Mental health in doctoral studentsIndividual, academic, and organizational predictors

  1. Francisco J. Estupiñá
  2. Álvaro Santalla
  3. Maider Prieto-Vila
  4. Ana Sanz
  5. Cristina Larroy
Journal:
Psicothema

ISSN: 0214-9915,  1886-144X

Year of publication: 2024

Volume: 36

Issue: 2

Pages: 123-132

Type: Article

DOI: 10.7334/PSICOTHEMA2023.156 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: Psicothema

Abstract

Background: The mental health of doctoral students is a matter of concern, and several variables appear to be associated with the state of their mental health. However, there have been no studies on the population of doctoral students in Spain to date using validated instruments. Method: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted to assess mental health in 1,018 doctoral students. The impact of personal, academic, psychological, and social/organisational variables on their mental health was assessed. Results: Between 50% and 60% of the sample might be experiencing a common psychological disorder, while 18.8% of the sample might be experiencing passive suicidal ideation. In addition, using binary logistic regression, significant predictors of negative mental health were identified, including: sociodemographic variables (being female); academic variables (longer time spent in a doctoral programme); psychological variables (lower life satisfaction; greater interference and less clarity about negative emotions); and social and organisational variables (greater fear of losing tuition rights, lower social support, and greater interference of academic work with personal life). Conclusions: Doctoral students need measures to remedy and prevent mental health issues based on improving self-care and emotion regulation, promoting social support at university, and reducing the pressure of losing tuition rights among final-year students

