Mental Health

Graduate work can be stressful, and the School of Physics and Astronomy (SPA) is committed to supporting our students.  The School conducted a survey in December 2017 regarding mental health, which was taken by 88 of 190 graduate students. The results of the survey were presented to the School in spring 2018.  Within the survey there are five scales or instruments that measure levels of depression, perception of stress, anxiety, social isolation and a measure of self-perceived success in important areas such as relationships, self-esteem, purpose, and optimism.

This survey was repeated in the Spring 2022 semester (after the return of in-person activities on campus following the depths of the pandemic).  The results were presented to the entire School, followed by a workshop session in which attendees broke into groups to discuss the results.

2022 results:

 All-School Results Presentation

 Physics & Astronomy Mental Health Survey Comprehensive Report_Spring 2022

 Physics and Astronomy_instruments_REPORT 2022 

2017 results:

 Physics Astronomy MH Presentation Spring 2018

 Highlights for Physics_Astronomy

 Physics and Astronomy_instruments_REPORT

Stress is normal when dealing with the demands of graduate school, and you sometimes may ask yourself if what you're experiencing is typical. The Graduate Student Expectations Document clearly defines the roles of student and advisor in the School of Physics and Astronomy, in an effort to reduce worry and ground your research expectations:

 SPA Graduate Student Expectations Document

"Stress and Mental Health in Graduate School: How Student Empowerment Creates Lasting Change" from the UMN Chemistry Department:

 Stress and Mental Health in Graduate School_ JCE_August 2018

The rate of depression and anxiety for graduate students may be over six times that of the general population (international study):  Nature Biotechnology 36, 282-284 (2018); < https://www.nature.com/articles/nbt.4089 >