Liminal emotions and mindfulness traits of well-regarded supervisors in highly valued doctoral supervisory relationships

Abstract

This article reports on findings from a recent investigation at a middle-sized Australian university about doctoral candidates’ experiences of liminality during their candidature, and the dispositional qualities, or mindfulness traits that well-regarded doctoral supervisors embody in their highly valued supervisory relationships that support candidates in this liminal space. Using Naturalistic Inquiry to illuminate the culture of highly valued doctoral supervisory relationships in their natural setting, 17 participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule, one for supervisors and a different one for candidates. Findings across four broad disciplinary groupings showed difficulty with uncomfortable emotions experienced by candidates, such as anxiety and loss of confidence in their intellectual abilities as developing scholars and the ways in which candidates made the transitions needed to cross intellectual thresholds and develop their scholarly identity. The findings show that supervisors’ awareness of their dispositional qualities in the supervisory relationship, and their intentionality to bring these qualities to the relationship, develop highly valued and supportive supervisory relationships. Developing key mindfulness traits in supervisors, such as, being aware, empathetic and non-judgmental of their candidates, seems to be a promising way for supervisors to build and maintain highly valued supervisory relationships that support candidates in the liminal space of candidature.