Role Conflict Research Articles

The aim of this study was to explore the follow-up needs of patients with diabetic foot ulcers. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted, guided by Engel's biopsychosocial model. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 17 patients with diabetic foot ulcers of Wagner grade ≥ 1. These patients had received care in the Endocrinology and Metabolism Department or the Wound Clinic of a tertiary hospital in Xi'an, China. Guided by the biopsychosocial model, individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted between April and July 2024. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Nine themes were identified. In the biological domain, patients reported needs for disease care and lifestyle modification. In the psychological domain, they highlighted the importance of emotional coping support and building trust with healthcare providers. In the social domain, patients expressed needs for personalised follow-up, equitable access to healthcare, financial support, community assistance, and management of family caregiving role conflicts. This study identified biological, psychological, and social follow-up needs among patients with diabetic foot ulcers, highlighting the importance of holistic follow-up to promote recovery and improve quality of life after discharge. Nurses should assess and address the biological, psychological, and social follow-up needs of patients with diabetic foot ulcers after discharge, providing tailored care to promote ulcer healing and prevent recurrence. This study was reported in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist. None.

This study aims to assess the extent of organisational silence among new nurses, analyse how structural empowerment and role ambiguity influence this silence, and determine whether role ambiguity mediates the relationship between structural empowerment and organisational silence. The findings intend to offer practical guidance for nursing managers in supporting new nurses by minimising role ambiguity and fostering open communication during the transition into clinical practice. New nurses commonly exhibit organisational silence during their transition process. Although research indicates that structural empowerment, role ambiguity and organisational silence are interrelated, the underlying mechanisms among these three factors remain unclear. A cross-sectional design. A convenience sampling approach was adopted between September 2024 and March 2025. The study recruited 680 new nurses from 15 tertiary A-level hospitals located in Guangzhou, Changsha and Hangzhou. Data collection instruments included a demographic information form, the Chinese version of the Nursing Role Conflict and Role Ambiguity Scale, the Employee Silence Behaviour Questionnaire and the Job Efficiency Conditions Scale. To examine the mediating role of role ambiguity in the relationship between structural empowerment and organisational silence, structural equation modelling (SEM) was applied. A total of 628 new nurses participated in the survey. Structural empowerment was negatively correlated with role ambiguity (p < 0.01) and organisational silence (p < 0.01). The mediation analysis indicated that role ambiguity partially mediated the relationship between structural empowerment and organisational silence. Specifically, the mediating effect of role ambiguity was -0.14, accounting for 31.11% of the total effect. This research indicated that new nurses exhibited a below-average level of structural empowerment, while their levels of role ambiguity and organisational silence were above average. Specifically, structural empowerment had a negative impact on both role ambiguity and organisational silence; role ambiguity positively predicted organisational silence. Furthermore, role ambiguity played a significant mediating role in the relationship between structural empowerment and organisational silence. The findings indicate that nursing managers should not only focus on enhancing the structural empowerment of new nurses but also strengthen their role awareness, ensuring it plays a key role in reducing levels of organisational silence. This study did not involve patients, service users, caregivers, or members of the public.

This study explores the dual role of parent-coaches and its impact on elite athletes’ professional and emotional experiences, with a particular focus on role conflict. Drawing on a qualitative phenomenological approach, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 elite athletes (Mage = 26.8, SD = 5.28) competing in Taekwondo, Judo, and Karate—all of whom were coached by a parent. Participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling strategies. Thematic analysis identified role conflict as a central and multifaceted theme, comprising four subdimensions: (1) Dual Role Conflicts, (2) Athletes’ Coping Strategies, (3) Parent-Coaches’ Role Conflicts, and (4) Parent-Coaches’ Coping Strategies. The findings illustrate that the parent-coach relationship is often described as a complex and paradoxical dynamic, creating tension between emotional intimacy and professional expectations. Across participants’ accounts, success as a filial duty emerged as the central organizing concept, shaping how athletes interpreted their struggles and coping mechanisms. Athletes reported struggles with blurred boundaries, feelings of entrapment, and a perceived obligation to achieve as a form of filial duty. According to athletes, parent-coaches experienced internal conflicts and fairness-related concerns, often managing these tensions through compensatory behaviours. Despite these tensions, both athletes and parent-coaches developed various strategies to manage conflicting roles. This study contributes to a nuanced understanding of the psychological and relational complexities of dual-role dynamics in elite individual sports.

