Grantee Research
Factors Associated with Graduate and Professional Students' Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Document Type
Issue/Research Brief/Blog
Publication Date
1-2021
Keywords
COVID-19, mental health and wellness, graduate and professional education
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between graduate and professional students’ individual, interpersonal, institutional, health and safety, and academic/financial stressors and students’ odds of experiencing clinically significant symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. We drew our sample from ten large, public research universities (n = 15,247). The results of logistic regressions suggest there are several demographic variables associated with students’ odds of MDD or GAD. Additionally, supportive campus environments are associated with reduced odds of MDD or GAD while food/housing insecurity, lack of safety in home environment, obstacles to degree progress, and financial hardships were associated with increased odds of MDD or GAD.
