 201. doi:10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15832.1.
• Powell, J. et al. (2024) ‘Research Culture Initiatives in the UK’, UK Research & Innovation [Preprint]. https://www.ukri.org/publications/research-initiatives-in-the-uk-report/.

About the author

Pauline studied BSc in Biomedical Sciences – Neuroscience at King’s College London. Throughout the BSc, she worked as a Research Assistant in Global Mental Health at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, developing, testing, and implementing depression interventions in low- and middle- income countries. Pauline then completed a MSc in Psychological Research at the University of Oxford, researching how antidepressants impact affective learning under distinct environmental conditions. Pauline is passionate about developmental psychology and data-driven methodologies for research, as well as making data more discoverable from low- and middle- income countries.