Diverse perceptions of paying for sex notwithstanding, it is acknowledged as a societal concern in many countries worldwide, with no consensus reached regarding the most appropriate policies. The present study directed its attention toward heterosexual men who pay for sex and sought to explore the potential influences of distress and gender role conflict (GRC) on the likelihood of sex payment, while taking into consideration attitudes toward paying for sex as a mediating factor. Data were collected from a quota sample of 934 heterosexual Israeli men. Of all sociodemographic variables, regression analysis showed that lower level of religiosity was the only significant predictor of sex payment. Above and beyond religiosity, higher level of distress, the GRC scales of Restrictive Emotionality, Success/Power/Competition, and Conflict Between Work and Family Relations, and attitudes of paying for sex as a legitimate behavior were significant predictors of sex payment. Conversely, lower levels of Restrictive Affectionate Behavior Between Men and attitudes viewing paying for sex as a deviant behavior were also found to be significant predictors of paying for sex. Moreover, attitudes toward paying for sex fully mediated the association between distress, most of the components of GRC, and paying for sex. Our findings highlight the interconnectedness between masculine role socialization and men's psychological experiences, and the potential relevance of these associations to men's involvement in sex payment. Furthermore, the significant role of attitudes toward paying for sex in the actualization of sex payment is discussed.

Purpose Heightened yet conflicting expectations have intensified job stressors among academics, such as constant task-switching, longer work hours and role conflicts. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between two job demands (work–family conflict and teaching and life interference with research) and two job resources (peer harmony and growth opportunity) with three burnout subtypes (frenetic, underchallenged and worn-out) among Indonesian academics. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional research design was used. Online and offline surveys were used to collect data from 123 academics across Indonesia. A three-step hierarchical regression analysis was carried out for each type of burnout subtype as the outcome variable. Findings Work–family conflict was a significant predictor of frenetic, underchallenged and worn-out burnout subtypes. Teaching and life interference with research was a significant stressor for the underchallenged subtype. Interestingly, growth opportunity led to higher frenetic burnout, suggesting that job resources could, in fact, lead to higher burnout. Peer harmony contributed to lower underchallenged and worn-out burnout subtypes. Semester load and the underchallenged subtype were weakly correlated. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to assess burnout subtypes and their antecedents among academics in the state-oriented higher education system of Indonesia. Recommendations at the policy, institutional and individual levels are proposed to mitigate burnout among Indonesian academics.

Time is a critical factor that shapes stressor-outcome relationships. Despite its importance, few studies have directly investigated the role of time in stressor-outcome relationships. Based on the longitudinal data collected 10 times throughout a year from 101 full-time workers, we explored whether varying time lags influence stressor-outcome relationships and examined the unique dynamics of role stressors (role conflict, role ambiguity, and role overload) and illegitimate tasks with two work outcomes (i.e., work engagement and turnover intention). We analyzed data using continuous time structural equation modeling, which informs the timing and duration of the theorized effects. The results revealed that beyond a certain point in time (e.g., approximately 2 months for work engagement), the stressor-outcome relationships did not substantially differ depending on varying time intervals and showed diluted effects over time. While the patterns over time were similar across stressor-outcome combinations, magnitudes of mean effects varied, aligning with thematic correspondence. When considered together, role ambiguity and role overload, but not illegitimate tasks, had a significant negative relationship with work engagement, whereas illegitimate tasks, but not role conflict and role ambiguity, had a significant positive relationship with turnover intention. Our study offers a more nuanced understanding of the role of time intervals in stressor-outcome relationships. Overall, our results suggest that the time interval alone does not sufficiently explain the varying magnitudes in stressor-outcome relationships and that the specific nature of variable dyads should also be considered. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

