Work-Life Balance and Psychological Well-Being in Married Female Doctoral Students: A Phenomenological Study in Indonesian Higher Education
Downloads
Objective: Married female doctoral students often face complex challenges in balancing academic responsibilities with domestic roles, which may impact their psychological well-being. This study investigates how these women experience and manage work-life balance within Indonesian public universities.
Methods and Materials: A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed, involving 10 purposively selected participants from various Indonesian state universities. Data were collected through in-depth interviews conducted between June and October 2024, and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Findings: Three primary themes emerged: (1) the strain of academic pressure and domestic expectations; (2) the lack of institutional and social support; and (3) the role of adaptive strategies, including time management, emotional regulation, and spousal support. Despite facing significant demands, participants developed personal coping mechanisms that fostered a sense of balance and psychological resilience.
Conclusion: The findings underscore the importance of institutional policies that recognize the dual roles of female doctoral students and provide targeted support mechanisms. This study contributes to scholarship on gender and higher education by highlighting the intersection of academic life and personal identity. It offers implications for educational policy, counseling services, and future research on gendered academic experiences.
Downloads
Amanda, S. R., Hertasmaldi, H., & Nuraiman, N. (2025). Children’s Mental Health in Broken Home Families: A Legal Perspective Based on Law No. 23 of 2002. Samara: Journal of Islamic Law and Family Studies, 3(2), 66-76. https://mail.ojs.stai-bls.ac.id/index.php/sajilfas/article/view/279
Anvari, F., & Lakens, D. (2021). Using anchor-based methods to determine the smallest effect size of interest. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 96, 104159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2021.104159
Arishanti, K. I., & Kakiay, A. N. (2024). Strategi coping dalam menghadapi stres pada pekerja kantor. Indonesian Research Journal on Education, 4(4), 2381–2386-2381–2386.
https://doi.org/10.31004/irje.v4i4.1453
Baker, J. P., & Berenbaum, H. (2007). Emotional approach and problem-focused coping: A comparison of potentially adaptive strategies. Cognition and emotion, 21(1), 95-118. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930600562276
Berger, S., & Bruch, H. (2021). Role strain and role accumulation across multiple teams: The moderating role of employees' polychronic orientation. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 42(7), 835-850. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2521
Bungin, B. (2003). Qualitative Research Data Analysis: Philosophical and Methodological Understanding towards Mastery of Application Models. Jakarta: Raja Grafindo Persada. DOI:10.4108/eai.28-10-2022.2326405
Charpentier, M., & Soulières, M. (2013). Elder abuse and neglect in institutional settings: The resident's perspective. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 25(4), 339-354. https://doi.org/10.1080/08946566.2012.751838
Damanik, M. R., Rusli, R., Manik, R. L., & Khadafi, M. (2025). Metode Penelitian Kuantitatif: Konsep, Jenis, Tahapan dan Kelebihan. Jurnal Intelek Insan Cendikia, 2(7), 13479-13496. https://jicnusantara.com/index.php/jiic/article/view/4384
Fadhil, M., Huda, A. A. S., Daflaini, D., & Fidya, Y. (2025). Learning Model for Female Students of Dual Roles in Facing Academic Procrastination: Evidence in the State Islamic University. Ta'dib, 28(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.31958/jt.v28i1.13683
Fathulaela, D. R., Nuraulia, A. F., & Sunimah, S. (2025). The Effect of Burnout Management and Work-Life Balance on Quiet Quitting in Hospitals XYZ. Indonesian Interdisciplinary Journal of Sharia Economics (IIJSE), 8(2), 7228-7243. https://doi.org/10.31538/iijse.v8i2.6891
Fathyadiva, S. A., & Safitri, S. D. (2025). Psychological Well-Being In Emerging Adulthood: The Influence Of Parental Attachment: Indonesia. Jurnal Psimawa: Diskursus Ilmu Psikologi dan Pendidikan, 8(2), 566-574. https://jurnal.uts.ac.id/PSIMAWA/article/view/6817
kurnia, i., whidiastuti, h., & nusandari, a. (2025). Pengaruh work-family conflict dan stres kerja terhadap psychological well-being dengan work-life balance sebagai variabel intervening pada karyawati Bank X wilayah kerja Pemalang. Pedagogy: jurnal ilmu pendidikan dan psikologi, 5(1), 143-148. https://doi.org/10.51878/paedagogy.v5i1.4817
