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Using Group Messaging to Facilitate Peer Support among Early Doctoral Students: A Thematic Analysis of One Cohort's Text Messages

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Title: Using Group Messaging to Facilitate Peer Support among Early Doctoral Students: A Thematic Analysis of One Cohort's Text Messages
Language: English
Authors: Galliart, Julie M. (ORCID 0000-0003-2433-4294), Thornton, Elaine, Freeman, Robin, Bradley Pospisil, Susan, Csaposs, Brendan, Dorn, Kathleen, Eller, James, Grover, Kenda S.
Source: Adult Learning. May 2023 34(2):101-110.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 10
Publication Date: 2023
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Peer Relationship, Social Support Groups, Doctoral Students, Grouping (Instructional Purposes), Telecommunications, Computer Mediated Communication, Sense of Community
DOI: 10.1177/10451595211050072
ISSN: 1045-1595
2162-4070
Abstract: Students face multiple stressors while earning their doctorates. Since peer support is a common recommendation for easing this stress, we realized graduate students, faculty, and academic program administrators might have interest in how our cohort used group messaging to facilitate peer support early in our studies. We conducted a thematic analysis examining how group messaging helped new doctoral students in a hybrid program maintain ongoing engagement with course content and build interpersonal relationships. McClusky's Theory of Margin provided a theoretical framework for this project. Results of thematic analysis emphasize that students utilized this communication medium to reach out to peers for support and to form interpersonal relationships with peers at a distance.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2023
Accession Number: EJ1374395
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0163195019;adl01may.23;2023Apr21.07:33;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0163195019-1">Using Group Messaging to Facilitate Peer Support Among Early Doctoral Students: A Thematic Analysis of One Cohort's Text Messages </title> <p>Students face multiple stressors while earning their doctorates. Since peer support is a common recommendation for easing this stress, we realized graduate students, faculty, and academic program administrators might have interest in how our cohort used group messaging to facilitate peer support early in our studies. We conducted a thematic analysis examining how group messaging helped new doctoral students in a hybrid program maintain ongoing engagement with course content and build interpersonal relationships. McClusky's Theory of Margin provided a theoretical framework for this project. Results of thematic analysis emphasize that students utilized this communication medium to reach out to peers for support and to form interpersonal relationships with peers at a distance.</p> <p>Keywords: doctoral experience; group messaging; GroupMe; peer support; Theory of Margin</p> <p>"...Group messaging provided a means through which students could become allies in their educational experience..."</p> <p>Have you ever wondered why "questions for peers" online discussion forums are underutilized in graduate classes? Research indicates that doctoral students are reluctant to reveal that they need help in front of faculty ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref1">2</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref2">6</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref3">9</reflink>]). Yet, an unresolved need for help is a source of stress, and students who report high levels of stress may be more likely to consider withdrawal from their programs ([<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref4">15</reflink>]). It seems, then, that there is a need to look beyond the class discussion board and identify new ways to encourage peer support among early doctoral students.</p> <p>This need motivated us to share how we used group text messaging early in our studies. We are doctoral candidates and graduates of a hybrid graduate program. A guest speaker at one of our Saturday classes recommended group messaging to us, saying that she and her colleagues had found it useful to connect this way during their doctoral program. A student in our cohort used GroupMe (a free, mobile group messaging application) at work, so he established a group for our cohort.</p> <p>About a year later, several members of the cohort became curious about how we utilized GroupMe. We conducted a thematic analysis of our group text messages. Results indicate that group messaging helped us establish social connections and provide peer support while beginning graduate study. Many students may be feeling disconnected from their programs due to being physically separated from faculty and peers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Program administrators may be searching for ways to reconnect and reengage their students. We know that many readers of <emph>Adult Learning</emph> teach, work, or participate in graduate programs, and we hope that hearing our experience using group messaging will result in your encouraging students to connect outside of class in this way. In this article, therefore, we will: briefly review sources of stress during graduate school and unique challenges faced by graduate students when learning online; introduce McClusky's Theory of Margin ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref5">11</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref6">12</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref7">13</reflink>]) as a theoretical framework for our thematic analysis; present the methodology and findings of the study; and discuss implications for practice that arise from these findings.