Concern has been growing about the prevalence of mental health issues (such as depression and anxiety) among PhD candidates. A survey of more than 2,000 graduate research students from 26 countries published this year found they were six times as likely to experience depression or anxiety as the general population.
In recent years, mindfulness has become increasingly popular as a method for managing feelings of stress and distress.
Mindfulness research has exploded in the past five years. A medline (the major medical literature search engine) keyword search on the topic today reveals 5,815 search results, with more than 70 percent of these in the last five years. The quality of this research is also increasing, with 584 systematic reviews (the strongest level of evidence that combines lots of similar studies) included in these results.
Mindfulness techniques like meditation or guided breathing activities can help PhD students manage stress and anxiety. Source: Shutterstock
Psychological distress was measured before and after the eight-week trial period using the perceived stress scale (PSS) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress scale (DASS).
We also measured levels of psychological capital, which is a positive psychological state of development composed of four psychological resources: feelings of hope, optimism, resilience, and self-efficacy.
Psychological capital was originally developed in the field of positive organisational behaviour, and previous research has primarily explored how psychological capital influences workplace attitudes, behaviours and performance. In recent years, scholars have begun to explore how it may also influence educational performance.
PhD students are six times more likely than the general population to experience depression or anxiety. Source: Shutterstock
The study showed completing the mindfulness practice significantly reduced candidates’ reported levels of depression and improved their psychological capital. Perhaps just as importantly, these effects occurred even though study participants actually practised the mindfulness meditation much less often than requested.
The intervention group was asked to complete the 30-minute mindfulness intervention daily, a total of 56 practices over eight weeks. But the average number of sessions completed was 35.
An even greater effect may be possible if students practised more often. Alternatively, a daily practice may not be required in participants who are used to learning new complex skills so often. Or, shorter practices (such as 5-10 minutes) could be used with similar effect, such as those available through apps such as smiling mind.
Placing attention not only on the academic but also the psychological aspects of learning is key to successful outcomes and well-being. Self-help strategies such as mindfulness now have a proven place for supporting the PhD journey. Integration of these approaches with peer support programs such as the Write Smarter Feel Better program developed by the CRC for Mental Health provides a win-win to reduce loneliness on the journey to a PhD, and turn surviving into thriving.
By Karen Barry, Senior Lecturer of Plant Pathology at the University of Tasmania and Emma Warnecke, Associate Professor and Director of Student Development and Support at the School of Medicine at the University of Tasmania, and Megan Woods, Senior Lecturer in Management, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, University of Tasmania. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.Â
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