Introduction:The supervisory relationship is crucial for postgraduate success, yet supervisory affective instability-characterized by unpredictable moods and engagement-remains an understudied threat to student well-being and research quality, particularly in resource-constrained settings like Sudan.Aim: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between supervisory affective instability and its impact on student stress and research progress among medical science postgraduates in Sudan.Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 824 Master's, PhD, and MD-PhD students using an anonymous online survey.Quantitative data on instability, stress, and research impact were analyzed with descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests.Qualitative openended responses were examined using thematic analysis.Results: A high proportion of students (39.0%) experienced high supervisory instability.Quantitative analysis revealed powerful associations (p < 0.001) between high instability and severe student stress (11.8 vs 1.5% in the low-instability group), high negative research impact (34.6 vs 1.5%), and highly unpredictable meetings (31.2 vs 7.0%).Qualitatively, students explicitly requested structured communication and clear expectations to mitigate these issues.Conclusion: Supervisory affective instability is a critical, addressable problem.Institutions must implement structured supervision, set clear expectations, and foster support networks to protect student well-being and research integrity.
Ishag et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
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