Empowering scientific performance and health: MERIT – A survey study and research perspective

Academic performance involves achieving one’s goals and reaching one’s full potential while staying mentally, emotionally, and physically well. This can be challenging across all career paths. This article presents results from a new survey examining key psychological factors and how early-career researchers evaluate them in relation to their scientific performance and health as they pursue their career goals. A total of 475 participants (e.g., in Germany, Switzerland, or Austria) evaluated psychological factors that, according to previous research and psychological theories, influence academic success. The evaluations included participants’ assessments of their self-competence, motivation, and work effort; achievement emotions (including negative and positive experiences that influence well-being); perceptions of supervision; and views on reasons for staying or leaving academia. Gender differences and differences between PhDs and postdocs were also analyzed. Overall, PhD students and postdocs felt confident in and satisfied with their academic performance. They evaluated their competencies, effort, and motivation as key to achieving their career goals. Satisfaction, effort, and self-efficacy showed no gender differences, but women reported higher levels of worry and negative emotions, particularly among postdocs. Challenges such as time and financial constraints, as well as the benefits of working outside academia, influenced self-perceptions of career decisions. Most participants reported regular supervision; a few had experience with or were participating in early-career initiatives. The study emphasizes the need to consider young scientists’ beliefs, feelings, and expectations about their academic performance, achievement, and health when developing early-career strategies to reduce perceived barriers and reflect career decisions. The current approach and results are discussed in relation to previous studies, the observed challenges, and the gaps this research addresses.