Investigating the effects of doctoral students’ well-being and their antecedents and consequences from a Job Demands-Resources perspective

The psychological well-being of doctoral students has emerged as a critical concern within the global higher education landscape, with increasing evidence of stress-related challenges and emotional strain. Despite extensive literature on doctoral mental health, limited research has examined the antecedents of well-being and its downstream consequences, particularly in Southeast Asian contexts. This study aims to investigates the relationship between the research environment and doctoral students’ psychological well-being, and how well-being influences their intention to quit. The method involved a correlational research design with data from 278 doctoral students collected via an online survey. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was conducted using Smart-PLS version 4 to evaluate both measurement and structural models. All four hypotheses were supported. The research environment significantly predicted psychological well-being (β = 0.412, t = 5.115, p < 0.05, CI = [0.258, 0.607]), and both well-being (β = 0.448, t = 4.096, p < 0.05, CI = [0.239, 0.547]) and the research environment (β = 0.447, t = 5.609, p < 0.05, CI = [0.262, 0.587]) were significant predictors of intention to quit. Additionally, psychological well-being mediated the relationship between the research environment and intention to quit (β = 0.185, t = 3.242, p < 0.05, CI = [0.091, 0.306]). Key findings include the dimensions of the research environment, supervision, resources, research community, and professional development, were found to be distinct contributors to well-being and attrition risk. The findings offer theoretical insights into the JD-R model’s applicability in doctoral education and practical implications for institutional policies aimed at enhancing supervisory support, resource access, and community engagement. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how structural and relational aspects of the research environment shape doctoral students’ psychological outcomes and retention.