PhD studies hurt mental health, but less than previously feared
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Volume Title
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
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Date
2024-10
Department
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Language
en
Pages
11
Series
Research Policy, Volume 53, issue 8
Abstract
We study the mental health of PhD students in Sweden using comprehensive administrative data on prescriptions, specialist care visits, hospitalizations, and causes of death. We find that about 7 % (5 %) of PhD students receive medication or diagnosis for depression (anxiety) in a given year. These prevalence rates are less than one-third of the earlier reported survey-based estimates, and even after adjusting for difference in methodology, 43 % (72 %) of the rates in the literature. Nevertheless, PhD students still fare worse than their peers not pursuing graduate studies. Our difference-in-differences research design attributes all of this health disadvantage to the time in the PhD program. This deterioration suggests doctoral studies causally affect mental health.Description
Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Authors
Keywords
Anxiety, Depression, Mental health, PhD studies, Suicide
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Citation
Keloharju, M, Knüpfer, S, Müller, D & Tåg, J 2024, ' PhD studies hurt mental health, but less than previously feared ', Research Policy, vol. 53, no. 8, 105078 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2024.105078
