New research led by the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit suggests that postgraduate researchers at UK universities suffer from high rates of mental ill-health, with female, non-binary and LGBTQ+ communities faring particularly badly.

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The study, published in Current Psychology, contributes to the growing body of literature on PGR mental health by showing that the rates of mental ill-health in PGRs are high and shaped by a combination of factors, including gender and sexual orientation, individual differences in resilience, workaholism and perfectionism, as well as the perceived academic progress and preparation, social support and departmental climate.

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Jelena Milicev, Mark McCann, Sharon A. Simpson, Stephany M. Biello & Maria Gardani Evaluating Mental Health and Wellbeing of Postgraduate Researchers: Prevalence and Contributing Factors Current Psychology (2021)


First published: 14 March 2018