</p> <hd id="AN0163195019-2">Literature Review</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0163195019-3">Stress During Doctoral Study</hd> <p>Several specific stressors lead researchers to suggest finding ways to increase peer support among students. First, graduate students commonly report feelings of doubt about their intellectual abilities ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref8">2</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref9">5</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref10">6</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref11">9</reflink>]). Students especially worry about how their intellect is perceived by their faculty ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref12">2</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref13">6</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref14">9</reflink>]). Perhaps inevitably, academic/coursework responsibilities are stressful for students ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref15">14</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref16">20</reflink>]), as is the anticipation of work associated with the dissertation process such as planning the research project, completing the literature review, and obtaining IRB approval ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref17">6</reflink>]). Finally, students may experience stress due to feelings of isolation if they are required to relocate for their studies ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref18">6</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref19">9</reflink>]), when they feel disconnected from peers ([<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref20">9</reflink>]), or when they feel that their scholarly obligations do not permit work/life balance ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref21">20</reflink>]). Stress from isolation has been linked to imposter syndrome among graduate students ([<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref22">5</reflink>]).</p> <p>In response to these stressors, many authors suggest that graduate programs find ways to encourage peer support among students ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref23">2</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref24">6</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref25">8</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref26">9</reflink>]). [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref27">9</reflink>], for example, describes how bonds within small groups of students helped students understand their lack of academic confidence as a normal, shared experience. Peer support has also helped students cope with academic workload ([<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref28">8</reflink>]). Relationships with fellow students may benefit overall quality of life ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref29">20</reflink>]), and increased social support may lead to decreased psychological distress among graduate students ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref30">14</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0163195019-4">Additional Challenges in Online Doctoral Study</hd> <p>[<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref31">16</reflink>] describe factors of attrition for online doctoral candidates as being similar to, but "more complex" (p. 101) than, challenges faced by in-person students. For example, as we have seen, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref32">7</reflink>] reports that online doctoral students faced challenges with academic workload and isolation. Challenges with technology, however, were also prevalent, especially for students connecting from developing countries.</p> <p>[<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref33">18</reflink>] created the Doctoral Student Connectedness Scale to better understand persistence and attrition among limited residency doctoral candidates. The authors found that students working on their dissertations from a distance did not feel a sense of community with faculty or communicate regularly with faculty or other students. Students felt especially disconnected from one-another. This sense of detachment may be, in part, due to a lack of informal opportunity for discussion with faculty ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref34">6</reflink>]). In response to these trends, Terrell et al. suggest that faculty and administrators employ a variety of tools to facilitate online communication.</p> <p>To that end, online Ed.D. students in a study by [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref35">3</reflink>] used group text messaging along with emails and phone calls to facilitate supportive friendships. Berry suggests that whereas doctoral students who study on campus may socialize at university or department events, online students seemed more interested in connecting with peers. A challenge for some students, though, was that these connections had to be intentionally sought and cultivated; unlike on-campus students, online students do not have the chance to casually connect in hallways.</p> <p>Clearly, informal opportunities to connect with faculty and peers are important in alleviating stress among doctoral students. Lack of informal social connection presents a unique challenge to online doctoral students, and it seems desirable for programs to find ways to encourage supportive relationships among students at a distance. Therefore, the central research question that guided our thematic analysis was: how does the use of group messaging enable adult graduate students to maintain ongoing engagement with course content and build interpersonal relationships?