Experiences of Pregnant and Parenting Female Students in Social Work Doctoral Programs

ABSTRACT

Women in many fields have described challenges during their doctoral work due to pregnancy and parenting, but no research has explored these issues within social work education. This cross-sectional survey describes pregnant and parenting female students’ (N=75) experiences in social work doctoral education. Participants identified challenges in finding balance between family and academic responsibilities, a lack of supports and resources for pregnant and parenting students, decreased productivity, and less access to professional development opportunities due to pregnancy or parenting. While many received informal support from faculty, chairs, and mentors, few had access to accommodations, like parental leave, official lactation spaces, and childcare and some described implicit bias and stigma against caregiving. Implications for social work doctoral programs conclude the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rebecca G. Mirick

Rebecca G. Mirick is an Assistant Professor and BSW Program Coordinator at Salem State University. Her research focuses on suicide prevention and social work education, including racial justice, microaggressions, and the experiences of women in doctoral education. Stephanie Wladkowski is an Associate Professor at Eastern Michigan University School of Social Work.