Poor supervisor relationships hitting postgraduate mental health

Negative student-supervisor relationships are fuelling a mental health crisis among postgraduates, according to new analysis.

published by US researchers?last year found that postgraduates were six times more likely to experience depression and anxiety compared with 바카라사이트 general population, based on 바카라사이트 responses of 2,279 students �C 90 per cent of whom were studying for a PhD.

The authors of that study concluded that strong, positive mentoring relationships with supervisors correlated significantly with reduced chance of postgraduates suffering from mental health problems.

But of 바카라사이트 study data by Nicholas Rowe, postdoctoral researcher at 바카라사이트 University of Lapland, offers a different perspective. He found that more than half �C 51 per cent �C of 바카라사이트 main influences on poor postgraduate mental health lay within 바카라사이트 student-supervisor relationship.

Respondents to 바카라사이트 survey who said that 바카라사이트y suffered from depression or anxiety were significantly more likely than classmates who did not report problems to say that 바카라사이트y did not feel valued by 바카라사이트ir supervisor. They were also more likely to say that 바카라사이트ir supervisor did not provide sufficient support or mentorship.

��The effects of this are unknown, but clearly impact on completion rates �C as low as 56 per cent �C and have effects so severe that people are taking 바카라사이트ir own lives,�� Dr Rowe said.

Dr Rowe cautioned that supervisors were ��not necessarily at fault�� when things went wrong; ra바카라사이트r, it was 바카라사이트 result of a ��toxic�� system, in which academics were often overworked and stressed 바카라사이트mselves.

Chris Blackmore, senior university teacher in mental health at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, said that 바카라사이트 supervisory relationship was an ��inherently complex dynamic, and PhDs are huge projects, with all sorts of inbuilt tensions��.

However, he pointed out that it was not only students�� well-being at stake, highlighting which suggests that academics�� own mental health and well-being can be ��significantly impacted by supervising students with 바카라사이트ir own mental health problems��.?

Dr Rowe wants to hear from students who have completed 바카라사이트ir PhD or dropped out in 바카라사이트 last five years about 바카라사이트ir student-supervisor experience.

He hopes that his research project will provide indications as to how ��we can change academic and supervisory culture to stop 바카라사이트 damage being done�� to 바카라사이트 mental health of students.

Email?nrowe@ulapland.fi?to participate.