</p> <hd id="AN0163195019-5">Theoretical Framework</hd> <p>McClusky's Theory of Margin ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref36">11</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref37">12</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref38">13</reflink>]) served as the theoretical framework for our study. McClusky's Theory has three simple components: load, power, and margin. These components work together to determine how adults respond to different opportunities. [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref39">13</reflink>] defines the components as follows:</p> <p> <emph>Margin</emph> is a function of the relationship of <emph>load</emph> to <emph>power</emph>. By <emph>load</emph> we mean the self and social demands required by a person to maintain a minimal level of autonomy. By <emph>power</emph> we mean the resources, i.e. abilities, possessions, position, allies, etc., which a person can command in coping with <emph>load</emph> (p. 27, emphasis in original).</p> <p>Whether online or on campus, a new doctoral student has just taken on a huge load as they begin to study and adjust to the university. New students must often quickly master new or updated rules of writing, for example, while also engaging with demanding course content and meeting key university personnel. Each student accepts this load with differing amounts of power (e.g., time, fiscal resources, and family support) to offset it. This simple framework provided a useful lens for us to consider whether using group messaging allowed students to become sources of power for one-another, thereby generating margin to attenuate the stress of this experience.</p> <hd id="AN0163195019-6">Method</hd> <p>We conducted a qualitative textual analysis of group text messages from our second semester of graduate school. Messages were posted in GroupMe between May 29 and August 19, 2018. Students were in two, five-week classes with different faculty during this Summer semester. Thirteen Ed.D. students, ranging in age from their 20s to their 50s, participated in GroupMe during this time. Seven of those 13 students worked together on this research project under the supervision of a faculty member.</p> <p>The message transcript was analyzed using [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref40">4</reflink>] six-phase model of thematic analysis. After obtaining an exemption for the study from the Institutional Review Board, the first author deidentified the transcript, and five additional authors coded it. Coders first met as a group and worked through a segment of the transcript together to identify initial codes. Then, they divided the remaining transcript and worked independently through those segments using the initial codes and adding others as needed. All codes were then pulled into a shared document. As a group, we reviewed each code in comparison to the others and began moving codes into categories, discussing any disagreements as they arose.</p> <p>The fourth step of the [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref41">4</reflink>] method involves comparing potential themes to the full dataset. We listed 13 potential themes in a shared document and reviewed the full transcript again, adding direct participant quotes reflecting the themes. We reviewed this document with three criteria in mind: substantial textual support for the potential theme; textual examples were drawn from across the dataset (not just one segment); and textual examples were drawn from multiple participants (not idiosyncratic). Realizing only some potential themes met these criteria, we ultimately constructed three main themes. These themes were member checked by presenting them for discussion during a Saturday meeting of our cohort in September 2019; all 13 GroupMe participants were present for member checking.</p> <hd id="AN0163195019-7">Findings</hd> <p>In terms of total posts, Table 1 indicates that levels of student engagement in GroupMe varied. Thematic analysis, however, demonstrates that a student might not need to make multiple posts to benefit from engaging with their peers in this manner. Since McClusky's Theory of Margin ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref42">11</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref43">12</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref44">13</reflink>]) served as the theoretical framework, themes are related in that they all attest to ways peer support (power) may have worked to alleviate stress (load) among these students. Each theme identifies a specific way peers supported one another: responding to requests for help, developing friendships in real-time, and productively resolving frustration.</p> <p>Graph</p> <p>Table 1. Total Posts Per Student in 3 Months.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead valign="top"><tr><th align="left"><italic>Student</italic></th><th align="left"><italic>Total Posts</italic></th><th align="left"><italic>Total Word Count</italic></th></tr></thead><tbody valign="top"><tr><td align="left">1</td><td align="left">2</td><td align="left">67</td></tr><tr><td align="left">2</td><td align="left">137</td><td align="left">1,749</td></tr><tr><td align="left">3</td><td align="left">73</td><td align="left">1,494</td></tr><tr><td align="left">5</td><td align="left">25</td><td align="left">658</td></tr><tr><td align="left">6</td><td align="left">267</td><td align="left">5,500</td></tr><tr><td align="left">7</td><td align="left">102</td><td align="left">2,093</td></tr><tr><td align="left">8</td><td align="left">31</td><td align="left">517</td></tr><tr><td align="left">9</td><td align="left">129</td><td