PhD researchers’ engagement-burnout profiles and their relationship with research, developmental, and instrumental interest

Purpose This study aims to explore individual variation in PhD researchers’ well-being and interest integrating academic engagement, burnout and three dimensions of interest (research, developmental and instrumental). Design/methodology/approach The data were collected from 1,138 PhD researchers at a Finnish research-intensive university in 2025. Adapting a person-oriented approach and using latent profile analysis (LPA), five distinct engagement-burnout profiles were detected. Findings Five distinct engagement-burnout profiles were detected: Engaged (46%), Moderately engaged (25%), Engaged-exhausted (12%), Cynical (11%) and Burned-out (6%). The results revealed significant differences in interest across these profiles. The engaged-exhausted profile reported the highest levels of all forms of interest. Conversely, researchers in the cynical and burned-out profiles reported the lowest levels of any form of interest. Furthermore, study status (full-time vs. part-time) was explored, and it was found out that it was not significantly related to profile membership. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional design prevents causal conclusions, requiring future longitudinal research. Methodologically, latent profile analysis involves subjective interpretation, and the 24% response rate risks bias and unrepresentativeness. In addition, self-reported data is prone to bias. Finally, the sample is restricted to one institution, limiting generalisability. Future studies should implement longitudinal designs, incorporate other indicators alongside self-reports, and explore diverse sociocultural environments to improve generalisability. Practical implications The findings highlight that institutions and supervisors must foster environments offering robust social and supervisory support. Programs should raise awareness of personal interest, helping doctoral researchers design more meaningful paths. In addition, supervisor training must emphasise that high engagement can coexist with exhaustion. Supervisors need to monitor hidden burnout symptoms and implement tailored support strategies. Finally, institutions should use regular well-being assessments, such as surveys, to systematically track mental health and engagement levels among PhD researchers. Social implications Doctoral discontinuation carries significant societal consequences, representing a loss of educational investment and threatening the long-term sustainability of the academic workforce and research output. On an individual level, it causes highly unwanted personal circumstances. Conversely, robust community support systematically boosts research engagement, demonstrating that fostering cooperative, supportive academic communities is essential for collective academic success. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no prior person-oriented research on PhD researcher well-being has integrated engagement, burnout and multiple forms of personal interest. Addressing this gap is essential, as these dimensions are likely to jointly shape doctoral researchers’ well-being, outcomes, and long-term trajectories.