Factors associated with anxiety and depression among U.S. doctoral students: Evidence from the gradSERU survey

Abstract

Objective: This study examined whether program climate factors, stressors, demographic, and institutional variables were associated with doctoral students’ clinically significant generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder symptoms. Participants: This study examined doctoral students’ responses from the gradSERU survey, which was administered at five U.S. public research universities in 2017–2018 (n = 2,582). Methods: This study utilized confirmatory factor analysis and binary logistic regression. Results: Sense of belonging reduced doctoral students’ odds of clinically significant anxiety and depression symptoms, while academic stressors, relationships stressors, and financial stressors increased such odds. There were no differences in the odds of clinically significant symptoms based on students’ academic program. Students identifying as heterosexual or straight had significantly reduced odds of clinically significant symptoms for both disorders than lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning students. Conclusions: The results can aid institutional stakeholders in developing interventions that may be associated with the wellness of their students.

Keywords:

• Anxiety
• depression
• doctoral students
• graduate education
• mental health

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States and received approval from the IRB of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Data availability statement

Each SERU Consortium member campus has access to the full SERU for Undergrads and gradSERU Surveys data sets for their campus. The SERU PRs, SERU Consortium North America, and SERU International campus representatives and their designated staff have access to their respective common files for scholarly research. All others may request access to specific SERU for Undergrads and gradSERU Surveys data elements, excluding identification numbers, and institutional identifiers, but including variables relevant to the topic under study which will be provided for scholarly research under the specified protocols. Individuals interested using SERU for Undergrads/gradSERU data for research purposes can contact the SERU Consortium directly to submit a data request.

Notes

1 Cisgender students were defined as individuals whose birth sex matched their gender identification. Specifically, students who identified their birth sex as female and gender identity as a woman or a trans woman and students who identified their birth sex as male and gender identity as a man or a trans man were categorized as cisgender students. Conversely, non-cisgender students were defined as individuals whose birth sex did not match their gender identification. For instance, if students identified their birth sex as male and gender identity as one of the following – a woman, a trans woman, genderqueer/gender nonconforming, prefer to self-describe, or decline to state – they were categorized as non-cisgender students.

2 It is important to note that the risk for depression and anxiety is different than the point prevalence of a depressive or anxiety disorder. While scores of 3 or greater on the PHQ-2 and GAD-2 suggest that the existence of a major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder is likely, respectively, high scores on the PHQ-2 and GAD-2 increase the likelihood of any mood or anxiety disorder.

Additional information

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by AccessLex Institute and the Association for Institutional Research.