MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AMONG DOCTORAL STUDENTS: HOW SHOULD WE ACT?

MENTAL HEALTH AMONG DOCTORAL STUDENTS: A NECESSARY WARNING!

A recent study reveals alarming rates of mental health issues among doctoral students in Spain. The research, conducted with a sample of 1,018 PhD students, found that between 50% and 60% may be experiencing a common psychological disorder, with an additional 18.8% reporting passive suicidal ideation.

The study identifies a range of risk factors linked to deteriorating mental health in this population, indicating an increased likelihood of experiencing psychological disorders. Among individual factors, low life satisfaction, high interference from negative emotions, and limited emotional clarity stand out, making emotional regulation challenging and increasing the risk of mental health problems. On an organizational level, fears of losing enrollment rights and a lack of social support further aggravate mental well-being in this academic group.

In light of these findings, researchers emphasize the need to implement specific interventions within universities, such as self-care programs, emotional regulation training, and strengthening social support systems. These initiatives could help mitigate the negative impact of the academic environment on the mental health of doctoral students, particularly during the final years of their studies when academic pressure intensifies significantly.

Furthermore, this research underscores the urgent need for institutional support to promote positive mental health in academic settings and calls for a reflection on how the educational system could transform to protect and care for its researchers in training.

This study serves as a wake-up call for educational institutions, which should consider stronger support policies to address the needs of their PhD students, preventing academic dropout and emotional exhaustion. Without institutional action, the cost will be a generation of broken researchers, unable to begin building their careers.

Reference to original paper:

Estupiñá, F. J., Santalla, Álvaro, Prieto-Vila, M., Sanz, A., & Larroy, C. (2024). Mental Health in Doctoral Students: Individual, Academic, and Organizational Predictors. Psicothema, 36(2), 123–132. Recuperado a partir de https://reunido.uniovi.es/index.php/PST/article/view/21245