BackgroundCaregivers of frail older adults face substantial challenges, often managing their own health while providing care. To address these issues, we developed the caregiver support model (CSM), a structured approach that uses systematic assessment, personalized intervention planning, and sustained support to address informal family caregivers’ diverse and evolving needs and leverage their resources.ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of CSM.MethodsA blinded cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted across 8 centers providing services for older adults in Hong Kong. The CSM is a social worker–guided intervention that integrates a structured assessment of caregiver needs and resources, personalized service planning, and ongoing monitoring over 6 months. Meanwhile, the control group continued with their usual procedures without a standardized caregiver assessment. Data were collected at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months.ResultsWe recruited 565 informal family caregivers (281/565, 49.7% CSM intervention; 284/565, 50.3% standard care control). Both groups improved over time; compared with the control group, the CSM produced greater reductions in caregiver needs, particularly in role conflict, and greater gains in resources, such as health awareness. Improvements were more pronounced at 6 months compared to 3 months, indicating a lasting effect and consolidation of gains. The intervention was particularly effective for caregivers in other relationships (not spouse or child) and those with higher education than spousal caregivers.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the importance of long-term tailored interventions that adapt to the evolving needs of caregivers through systematic assessment. The CSM offers a promising approach to enhancing the well-being of caregivers and managing the complex demands of caregiving, particularly in an aging population.

Background Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe mental illness characterized by alternating episodes of mania and depression. Among women of reproductive age (15–49 years), the risk of onset is higher and clinical manifestations are more complex due to the combined influence of hormonal fluctuations, reproductive pressures, and conflicts in social roles. Mental health problems in this population not only significantly impair quality of life but also place a sustained burden on family stability and public health systems. Although awareness of BD has been increasing, studies specifically focusing on the disease burden among women of reproductive age remain limited, particularly lacking systematic analyses based on the latest Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data. Methods This study was based on data from the GBD 2021 and systematically analyzed the incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of BD among women aged 15–49 at the global, regional, and national levels from 1990 to 2021. We calculated age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), prevalence rate (ASPR), and DALYs rate (ASDR), along with the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) for each metric. In addition, cross-national health inequality was assessed using the slope index of inequality (SII) and the concentration index (CII). Future trends in the disease burden were projected to 2041 using a Bayesian age–period–cohort (BAPC) model. Results From 1990 to 2021, the overall burden of BD among women aged 15–49 years has continued to rise globally. In 2021, the numbers of new cases, prevalent cases, and DALYs were all significantly higher than in 1990. Although the ASIR showed a slight decline (EAPC = −0.07; 95% CI: −0.08 to −0.05), the ASPR and ASDR continued to increase, with EAPC of 0.06 (95% CI: 0.04–0.07) and 0.05 (95% CI: 0.04–0.07), respectively. High-SDI regions ranked highest across all three metrics, while middle-high SDI regions had the lowest ASIR and ASPR, and middle-low SDI regions had the lowest ASDR. Regionally, South Asia bore the heaviest absolute burden in terms of incident cases, prevalence, and DALYs, whereas Oceania had the lightest burden. In terms of standardized rates, Tropical Latin America had the highest ASIR, while Australasia recorded the highest ASPR and ASDR; East Asia had the lowest values across all three indicators. At the national level in 2021, New Zealand reported the highest ASIR, ASPR, and ASDR globally; China had the lowest ASIR, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea had the lowest ASPR and ASDR. The burden of BD was positively correlated with the level of socio-demographic development, showing a mild positive correlation between ASIR and SDI, and a stronger correlation for ASPR and ASDR. Age-wise, all age groups saw increases in incident cases, prevalence, and DALYs compared to 1990, with the 35–39 age group showing the greatest rise in incidence, and the 45–49 group the largest increase in prevalence and DALYs. In 2021, the ASIR peaked in the 15–19 age group, while ASPR and ASDR were highest in the 25–29 age group. Health inequality analysis indicated persistent disparities in BD burden between high- and low-SDI countries, with little improvement over the past three decades. Projections using the BAPC model suggest that ASIR, ASPR, and ASDR may slightly decline by 2041, but the overall disease burden is expected to remain high. Conclusion From 1990 to 2021, the disease burden of BD among women of reproductive age has continued to rise globally, exhibiting significant regional, national, and socioeconomic disparities. This highlights the uneven development of mental health systems across different settings. Countries should develop more targeted mental health intervention strategies based on their stage of development. It is recommended to strengthen early screening, standardized diagnosis, and long-term comprehensive management for women of reproductive age, in order to effectively reduce the disease burden and improve overall mental health in this population.