Bibliographic References

  • Aldao, A., Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Schweizer, S. (2010). Emotionregulation strategies across psychopathology: A meta-analytic review. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(2), 217-237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2009.11.004
  • Auerbach, R. P., Mortier, P., Bruffaerts, R., Alonso, J., Benjet, C., Cuijpers, P., Demyttenaere, K., Ebert, D. D., Green, J. G., Hasking, P., Murray, E., Nock, M. K., Pinder-Amaker, S., Sampson, N. A., Stein, D. J., Vilagut, G., Zaslavsky, A. M., Kessler, R. C., & WHO WMH-ICS Collaborators (2018). WHO world mental health surveys international college student project: Prevalence and distribution of mental disorders. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 127(7), 623-638. https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000362
  • Barkham, M., Broglia, E., Dufour, G., Fudge, M., Knowles, L., Percy, A., Turner, A., & Williams, C. (2019). Towards an evidence base for student wellbeing and mental health: Definitions, developmental transitions and data sets. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 19(4), 351-357. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12227
  • Barnett, P., Saunders, R., Buckman, J. E. J., Cardoso, A., Cirkovic, M., Leibowitz, J., Main, N., Naqvi, S. A., Singh, S., Stott, J., Varsani, L., Wheatly, J., & Pilling, S. (2022). Are students less likely to respond to routinely delivered psychological treatment? A retrospective cohort analysis. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 119, Article 152348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2022.152348
  • Beck, A. T., Steer, R. A. & Brown, G. K. (1996). Beck Depression Inventory (2nd. ed.). The Psychological Corporation.
  • Blanch, A., & Aluja, A. (2009). Validation study of the Spanish version of the Work-Family Conflict Questionnaire (CCTF). The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 12(2), 746-755. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1138741600002110
  • Cano-Vindel, A., Muñoz-Navarro, R., Medrano, L. A., Ruiz-Rodríguez, P., González-Blanch, C., Gómez-Castillo, M. D., Capafons, A., Chacón, F., Santolaya, F., & PsicAP Research Group. (2018). A computerized version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 as an ultra-brief screening tool to detect emotional disorders in primary care. Journal of Affective Disorders, 234, 247-255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.01.030
  • Dericks, G., Thompson, E., Roberts, M., & Phua, F. (2019). Determinants of PhD student satisfaction: The roles of supervisor, department, and peer qualities. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 44(7), 1053-1068. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2019.1570484
  • Devine, K., & Hunter, K. H. (2017). PhD student emotional exhaustion: The role of supportive supervision and self-presentation behaviours. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 54(4), 335-344. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2016.1174143
  • Diener E., Emmons R., Larsen R. J., & Griffin S. (1985). The Satisfaction with Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71–75. https://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13
  • Doval, E., Viladrich, C., & Angulo-Brunet, A. (2023). Coefficient alpha: The resistance of a classic. Psicothema, 35(1), 5-20. https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2022.321
  • Estupiñá, F. J., Santalla, Á., Prieto, M., Sanz, A., & Larroy, C. (2023, April 13). Mental health in doctoral students. Retrieved from osf.io/9jsez
  • Gnambs, T., & Staufenbiel, T. (2018). The structure of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12): Two meta-analytic factor analyses. Health Psychology Review, 12(2), 179-194. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199 .2018.1426484
  • Gabilondo, A., Rojas-Farreras, S., Vilagut, G., Haro, J. M., Fernandez, A., Pinto-Meza, A., & Alonso, J. (2010). Epidemiology of major depressive episode in a southern European country: results from the ESEMeDSpain project. Journal of Affecttive Disorders, 120(1-3), 76-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2009.04.016
  • Goldberg, D., & Williams, P. (1988). General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). NFER-Nelson.
  • González-Betancor, S. M. & Dorta-González, P. (2020). Risk of interruption of doctoral studies and mental health in PhD students. Mathematics, 8(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/math8101695
  • Gratz, K. L. & Roemer, L. (2004). Multidimensional assessment of emotion regulation and dysregulation: Development, factor structure, and initial validation of the difficulties in emotion regulation scale. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 26, 41-54. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOBA.0000007455.08539.94
  • Gross, J. (1999). Emotion and emotion regulation. In L. A. Pervin & O. P. John (Ed.), Handbook of personality: Theory and research (2nd ed., pp. 525-552).Guilford.
  • Haslam, D., Filus, A., Morawska, A. et al. (2015). The Work–Family Conflict Scale (WAFCS): Development and initial validation of a self-report measure of work–family conflict for use with parents. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 46, 346–357. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-014-0476-0
  • Hart, M. J., Sung, J. Y., McQuillin, S. D., & Schleider, J. L. (2022). Expanding the reach of psychosocial services for youth: Untapped potential of mentor delivered single session interventions. Journal of Community Psychology, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22927
  • Hazell, C. M., Chapman, L., Valeix, S. F., Roberts, P., Niven, J. E., & Berry, C. (2020). Understanding the mental health of doctoral researchers: A mixed methods systematic review with meta-analysis and metasynthesis. Systematic Reviews, 9(1), 1-30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-020-01443-1
  • Henares Montiel, J., Ruiz-Pérez, I., & Sordo, L. (2020). Salud mental en España y diferencias por sexo y por comunidades autónomas [Mental health in Spain and differences by sex and by autonomous communities]. Gaceta Sanitaria, 34(2), 114-119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaceta.2019.03.002
  • Hill, N. T. M., Bailey, E., Benson, R., Cully, G., Kirtley, O. J., Purcell, R., Rice, S., Robinson, J., & Walton, C. C. (2022). Researching the researchers: psychological distress and psychosocial stressors according to career stage in mental health researchers. BMC Psychology, 10(1), Article 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-022-00728-5
