Gender disparities in remote teaching readiness and mental health problems among university faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

Objectives

The main purpose of this study was to examine (1) gender differences in remote teaching readiness and mental health problems among university faculty, and (2) to what extent remote teaching readiness is associated with mental health problems among university faculty, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method

Survey participants of the study comprised 779 university faculty (58.2% men, 39.4% women, and 2.4% other gender identities or did not report) from 122 higher education institutions in the United States.

Results

Chi-square tests and independent t-test findings showed that female faculty reported significantly greater remote teaching challenges – in terms of both technology and course design – and higher levels of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Structural equation modelling results indicated that remote teaching readiness was associated with mental health problems among faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that gender differences in remote teaching readiness can partially explain the gender disparities in mental health problems among faculty, with female faculty being disadvantaged.

KEY POINTS

What is already known about this topic:

(1) Pre-pandemic evidence indicate that that female faculty tended to have lower confidence and less experience using technology in their teaching.

(2) Female faculty reported significantly greater anxiety and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

(3) Increased teaching load, reduction in research productivity, and instability in work-life balance may explain the mental health issues experienced by university faculty.

What this paper adds:

(1) Female faculty reported significantly greater remote teaching challenges – in terms of both technology and course design – during the COVID-19 pandemic.

(2) Remote teaching readiness (or challenges) was associated with mental health problems of university faculty.

(3) Remote teaching readiness can partially explain the gender differences in mental health problems among faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic.

KEYWORDS:

• Remote teaching readiness
• mental health problems
• Covid-19 pandemic
• university faculty
• gender disparities

Acknowledgment

This article is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DGE-2051263 awarded to Guan K. Saw and DGE-2031069 awarded to Chi-Ning Chang. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, Dr. Guan Saw, upon reasonable request.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the NSF [DGE-2031069,DGE-2051263].