This study aims to explore the experiences of working students in undergoing hybrid learning, which is increasingly being implemented in higher education institutions. Working students often face challenges in dividing their time between work and study, which can lead to dual role conflicts. This study uses a qualitative approach with a phenomenological method. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and documentation, then analysed using thematic analysis to identify relevant patterns of experience. The results show that the main challenges faced by working students include time management, limited access to technology, and schedule conflicts between work and lectures. However, support from the work environment and campus institutions, as well as strategies such as online group learning, help them overcome these obstacles. These findings emphasise the importance of inclusive campus policies, flexible class schedules, and the provision of asynchronous learning materials. In practical terms, this study recommends collaboration between the world of work and higher education to create a learning environment that supports the academic success of working students without disrupting their professional performance.

Abstract: The rapid diffusion of generative artificial intelligence tools is fundamentally reshaping professional boundaries within organizations. As accessible AI systems enable individuals to perform tasks previously requiring specialized training—coding, design, content creation, data analysis—organizations face a novel form of role conflict driven not by resource scarcity but by capability abundance. This article examines AI-driven role conflict as an emergent organizational phenomenon characterized by tension between traditional role boundaries and AI-enabled capability expansion. Drawing on research from organizational behavior, human-computer interaction, and change management, we analyze how this capability democratization creates both acceleration opportunities and defensive retrenchment. Evidence from multiple industries reveals that organizations respond along a spectrum from territorial protection to deliberate role fluidity experimentation. We propose evidence-based interventions including transparent reskilling pathways, contribution-based evaluation frameworks, and collaborative workflow redesign. Long-term organizational resilience requires psychological contract recalibration, distributed expertise models, and continuous learning systems that acknowledge AI as a capability amplifier rather than role replacement. Organizations that proactively address these tensions can harness cross-functional acceleration while preserving specialized expertise depth.

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) present significant management challenges as their constitutional symptoms greatly affect patients' quality of life. While current literature addresses hematological aspects, the full symptom burden and post-clinic challenges for adult patients, especially in outpatient settings, remain unclear. To systematically identify and characterize the health distress and challenges experienced by patients with MPN in mainland China. This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with adults diagnosed with MPN (n = 26) to explore their experiences in the outpatient clinic. Colaizzi's descriptive framework guided transcript analysis. Four themes and 12 subthemes were identified: (1) living with the illness, (2) the Sword of Damocles, (3) role conflict, and (4) systemic barriers. These themes informed the development of a trajectory describing the physical and psychological experiences of MPN patients after outpatient visits. Chinese MPN patients encounter significant health challenges, including persistent symptoms, psychological distress, social limitations, and inadequate self-management. A comprehensive understanding of their longitudinal experiences is essential for designing effective interventions. Additional research should focus on integrating biopsychosocial management into routine follow-up care.

The Relationship among Perceived Health Status, Role Conflict, and Social Support in Nurses at COVID-19 Dedicated Hospitals

This study investigated psychosocial stress among female correctional officers in Delta State, Nigeria, focusing on its causes, health consequences, adequacy of support systems, and the effectiveness of stress management training programmers. Employing a descriptive survey design, the study population included all 247 female correctional officers in the state who also formed the sample through census sampling. Data were collected using a validated structured questionnaire (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.84) and analyzed using descriptive statistics and a one-sample t-test at a 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that significant psychosocial stress among officers stemmed from role conflict, workplace violence, and gender discrimination. These stressors were strongly associated with anxiety, depression, and burnout. Existing support systems were found to be inadequate, while structured stress management training programmers significantly reduced stress and improved job satisfaction. The study was limited to one state and relied on self-reported data, which may affect the generalizability of results. It recommends that correctional management enforce strict policies against workplace violence and gender discrimination, and implement regular stress management training. These measures can enhance officer wellbeing, promote workplace equity, and strengthen correctional service delivery in Nigeria. This research contributes novel insights into occupational health challenges faced by Nigerian female correctional officers a group rarely examined in occupational health research, and proposes workplace-adaptive preventive strategies.