Lazarus, R., & Folkman, S. (1985). Stress and coping. New York, 18(31), 34-42. DOI:10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_215
Lee, J. Y., Yang, Y. S., Ryu, G. W., & Lee, K. (2024). Lived experiences of work-life balance among doctoral nursing students: a qualitative descriptive study. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 19(1), 2406975. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2024.2406975
Lincoln, Y. S. (1985). Guba. In: EG. https://miguelangelmartinez.net/IMG/pdf/1994_Guba_Lincoln_Paradigms_Quali_Research_chapter.pdf
Mardliyah, A., Hayuputri, F. M., & Sovitriana, R. (2024). Work: The Influence of Resilience And Work-Family Conflict on The Stress of Working Mothers in Long-Distance Marriages. Dinasti Health and Pharmacy Science, 1(3), 80-84. https://doi.org/10.38035/dhps.v1i3.1627
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., Saldana, J., & Rohidi, T. R. (1996). F. Analisis Data. IMPLEMENTASI KURIKULUM MERDEKA DI SEKOLAH, 61. https://journals.indexcopernicus.com/search/article?articleId=4647815
Mohamad, N. M., Amar, S. N., Samsuden, N. S., & Bohari, M. H. (2025). Determinants of Work-Life Balance Among Lecturers at Private Higher Learning Institutions in Johor. https://doi.org/10.55057/ajress.2025.7.3.11
Nurhadi, M. L., & Rosdini, D. (2025). Analisis Faktor-faktor yang Mempengaruhi Tingkat Kemandirian Keuangan Perguruan Tinggi Badan Layanan Umum. Jurnal Akuntansi Keuangan dan Perpajakan | E-ISSN: 3063-8208, 1(3), 269-282. https://doi.org/10.62379/jakp.v1i3.203
Oktonika, E. (2024). Kecemasan Berbicara Di Depan Umum Di Kalangan Remaja Saat Ini. Edu Research, 5(1), 184-192. https://doi.org/10.47827/jer.v5i1.216
Pratiwi, E., Peristianto, S. V., & Efendy, M. (2024). Work-life balance pada wanita karier yang menikah muda. INNOVATIVE: Journal Of Social Science Research, 4(1), 4967-4975.
https://doi.org/10.31004/innovative.v4i1.7964
Putri, N. E., & Suherman, A. (2024). Budaya Patriarki Akar KDRT Terhadap Perempuan Budaya Patriarki: Pengaruhnya Terhadap Kekerasan Dalam Rumah Tangga Terhadap Perempuan (Di Bidang Ekonomi). Jurnal Kajian Hukum dan Kebijakan Publik | E-ISSN: 3031-8882, 2(1), 193-202. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62379/z259aa10
Rahmiyati, E., Izzah, H. Y., Bakar, A., & Nurhasanah, N. (2024). Gambaran Subjective Well-Being pada Mahasiswa yang Bekerja pada Mahasiswa Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan Universitas Syiah Kuala. EDUKASIA Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran, 5(1), 917-926. https://doi.org/10.62775/edukasia.v5i1.895
Ratnasari, S., & Suleeman, J. (2017). Differences in emotional regulation of women and men in college. Journal of Social Psychology, 15(1), 35-46. https://doi.org/10.7454/jps.2017.4
Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal of personality and social psychology, 57(6), 1069. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.57.6.1069
Salsabilla, N., Margareta, S., & Alwi, M. (2025). The Relationship Between Work Environment and Work-Life Balance on Employee Performance. Eduvest-Journal of Universal Studies, 5(6), 7156-7166. https://doi.org/10.59188/eduvest.v5i6.50899
Smith, J. A. (2016). Interpretative phenomenological analysis in sport and exercise: Getting at experience. In Routledge Handbook of Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise (pp. 241-251). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315762012-28
Sosonev, M. D. (2024). Globalization And Its Impact On Business Transformation Today. Journal of Current Research in Business and Economics, 3(1), 285-329. https://www.jocrebe.com/eng/makalelist/1_14_2024
Sugitanata, A., Aqila, S., Aminah, S., & Abdurrasyied, M. H. (2024). The Challenge of Invisible Enemies and Risk Mitigation for Parents in Educating Children in the Modern Era. Muadalah, 12(2), 81-98. https://doi.org/10.18592/muadalah.v12i2.13865
Van Manen, M. (2016). Researching lived experience: Human science for an action-sensitive pedagogy. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315421056
Wastito, A. A., & Wulandari, W. (2025). The Effect of Social Support on Work-Life Balance-Mediated Subjective Well-Being and the Role of Self-Efficacy as a Moderating Variable. Journal of Management Research and Studies, 3(1), 68-82. https://jmrs.optima-science.com/index.php/jmrs/article/view/88
Yustika, G. P., & Iswati, S. (2020). Digital literacy in formal online education: A short review. Dinamika Pendidikan, 15(1), 66-76. https://doi.org/10.15294/dp.v15i1.23779
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Body, Mind and Culture
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