  • Holtom, B., Baruch, Y., Aguinis, H., & Ballinger, G. (2022). Survey response rates: Trends and a validity assessment framework. Human Relations, 75, 1560-1584. https://doi.org/10.1177/00187267211070769
  • Hunter, K. H., & Devine, K. (2016). Doctoral students’ emotional exhaustion and intentions to leave academia. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 11, 35-61. http://dx.doi.org/10.28945/3396
  • Instituto Nacional de Estadística [Statistics National Institute] (2008) Encuesta Nacional de Salud en Espana 2006 [National Health Survey in Spain 2006]. Available at: https://www.sanidad.gob.es/estadEstudios/estadisticas/encuestaNacional/encuesta2006.htm
  • Kazdin, A. E. (2021). Extending the scalability and reach of psychosocial interventions In M. Barkham, W. Lutz, & L. G. Castonguay (Eds.), Bergin and Garfield’s Handbook of Psychotherapy and Behavior Change. Wiley.
  • Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., Williams, J. B., & Lowe, B. (2009). An ultra-brief screening scale for anxiety and depression: The PHQ4. Psychosomatics, 50, 613-621. https://doi.org/10.1016/S00333182(09)70864-3
  • 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. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2017.02.008
  • Ministerio de Sanidad, Consumo y Bienestar Social [Spanish Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs, and Social Welfare]. (2013). Encuesta nacional de salud en España 2011-2012. [National Health Survey in Spain 2011-2012]. Available at: https://www.mscbs.gob.es/estadEstudios/estadisticas/encuestaNacional/encuesta2011.htm
  • Ministerio de Sanidad, Consumo y Bienestar Social [Spanish Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs, and Social Welfare]. (2018). Encuesta nacional de salud en España 2017. [National Health Survey in Spain 2017]. Available at: https://www.sanidad.gob.es/estadEstudios/estadisticas/encuestaNacional/encuesta2017.htm
  • Ministerio de Universidades [Ministry of Universities] (2022). Datos y cifras del sistema universitario español. [Facts and figures of the Spanish university system]. Available at: https://cpage.mpr.gob.es/producto/datos-y-cifras-del-sistema-universitario-espanol-9/
  • Navarro Carrascal, O., Alveiro, D., Rommel, D., Ghalaret,JM., & FleuryBahi, G. (2021). Validación de una versión breve de la Escala de Dificultades en la Regulación Emocional con población Hispanohablante (DERS-S SF) [Validation of a brief version of the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale with a Spanish-speaking population (DERS-S SF)]. CES Psicología, 14(2), 71-88. https://doi.org/10.21615/CESP.5360
  • New Zealand Government (2019, May, 30). The wellbeing budget. Available at: Treasury.govt.nz/publications/wellbeing-budget/wellbeing-budget-2019
  • Office for Students (2019, June, 5). Innovation, partnership and data can help improve student mental health in new £14m drive. Available at: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-and-events/press-andmedia/innovation-partnership-and-data-can-help-improve-studentmental-health-in-new-14m-drive/
  • Parrado-González, A., & León-Jariego, J. (2020). COVID-19: Factores asociados al malestar emocional y morbilidad psíquica en población española [COVID-19: Factors associated with emotional distress and psychic morbidity in the Spanish population]. Revista Española de Salud Pública, 94(8), 1-16. http://hdl.handle.net/10272/18350
  • Podsakoff, N. P., LePine J. A., LePine MA. (2007). Differential challenge stressor-hindrance stressor relationships with job attitudes, turnover intentions, turnover, and withdrawal behavior: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(2), 438-454. https://doi.org/10.1037/00219010.92.2.438
  • Preece, D. A., Mehta, A., Petrova, K., Sikka, P., Bjureberg, J., Becerra, R., & Gross, J. J. (2023). Alexithymia and emotion regulation. Journal of Affective Disorders, 324, 232–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. jad.2022.12.065
  • Ranganathan, P., Pramesh, C. S., & Aggarwal, R. (2017). Common pitfalls in statistical analysis: Logistic regression. Perspectives in Clinical Research, 8(3), 148-151. https://doi.org/10.4103/picr.PICR_87_17
  • Sánchez-López, M.P. y Dresch, V. (2008). The 12-Item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12): Reliability, external validity and factor structure in the Spanish population. Psicothema, 20, 839-843. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.92.2.438
  • Sanz, J., Perdigón, L. A., & Vázquez, C. (2003). Adaptación española del Inventario para la Depresión de Beck-II (BDI-II): 2. Propiedades psicométricas en población general [Spanish adaptation of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II): 2. Psychometric properties in the general population]. Clínica y Salud, 14, 249-280.
  • Satinsky, E. N., Kimura, T., Kiang, M. V., Abebe, R., Cunningham, S., Lee, H., Lin, X., Liu, C. H., Rudan, I., Sen, S., Tomlinson, M., Yaver, M., & Tsai, A. C. (2021). Systematic review and meta-analysis of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation among Ph.D. students. Scientific Reports, 11(1), Article 14370. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-93687-7
  • Selby, E. A., & Joiner, T. E., Jr (2009). Cascades of emotion: The emergence of borderline personality disorder from emotional and behavioral dysregulation. Review of General Psychology13(3), 219-229. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015687
  • Sorrel, M. A., Martínez-Huertas, J. A. & Arconada, M. (2020). It must have been burnout: Prevalence and related factors among Spanish PhD students. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 23, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1017/SJP.2020.31
  • Stubb, J., Pyhalto, K., & Lonka, K. (2011). Balancing between inspiration and exhaustion: PhD students’ experienced socio-psychological wellbeing. Studies in Continuing Education, 33, 33-50. https://doi.org/10.10 80/0158037X.2010.515572
  • Stubb, J., Pyhalto, K., & Lonka, K. (2012). The experienced meaning of working with a PhD thesis. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 56, 439-456. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2011.599422
  • Thompson, R. (1994). Emotion regulation: A theme in search of a definition. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 59, 25-52.
  • Vázquez, C., Duque, A., & Hervás, C. (2013). Satisfaction with life scale in a representative sample of Spanish adults: Validation and normative data. Spanish Journal of Psychology, 16(82), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1017/sjp.2013.82
  • Van Rooij, E., Fokkens-Bruinsma, M., & Jansen, E. (2021). Factors that influence PhD candidates’ success: The importance of PhD project characteristics. Studies in Continuing Education, 43(1), 48-67. https://doi.org/10.1080/0158037X.2019.1652158
Data source: Dialnet