The presented study is devoted to the study of the relationship between the attitude to technology and the degree of severity of role conflict in women who are raising minor children. The study examined the attitude of working mothers (N=31) to technologies that take into account cognitive and emotional aspects: technophilia, technophobia, technorationalism and technopessimism, as well as the diagnosis of the severity of role conflict: how much the implementation of work roles interferes with the implementation of family roles and vice versa; assessment of guilt towards the family that a woman feels because of the fact that she works; an assessment of the degree of disapproval by the husband of the fact that the wife works. It was found that technorationalism dominates among working mothers as a strategy of attitude to technology, as well as in working mothers, role conflict manifests itself in the fact that the realization of work roles interferes with the realization of family roles and vice versa. As a result of this conflict, there may be deficits in the following areas. Studying attitudes to technology and indicators of the mother's role conflict, it was found that there is a reliable direct link between Technophobia and the guilt a woman feels before her family because she works, as well as a link between Technorationalism and the degree of disapproval of the husband that his wife works. The connection of these phenomena may indicate that the spouse's disapproval of the fact that a woman works leads to the fact that she turns to technology exclusively for rational purposes, as in the case of guilt and technophobia. The prospects of this study may be a detailed study of the relationship between strategies of attitude to technology and the severity of role conflict, taking into account the number and age of children, time devoted to work, and other variables. The results of research on this issue will allow us to study in more detail the consequences of digitalization in the field of motherhood and offer recommendations for improving the efficiency and safety of use.

Psychological distress and cultural role conflict among dementia family caregivers in China: a phenomenological study

Social work is part of the interprofessional rehabilitation team and, for example, provides services in the context of so-called special aids in vocational rehabilitation. However, compared to the field of medical rehabilitation, there is still relatively little research on the practice of social work in vocational rehabilitation. The three research projects Tasks and Use of Social Work in Vocational Rehabilitation (ANSAB), Networks and Cooperation in Vocational Rehabilitation (NEKOBERE) and Social Work in Vocational Rehabilitation (SABER) aimed to address this gap by identifying the tasks and roles of social work in this field.The analysis was based on the qualitative study components of the three projects and an online survey of 109 professionals conducted as part of the ANSAB project. Initially, each research team analyzed its own data. Subsequently, a synthesis of the findings was conducted using a best fit framework synthesis approach. The theoretical framework was based on Dahrendorf's role theory.Professionals working in the field of social work perform a wide range of tasks and take on various roles. Among others, the identified roles included Thread-Holder, Rehabilitation Process Companion, "Motherly" Carer and Networker. Tasks could be assigned to these roles. Professionals perceived tasks linked to the roles of the Thread-Holder and Rehabilitation Process Companion (e. g. individual rehabilitation progress discussions) as particularly frequent and important. A potential for role conflict between these two roles was also identified. This may occur, for example, when rehabilitants perceive professionals as representatives of the funding agency, which can lead to reluctance to disclose psychosocial concerns.The results of the three research projects highlight the central importance of professionals working in the field of social work. Building on these findings, practice-oriented recommendations will be developed to support professionalization and further define the competence profile of these professionals.

The phenomenon of women undertaking dual roles remains a persistent and multifaceted challenge, particularly for those who are simultaneously fulfilling responsibilities as wives, mothers, professionals, and students. This complexity is further heightened in the context of Long-Distance Marriages (LDM), especially when young children are involved. This study aims to explore the lived experiences of women managing dual roles within the framework of LDM. Employing a qualitative methodology with a phenomenological approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews with women who are engaged in professional work and higher education, while also navigating long-distance marital relationships and caring for preschool-aged children. The findings reveal that women in dual roles frequently experience role conflict, particularly in fulfilling their maternal duties, which often leads to feelings of guilt and anxiety. Moreover, social support plays a significant role in enabling these women to make informed decisions regarding role management and enhances their capacity for self-regulation. The involvement of extended family members during periods of marital separation also serves as a crucial source of childcare support, facilitating the preservation of emotional bonds between mothers and their children.

