Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4406-1983



Date Available

11-19-2025

Year of Publication

2025

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College

Communication and Information

Department/School/Program

Communication

Faculty

Dr. Brandi Frisby

Faculty

Dr. Renee Kaufmann

Abstract

Although PhD students are academically capable, they paradoxically produce alarmingly high attrition rates. For several years, retention rates in PhD programs have averaged between 40% and 70% (Ames et al., 2018; Bowen & Rudenstine, 1992; Cochran et al., 2014; Gardner & GoPaul, 2012; Lovitts, 2001; Rockinson-Szapkiw & Spaulding, 2012). Scholars have presented several potential reasons that PhD students discontinue their studies, none of which include academic ability (Lovitts, 2001; Tucker, 1964; Sverdlick et al., 2018). Framed by self-determination theory (SDT), this study explores the social and communicative components of the doctoral education system by the psychological impact of memorable messages (MMs). Based on 40 interviews with persisting and discontinued PhD students, 260 MMs were coded for source, valence, content, and connection to the psychological needs of competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Findings revealed that PhD students encounter a disproportionately high number of psychological need-thwarting MMs with the highest number of those messages undermining their need for autonomy. Extending traditional definitions of MMs, results also indicate that most autonomy-thwarting MMs come from implicit sources. However, results also suggest that advisors and professors in PhD programs can potentially mitigate need-thwarting messages by providing social support which fosters competence and relatedness. Implications of these findings are discussed with intention to improve the social environments of PhD programs and potentially improve retention rates.

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Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2025.525

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