Dr Cassie Hazell, Lecturer in Psychology, wrote an article for The Conversation and LSE Blogs about her new research which examines poor mental health amongst doctoral researchers.
In the article, Dr Hazell outlined her new research which found that more than 40% of doctoral researchers who were interviewed met the criteria for moderate to severe depression or anxiety, as well as over 40% of respondents believing that experiencing mental health problems during your PhD was the norm.
She wrote: “There is clearly a high prevalence of mental health problems among PhD students, beyond those rates seen in the general public. Our results indicate a problem with the current system of PhD study – or perhaps with academia more widely. Academia notoriously encourages a culture of overwork and under-appreciation.”
She added: “This mindset is present among PhD students. In our focus groups and surveys for other research, PhD students reported wearing their suffering as a badge of honour and a marker that they are working hard enough rather than too much.”
In her concluding remarks, Dr Hazell added: “The wellbeing and mental health of PhD students is a subject that we must continue to talk about and reflect on. However, these conversations need to happen in a way that considers the evidence, offers balance, and avoids perpetuating unhelpful myths.”
Read the full article on The Conversation’s website.
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