Psychology Doctoral Program Experiences and Student Well-Being, Mental Health, and Optimism During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

In a sample of 916 doctoral students from 144 universities across the United States, we examined psychology graduate students’ experiences in their programs, as well as their mental health, well-being, and optimism during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a path model, we found that students’ psychological experiences in their programs (i.e., social belonging, threat, and challenge) were associated with better mental health and well-being, which in turn was associated with greater optimism about the future during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings were also corroborated in students’ open-ended responses regarding how COVID-19 has impacted their lives. Findings varied by racial, gender, and sexual identities, as racial minorities, LGBTQ+ students, and women expressed more negative psychological experiences in their programs. We outline suggestions for graduate programs to support their graduate students, which include facilitating social connection, providing encouragement, and emphasizing students’ well-being over their productivity as the current pandemic persists.

Psychology doctoral students’ self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic: Relationships among satisfaction with life, stress levels, and self-compassion.

“…Analyses of the demographic predictor variables revealed that Black/African American students reported significantly greater levels of graduate student stress. These findings are consistent with previous studies that have indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities in the United States (Syropoulos et al, 2021). Graduate programs in psychology need to recognize and address that students of underrepresented backgrounds, such as Black/African American students, face additional challenges in graduate school that may be heightened during the pandemic.…”

“…Students proposed ideas for enhancing self-care practice such as hosting weekly self-care events, talking about self-care regularly in class, encouraging days off, respecting boundaries for emails and responses, and adjusting syllabi to reduce unnecessary work. The student’s reports are consistent with previous research on psychology doctoral students during COVID-19, suggesting that students can benefit from programs that create an encouraging environment that promotes self-care (Bamonti et al, 2014), provide students with a sense of social belonging, and reduce graduate student expectations (Syropoulos et al, 2021).…”

“…In addition to the challenges that psychology doctoral students inevitably face during their training, it is important to recognize that psychology doctoral students are at an increased risk of burnout and chronic stress during the coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic (Rokach & Boulazreg, 2022; Syropoulos et al, 2021). Nearly every mental health professional has experienced heightened anxiety, burnout, or symptoms of depression during this time (Norcross & Phillips, 2020).…”

“…An increase in symptoms during the pandemic may be due to increases in financial stress, lower access to resources, and increased isolation. Furthermore, the pandemic has disproportionately affected Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities in the United States and students of underrepresented backgrounds face additional challenges in graduate school that may be heightened during the pandemic (Syropoulos et al, 2021).…”

Self-Compassion and Authentic-Durable Happiness During COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediating Role of Meaning of Life and the Moderating Role of COVID-19 Burnout

“… 19 Positive psychology variables are considered protective factors of mental health. 20 , 21 Self-compassion refers to being accepting and patient of oneself in the face of failures and flaws, or following a traumatic experience. 22 Self-compassion is an emotionally supportive self-attitude that may shield against the harmful effects of self-criticism, etc.…”