This study, based on the theories of gender, the glass ceiling, and role conflict, systematically examines the multi-dimensional challenges faced by Chinese women in the workplace from the perspectives of society, organization, and individual. The research reveals that women not only encounter explicit and implicit gender discrimination in recruitment and promotion, persistent pay gaps, and the "glass ceiling" effect, but also endure the psychological and physical stress caused by the dual role conflict of work and family. These challenges are deeply rooted in the complex interaction of traditional gender cultural norms, structural flaws in enterprise systems, and insufficient policy implementation mechanisms. This paper further constructs a three-level collaborative countermeasure framework of "policy-organization-culture," proposing to break the cycle of gender segregation and discrimination through systematic paths such as improving gender equality legislation and evaluation mechanisms, promoting enterprises to establish transparent promotion and flexible working systems, and facilitating the reshaping of gender concepts in the media and education fields. This study provides an integrated analytical perspective for understanding the formation mechanism of women's workplace challenges and puts forward operational policy suggestions and practical directions for promoting substantive gender equality at the government, enterprise, and social levels.

ABSTRACT Different studies have examined China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) impact on states in different regions; less attention has been given to the impact on the development of regions or ‘regionness’. States in South Asia are participating in the BRI to various degrees; thus, it is valuable to understand what their participation will mean for the development of South Asia. This research draws on ‘role theory’ to identify the role that China has established in South Asia from the perspective of government leaders in the region and what this means for the level of ‘regionness’. Compatibility between perceived roles produces an environment that will shape behavior and the interaction among states, impacting the development of regional relations. The study examines public speeches and statements by government officials in Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and India. The analysis reveals that among many of the states in the region, there is a compatibility between the perceived roles of South Asian governments and Chinese Leadership. However, these same states hold a perceived role of China as a ‘competitor’ that contributes to a region characterized by competition and realpolitik that undermines regional development.

To identify and address ethical challenges in doctoral supervision within nursing and health sciences and propose strategies to overcome them. Following PRISMA guidelines, this mixed-method systematic review synthesises findings from quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies published in English between 2014 and 2025. Studies were included if they examined ethical challenges in doctoral supervision and strategies to address them within nursing and health sciences. Exclusion criteria encompassed reviews, books, editorials, opinion papers, conference papers, studies unrelated to nursing or health sciences or published before 2014. A systematic search was conducted in CINAHL, Education Source, ERIC, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection, yielding 1100 citations. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the STROBE checklist for quantitative studies and the COREQ framework for qualitative studies. The findings were then synthesised and thematically organised. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria: four quantitative, four qualitative and three mixed methods. Ethical challenges in doctoral supervision emerged at three levels: individual (e.g., misaligned expectations, inadequate feedback, student adjustment difficulties), institutional (e.g., high student-supervisor ratios, limited support structures), and cultural (e.g., differing norms around autonomy and academic authority). Supervisors also reported role conflicts. Strategies to address these challenges included improved communication, supervision agreements, institutional support and targeted training. Ethical challenges in supervision are shaped by individual, institutional and cultural factors. Addressing them requires multi-level strategies, including clear expectations, feedback mechanisms, structured training and culturally sensitive supervision practices. Applying ethical principles fosters a transparent and supportive academic environment that enhances doctoral outcomes. Universities should adopt multi-level strategies, including supervisor training, mentorship structures and culturally informed policies, to strengthen the ethical integrity and effectiveness of doctoral supervision. What problem did the study address?: This study synthesises ethical challenges in doctoral supervision within nursing and health sciences, focusing on communication barriers, institutional constraints and the transition from clinical practice to academia. What were the main Findings?: Misaligned expectations between supervisors and students, inadequate feedback and structural limitations, negatively impact the quality of supervision. Doctoral students struggle to adapt to academic expectations, while supervisors face challenges in balancing multiple roles. Effective communication, institutional support and targeted training programmes are essential for improving supervisory experience. Where and on whom will the research have an impact?: The research will inform universities and institutions offering doctoral education in nursing and health sciences. It will benefit doctoral students, supervisors and academic administrators by providing insights and strategies to enhance supervision quality and promote ethical practices. This systematic review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. No patient or public involvement.