Managing role conflicts: work-study-life balance among single female university teachers in China pursuing doctoral...

The rapid expansion of higher education in China has intensified the pressure on university teachers to obtain doctoral degrees. Single female teachers face multiple challenges in managing their work-study-life balance amid competing cultural expectations, yet their experiences remain underexamined.

This study explored the lived experiences of single female university teachers in China pursuing doctoral degrees, focusing on the nature and management of their role conflicts.

A qualitative phenomenological approach was adopted; semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 single female university teachers from various Chinese universities. Interview transcripts were analysed using hybrid thematic analysis, combining inductive and deductive approaches, with the interpretation informed by role theory.

The data yielded two main themes. The first theme, experiences of role conflict, encompassed three sub-themes: direct conflict between professional and academic roles, conflict arising from personal lives and socio-cultural expectations, and implicit conflict created by familial roles. The second theme, management and negotiation of role conflict, included two sub-themes: behavioural management strategies and cognitive and emotional adaptation strategies.

The findings demonstrate the impact of informal cultural roles on conflict, extending role theory. The study offers practical insights for supporting female university teachers in high-pressure work environment, non-Western contexts to enhance their well-being and functionality.