Results of qualitative content analyses.

Mental health issues among Ph.D. students are prevalent and on the rise, with multiple studies showing that Ph.D. students are more likely to experience symptoms of mental health-related issues than the general population. However, the data is still sparse. This study aims to investigate the mental health of 589 Ph.D. students at a public university in Germany using a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach. We administered a web-based self-report questionnaire to gather data on the mental health status, investigated mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety, and potential areas for improvement of the mental health and well-being of Ph.D. students. Our results revealed that one-third of the participants were above the cut-off for depression and that factors such as perceived stress and self-doubt were prominent predictors of the mental health status of Ph.D. students. Additionally, we found job insecurity and low job satisfaction to be predictors of stress and anxiety. Many participants in our study reported working more than full-time while being employed part-time. Importantly, deficient supervision was found to have a negative effect on Ph.D. students’ mental health. The study’s results are in line with those of earlier investigations of mental health in academia, which likewise reveal significant levels of depression and anxiety among Ph.D. students. Overall, the findings provide a greater knowledge of the underlying reasons and potential interventions required for advancing the mental health problems experienced by Ph.D. students. The results of this research can guide the development of effective strategies to support the mental health of Ph.D. students.

博士生群体的心理健康问题普遍存在且呈上升趋势，多项研究表明，相较普通人群，博士生更易出现心理健康相关症状。但目前相关研究数据仍较为匮乏。本研究采用定量与定性相结合的研究方法，对德国某公立大学的589名博士生的心理健康状况展开调研。本研究通过网络版自我报告问卷收集数据，涵盖博士生心理健康现状、抑郁、焦虑等精神疾病相关情况，以及博士生心理健康与福祉的潜在改善方向。研究结果显示，三分之一的参与者抑郁筛查得分高于临界值；感知压力与自我怀疑等因素，是影响博士生心理健康状况的显著预测因子。此外，本研究发现，工作不安全感与低工作满意度同样是引发压力与焦虑的预测因素。本研究中多名参与者反馈，尽管属于兼职雇佣身份，其工作时长却超出全职标准。尤为重要的是，研究发现导师指导不足会对博士生的心理健康产生负面影响。本研究结果与此前学界开展的心理健康相关研究结论一致，均证实博士生群体中存在较高水平的抑郁与焦虑症状。总体而言，本研究结果加深了学界对博士生心理健康问题潜在成因的理解，并明确了可用于改善该群体心理健康状况的潜在干预手段。本研究成果可为制定支持博士生心理健康的有效策略提供参考依据。