align="left">1,799</td></tr><tr><td align="left">11</td><td align="left">43</td><td align="left">430</td></tr><tr><td align="left">12</td><td align="left">50</td><td align="left">743</td></tr><tr><td align="left">13</td><td align="left">292</td><td align="left">3,493</td></tr><tr><td align="left">14</td><td align="left">67</td><td align="left">1,455</td></tr><tr><td align="left">15</td><td align="left">137</td><td align="left">2,020</td></tr><tr><td align="left">Totals</td><td align="left">1,355</td><td align="left">22,018</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <hd id="AN0163195019-8">Theme 1: "So are we doing an abstract or not?" A Call for Help and the Responses That Ensue</hd> <p>Readers may be familiar with a call and response pattern in music or from congregational prayer traditions. In both instances, one voice sounds out and multiple voices respond. This pattern was evident in our group messages. Three main reasons behind a call for help were noted. Students occasionally posed a specific question about something school related. More often, students called on their peers for help when they experienced confusion over an assignment. Underlying the assignment confusion, and occasionally evident as its own type of call, was the desire to align oneself with the group's behavior.</p> <p>Some questions were highly specific, and one response provided the necessary information. For example, at least eight students posted specific APA or writing questions in GroupMe. Occasionally a specific question resulted in some dialogue because students did not know the answer. This was the case when Student 15 asked, "Are you all treating our book as one reference, or treating chapters [written by different authors] separately?" We found several instances where students worked together to resolve questions like this.</p> <p>Confusion over an assignment was often triggered when instructions were vague within the learning management system. Usually more than one person responded to a call of confusion. Multiple responses helped establish group norms, which seemed especially important to students. More than 30 posts related to students' desire to know how others were handling or interpreting something related to class (Students 2, 6, 9, 12, 13, 14, and 15). The following discussion exemplifies this trend.</p> <p>Student 2: "One set of directions said 15 and one said 10 sources, so are most of you splitting the difference?"</p> <p>Student 9: "I'm going with 15 to be safe."</p> <p>Student 2: "Thanks, Student 9!"</p> <p>Student 13: I'm going with the 12 peer-reviewed sources I have plus the supplementary (not peer-reviewed). I'm down to grasping sentences to make a reference."</p> <p>Student 6: "I will have no less than 15."</p> <p>Student 2: [thumbs up emoji]</p> <p>The timing of this discussion demonstrates another benefit of group messaging. The entire exchange took place over 13 minutes, beginning at 9:27 p.m., providing Student 2 help from peers in the moment it was needed.</p> <p>Although students seemed to want to know the group norm on assignments, occasionally this seemed to produce anxiety for a student if they felt like they were drawing away from that norm. Consider this exchange:</p> <p>Student 3: "I have not started my paper. I feel very behind."</p> <p>Student 8: "I haven't either. Have my research done just haven't pulled it together. Don't know how y'all are doing it?"</p> <p>Student 9: "Well you're ahead of me then, Student 8!"</p> <p>Earlier comments from other students about progress or questions on their papers (Students 2, 6, 7, 13, 14, and 15) could have made Student 3 feel like (s) he was behind. Student 3 might not have intended this statement as a call for support, but the willingness of Students 8 and 9 to be open and honest about their progress brought Student 3 back into the group.</p> <p>Various examples of loads and power ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref45">11</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref46">12</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref47">13</reflink>]) can be identified throughout this theme. Peers turned to GroupMe to ask each other many questions related to coursework, which prior research has identified as a source of stress, or a load ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref48">14</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref49">20</reflink>]). Vague assignment instructions also contributed to the load of students. Students became sources of power for one-another as they collaborated to overcome these shared stressors. Immediate responses from peers, made possible by the GroupMe platform, could also be seen as a source of power. Interestingly, the tendency for students to want to establish group norms could be experienced as either a power or a load. Students generally seemed to gain confidence (power) in knowing how their peers were progressing or responding to an assignment, but this knowledge could create a load if a student's circumstances did not permit them to keep up with the group.</p> <hd id="AN0163195019-9">Theme 2: "I appreciate all of you." Peer Support and the Formation of a Community</hd> <p>Whereas the first theme demonstrates how use of group messaging helped students stay engaged with course content, it is in our second theme where we begin to see how the use of group messaging helped students build interpersonal relationships. Since group messages pop up like normal text messages on a cellular device, the GroupMe platform provided online students a way to experience in-the-moment camaraderie. Various examples within the transcript demonstrate how students used group messaging to have fun together, share their personal lives, celebrate each other, and encourage one another in real time.