One common perception of PhD students is that they are extremely stressed and overworked. Research shows that this perception is not completely unfounded. For example, one study examined mental health in PhD students as it relates to work and organizational context (Levecque et al., 2017). This article will briefly review the procedure used in this study and the findings obtained.
Methods
For this study, the researchers administered an online survey to 3,659 PhD students attending various Flemish universities. They also administered the same survey to three control groups:
- 769 highly educated individuals in the general population
- 592 highly educated employees
- 333 higher education students
To measure well-being, the study used a 12-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), consisting of the following items:
- Felt under constant strain
- Unhappy and depressed
- Lost sleep over worry
- Could not overcome difficulties
- Not enjoying day-to-day activities
- Lost confidence in self
- Not playing a useful role
- Could not concentrate
- Not feeling happy, all things considered
- Felt worthless
- Could not make decisions
- Could not face problems
Respondents who reported at least two of these symptoms were considered to be GHQ2+, considered “psychological distress”. Similarly, those who reported at least three symptoms were considered to be GHQ3+. Those who reported at least four symptoms were considered to be GHQ4+, or “risk of a common psychiatric disorder”.
The study also asked about work context, which was “operationalized by job demands and job control, scientific discipline, type of appointment, PhD phase, the supervisor’s level of inspirational leadership style, level of autocratic leadership style, and level of laissez-faire leadership style”.
To measure job demands and job control, the Dutch VBBA-quality of labor questionnaire was used. In addition, the students were asked about their career perspectives. The students were also asked about organizational context as measured using the Intragroup Conflict scale. Finally, the students were asked about a few sociodemographic indicators.
Results
The following results were obtained:
- 51% of PhD students were GHQ2+, 40% were GHQ3+, and 32% were GHQ4+.
- PhD students experienced more GHQ symptoms than any of the three control groups.
- The results for higher education students were closer to those for PhD students than the other two control groups, but PhD students still reported substantially more symptoms.
- High job demands and low job control were both associated with both GHQ2+ and GHQ4+.
- Different research disciplines did not affect the number of GHQ symptoms.
- PhD students employed through project finding as well as those who did not know their funding sources showed more GHQ2+.
- PhD students employed through project finding as well as those on personal scholarships showed more GHQ4+.
- PhD students working under advisors with an inspirational leadership style reported fewer GHQ symptoms, while those working under advisors with a laissez-faire leadership style had higher GHQ2+.
- PhD students with little or no interest in remaining in academia had better mental health than those with high interest in academia.
- Family-work conflict and work-family conflict led to more GHQ2+ and GHQ4+.
- Female PhD students had higher GHQ2+ and GHQ4+ than male students.
- PhD students with a partner had lower GHQ2+ than those without a partner.
- PhD students with one or more children in their household showed lower GHQ4+ than other students.
Wrapping up
Altogether, PhD students report worse mental health than all three of the control groups examined. Some of the work factors that increased the risk of psychological distress or the risk of a common psychiatric disorder including high job demands, low job control, having uncertain funding sources. Also, having a partner or children increased mental health outcomes for PhD students.
At the end of the day, PhD students in general have worse mental health outcomes than comparable control groups, suggesting that attention should be specifically given to the mental health of PhD students.
References
Levecque, K., Anseel, F., De Beuckelaer, A., Van der Heyden, J., Gisle, L. (2017). Work organization and mental health problems in PhD students. Research Policy, 46(4), 868-879. doi: 10.1016/j.respol.2017.02.008.
