| The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and understand the experience of stress among students enrolled in a clinical psychology doctoral program. There is limited research examining how graduate students in psychology experience stress as they attempt to balance coursework, clinical field experiences, research requirements, and personal responsibilities. Furthermore, it is important to develop an understanding of how clinical psychology graduate students incorporate self-care techniques during the training process. Twelve participants were interviewed regarding their experience of stress, factors that contribute to stress and whether they employ coping mechanisms. A thematic analysis of the interview data indicated that stress is caused by a variety of factors including mixed messages regarding self-care, organizational stress associated with field experiences, financial stressors and balancing multiple demands. Conversely, the benefits of stress were also reported. A secondary goal of this research was to determine specific self-care activities used by the participants. These activities included: spending time with family, friends, and significant others, utilizing physical exercise regularly, and making stress management a top priority. The results of this study suggest that academic programs should further incorporate self-care into their training programs to facilitate its practice as graduate students enter the profession of clinical psychology. |