</p> <p>One night, for example, Students 3, 8, and 13 texted while watching college sports. They were not physically in the same room, but when they started posting the college chant at the win, it almost felt like they were. A similar moment of togetherness happened at the end of class:</p> <p>Student 6: "Concept map 3 grade posted."</p> <p>Student 13: "I have mine too - not the paper though."</p> <p>Student 15: "I am about to destroy my stress ball waiting for my paper grade."</p> <p>Student 13: "Yea, I'm about to throw my cell phone out the window!"</p> <p>Student 14: "I know!"</p> <p>The immediacy of group messaging helped remove the feeling of distance between online students who were able to commiserate in the shared experience of awaiting an important grade.</p> <p>One noteworthy aspect of peer support was that students took advantage of various opportunities to celebrate one another in real time, often for reasons related to coursework (a connection to Theme 1). When Student 13 was the first to post an assignment, Student 12 noticed and said, "Way to go, Student 13, getting your work done already!" Or, after reviewing videos created by peers, Student 6 posted, "Watched a few Lesson One assignments this morning. You all ROCK!!" Students seemed to value a supportive atmosphere as part of their group culture. One night when many students were working to finish an assignment, Student 11 cheered them on: "Just submitted... My eyes were glazing over. For those that aren't done yet, keep pushing!" When students seemed to be overwhelmed by multiple commitments or life circumstances, peers reacted with encouragement (Students 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8). It is worth noting the overlap of themes in this instance—students' open sharing about challenges in their personal lives created an important call and response pattern in this dataset.</p> <p>Students also turned to GroupMe to share activities unrelated to class. From the evening's choice of adult beverage (Student 7: "I'll have a tequila and agua mineral for you") to sharing things that excited them (Student 5: "Going to visit our child in Pennsylvania 7/6-7/10. (S) he's been there all summer on an internship"), students used group messaging to post updates about their personal lives. Several students discussed trips they were taking for work (Students 3, 5, 6, and 7) or pleasure (Students 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 13). Others shared their weekend (Students 5, 6, 13, and 15) or holiday (Students 3, 6, 13, and 15) plans.</p> <p>Peer support can be viewed as a source of power ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref50">11</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref51">12</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref52">13</reflink>]), but online students may struggle to form personal connections with peers ([<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref53">18</reflink>]). In this theme, we can see how GroupMe functioned to facilitate personal connections between online students. GroupMe enabled students to connect in the moment, generating energy (power) through conversations in real time. Trusting relationships are necessary for establishing a sense of community among students ([<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref54">17</reflink>]), and a sense of community is an important source of power. Students utilized GroupMe to build relationships by sharing aspects of their personal lives with one-another and by recognizing each-other's good work—a power bonus that may have contributed to overall margin.</p> <hd id="AN0163195019-10">Theme 3: "I'll be reading at the BBQ on Wednesday." Dedication, Frustration, and the Space in...</hd> <p>When we talk about our cohort's use of group messaging, we are often asked, "Don't you all just use the space to complain?" Frustration was evident in this analysis, but a stated frustration also resulted in the sharing of resources (a connection to Theme 1) or expressions of encouragement (a connection to Theme 2). Frustration seemed to happen on a continuum ranging from straightforward grumbling to more complex statements such as, "I'll be reading at the BBQ on Wednesday" (Student 6). It is difficult to discern whether this statement is a complaint, or if it attests to the student's dedication to their studies. Both types of expression are examined in greater detail in the sections that follow.</p> <p>Students were unabashedly critical of some assignments: "You know what? I hate that I have been missing this very interesting conversation on the futility of this assignment. I totally hate it." Sometimes, though, an initial complaint about an assignment turned into an honest conversation about it. Students 5, 6, 9, 12, 13, and 15 discussed "meet your classmates" assignments, for example. Students found it annoying to repeatedly introduce themselves to the same people in the cohort. Student 13 joked, "maybe we should switch bios with each other and mix it up a little!" Conversely, the students observed that they learned new things about each other in these forums and agreed that they liked that aspect of the assignments.</p> <p>Some frustrations (loads) aligned with what [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref55">14</reflink>] described as, "daily hassles" (p. 763). Students in this study were hassled by technology problems. For instance, when students were required to use a specific software program to create concept maps, some found it glitchy. Student 9 posted, "Anyone else keep having the issue that you select 'arrowhead' for your line style and then it doesn't show them? Arghhh. Help?" Notably, a peer was able to help Student 9 resolve the issue.</p> <p>Sometimes, however, a comment reflected both a student's frustration and his or her dedication to the program. This is apparent in Student 1's remark, "We finally moved and Internet fiber won't be ran for 3 weeks. Looks like I'll be doing homework at Barnes and Noble." This situation was undoubtedly frustrating, but it also speaks to the high priority the student was giving graduate study during this upheaval. Relatedly, if a faculty member said something that made a student feel their dedication to the program was being questioned, some students turned to their peers in frustration. Students seemed to deeply value their program and experienced even slight disapprobation from faculty as a notable load.</p> <hd id="AN0163195019-11">Implications for Practice</hd> <p>Examples abound in this analysis of ways using group messaging helped graduate students stay connected with course content and build interpersonal relationships. While a lack of opportunity to informally discuss coursework may create a sense of detachment among online learners ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref56">6</reflink>]), in this study we see that using group messaging continuously connected students to their classes. A student enjoying a weekend getaway, for example, might still have seen a question from a peer about a course and responded to it. Moreover, that same student may have used GroupMe to share excitement about their weekend plans with other members of the cohort, thereby building personal relationships with their peers.</p> <p>Considering these findings through the lens of McClusky's Theory of Margin ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref57">11</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref58">12</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref59">13</reflink>]), one can name numerous examples that contributed to the students' load during this three-month period. All were employed full-time while also enrolling as full-time doctoral students. Many had to travel for work. Most were parents, and one changed residence. Then, the normal stresses of education were added to these conditions. Students experienced confusion over assignments, frustration with technology, and uneasiness about grades. Power, in McClusky's theory, refers to the resources at a person's disposal to cope with this load. Group messaging provided a means through which students could become allies in their educational experience. They helped each other resolve questions related to class, assisted one-another with writing, and formed group norms on assignments to settle anxiety about expectations.</p> <p>Students in this study clearly experienced a great deal of anxiety over coursework. While academic stress that positively challenges students leads to personal growth ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref60">10</reflink>]), for academic stress to be productive, students need to understand it as a normal part of the graduate school experience. To attain that understanding, students need space outside the view of their faculty to share these challenges with peers ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref61">2</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref62">9</reflink>]). Similarly, since venting emotions to supportive friends may be associated with higher grade point averages ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref63">14</reflink>]), students may benefit from a private space to be honest about their frustrations. For online students, group messaging is one way to provide that space.</p> <p>In this study, about a third of the total participants contributed most of the posts in GroupMe. Given the range of student participation, we would suggest additional research exploring student perceptions of loads and of the value of group messaging in offsetting those loads. The interspersed comments of less talkative students indicate that they monitored the conversation even if they did not engage in it as actively. It would be useful to better understand why people choose to engage at different levels and/or at different times and how issues of power and equity are perceived by students in this type of space. It may be that, even when unobserved by faculty, students experience different levels of comfort with asking for help.</p> <p>One limitation of the study is that it fails to capture how themes may have changed over time. The study captures a snapshot of three of our early months together as doctoral students. As we progressed in our studies, our relationships and use of group messaging changed in ways that are not captured here. A study of a longer duration or of students later in their programs would add additional insight into the use of group messaging to facilitate peer support among doctoral students. It would be useful to consider whether changes in relationships affect how students' perceptions of peer support change over time as they continue to interact in a shared virtual space.</p> <p>Additionally, there are many potential uses of group messaging that were unexplored in this study. For example, group messaging may prove useful to implement after doctoral students have completed their candidacy exams and are working independently on their dissertations. In [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref64">18</reflink>] study, this was a time when students felt especially disconnected from other students and faculty. Grouping a faculty member with all their students at this stage could be a timely intervention and could also facilitate document exchange for peer review.</p> <p>From a program perspective, group messaging could potentially be used to link students in a community of practice where people who share an interest in a topic expand their knowledge through their interactions ([<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref65">19</reflink>]). Various short-term community of practice experiences could be offered throughout a program to increase participants' knowledge about the breadth of the field, different types of learning, specific methodologies, theorists or theories, etc. [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref66">18</reflink>] suggest that students could take the initiative on forming these types of communities.</p> <p>There may also be value in using group messaging to connect program alumni. A recent study by [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref67">1</reflink>] described the use of another group messaging application, WhatsApp, to connect new nursing graduates as they transitioned into their first year of practice. Participants noted an increased sense of belonging to a nursing community and feeling that they had people to turn to for advice—strikingly similar trends to what we observed in the present study. Perhaps an opportunity exists to connect new doctors of adult learning as they transition out of graduate school and continue to develop as practitioners.</p> <hd id="AN0163195019-12">ORCID iD</hd> <p>Julie M. Galliart https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2433-4294</p> <ref id="AN0163195019-13"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref67" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Abiodun R., Daniels F., Pimmer D. C., Chipps J. (2020). A WhatsApp community of practice to support new graduate nurses in South Africa. Nurse Education in Practice, 46, 102826. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2020.102826.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" idref="ref1" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext> Barreira P., Basilico M., Bolotnyy V. (2018). Graduate student mental health: Lessons from American economics departments. Harvard University. https://scholar.harvard.edu/bolotnyy/publications/graduate-student-mental-health-lessons-american-economics-departments.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib3" idref="ref35" type="bt">3</bibl> <bibtext> Berry S. (2017). Student support networks in online doctoral programs: Exploring nested communities. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 12, 33-48. https://doi.org/10.28945/3676.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib4" idref="ref40" type="bt">4</bibl> <bibtext> Braun V., Clarke V. (2012). Thematic analysis. In Cooper H. (Ed.), APA handbook of research methods in psychology: Vol 2. Research designs. American Psychological Association.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib5" idref="ref9" type="bt">5</bibl> <bibtext> Cohen E. D., McConnell W. R. (2019). Fear of fraudulence: Graduate school program environments and the impostor phenomenon. The Sociological Quarterly, 60(3), 457–478. https://doi.org/10.1080/00380253.2019.1580552</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib6" idref="ref2" type="bt">6</bibl> <bibtext> Cornwall J., Mayland E. C., van der Meer J., Spronken-Smith R. A., Tustin C., Blyth P. (2019). Stressors in early-stage doctoral students. Studies in Continuing Education, 41(3), 363–380. https://doi.org/10.1080/0158037X.2018.1534821</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib7" idref="ref32" type="bt">7</bibl> <bibtext> Deshpande A. (2016). A qualitative examination of challenges influencing doctoral students in an online doctoral program. International Education Studies, 9(6), 139. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v9n6p139</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib8" idref="ref25" type="bt">8</bibl> <bibtext> El-Ghoroury N. H., Galper D. I., Sawaqdeh A., Bufka L. F. (2012). Stress, coping, and barriers to wellness among psychology graduate students. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 6(2), 122–134. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028768</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib9" idref="ref3" type="bt">9</bibl> <bibtext> Hockey J. (1994). New territory: Problems of adjusting to the first year of a social science PhD. Studies in Higher Education, 19(2), 177–190. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079412331382027</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> McCauley K. D., Hinojosa A. S. (2020). Applying the challenge-hindrance stressor framework to doctoral education. Journal of Management Education, 44(4), 490–507. https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562920924072</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> McClusky H. Y. (1963). The course of the adult life span. In Lorge I., McClusky H. Y., Jensen G. E., Hallenbeck W. C. (Eds.), Psychology of adults (pp. 10–19). Adult Education Association of the U.S.A.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> McClusky H. Y. (1970a). A differential psychology of the adult potential. In Grabowski S. M. (Ed.), Adult learning and instruction (pp. 80-95). Adult Education Association of the U.S.A.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> McClusky H. Y. (1970b). Dynamic approach to participation in community development. Journal of the Community Development Society, 1(1), 25-32. https://doi.org/10.1080/15575330.1970.10877417.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Nelson N. G., Dell'Oliver C., Koch C., Buckler R. (2001). Stress, coping, and success among graduate students in clinical psychology. Psychological Reports, 88(3), 759–767. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.2001.88.3.759</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Pyhältö K., Toom A., Stubb J., Lonka K. (2012). Challenges of becoming a scholar: A study of doctoral students' problems and well-being. ISRN Education, 2012(2), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/934941</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Rockinson-Szapkiw A. J., Spaulding L. S., Spaulding M. T. (2016). Identifying significant integration and institutional factors that predict online doctoral persistence. The Internet and Higher Education, 31, 101-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2016.07.003.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Rovai A. P. (2002). Development of an instrument to measure classroom community. The Internet and Higher Education, 5(3), 197–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1096-7516(02)00102-1</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Terrell S. R., Snyder M. M., Dringus L. P. (2009). The development, validation, and application of the doctoral student connectedness scale. The Internet and Higher Education, 12(2), 112–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2009.06.004</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Wenger E., McDermott R., Snyder W. M. (2002). Cultivating communities of practice: A guide to managing knowledge. Harvard Business School Press.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Yusuf J.-E., Saitgalina M., Chapman D. W. (2020). Work-life balance and well-being of graduate students. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 26(4), 458–483. https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.2020.1771990</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <ref id="AN0163195019-14"> <title> Footnotes </title> <blist> <bibtext> The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <aug> <p>By Julie M. Galliart; Elaine Thornton; Robin Freeman; Susan Bradley Pospisil; Brendan Csaposs; Kathleen Dorn; James Eller and Kenda S. Grover</p> <p>Reported by Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author</p> </aug> <nolink nlid="nl1" bibid="bib15" firstref="ref4"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl2" bibid="bib11" firstref="ref5"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl3" bibid="bib12" firstref="ref6"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl4" bibid="bib13" firstref="ref7"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl5" bibid="bib14" firstref="ref15"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl6" bibid="bib20" firstref="ref16"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl7" bibid="bib16" firstref="ref31"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl8" bibid="bib18" firstref="ref33"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl9" bibid="bib17" firstref="ref54"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl10" bibid="bib10" firstref="ref60"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl11" bibid="bib19" firstref="ref65"></nolink>
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  Data: Using Group Messaging to Facilitate Peer Support among Early Doctoral Students: A Thematic Analysis of One Cohort's Text Messages
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Galliart%2C+Julie+M%2E%22">Galliart, Julie M.</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2433-4294">0000-0003-2433-4294</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Thornton%2C+Elaine%22">Thornton, Elaine</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Freeman%2C+Robin%22">Freeman, Robin</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bradley+Pospisil%2C+Susan%22">Bradley Pospisil, Susan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Csaposs%2C+Brendan%22">Csaposs, Brendan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dorn%2C+Kathleen%22">Dorn, Kathleen</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Eller%2C+James%22">Eller, James</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Grover%2C+Kenda+S%2E%22">Grover, Kenda S.</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Adult+Learning%22"><i>Adult Learning</i></searchLink>. May 2023 34(2):101-110.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Peer+Relationship%22">Peer Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Support+Groups%22">Social Support Groups</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Doctoral+Students%22">Doctoral Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grouping+%28Instructional+Purposes%29%22">Grouping (Instructional Purposes)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Telecommunications%22">Telecommunications</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Mediated+Communication%22">Computer Mediated Communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sense+of+Community%22">Sense of Community</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/10451595211050072
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  Data: Students face multiple stressors while earning their doctorates. Since peer support is a common recommendation for easing this stress, we realized graduate students, faculty, and academic program administrators might have interest in how our cohort used group messaging to facilitate peer support early in our studies. We conducted a thematic analysis examining how group messaging helped new doctoral students in a hybrid program maintain ongoing engagement with course content and build interpersonal relationships. McClusky's Theory of Margin provided a theoretical framework for this project. Results of thematic analysis emphasize that students utilized this communication medium to reach out to peers for support and to form interpersonal relationships with peers at a distance.
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