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PhD Studies Hurt Mental Health, But Less than Previously Feared

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We study the mental health of PhD students in Sweden using comprehensive administrative data on prescriptions, specialist care visits, hospitalizations, and causes of death. We find that about 7% (5%) of PhD students receive medication or diagnosis for depression (anxiety) in a given year. These prevalence rates are less than one-third of the earlier reported survey-based estimates, and even after adjusting for difference in methodology, 43% (72%) of the rates in the literature. Nevertheless, PhD students still fare worse than their peers not pursuing graduate studies. Our difference-in-differences research design attributes all of this health disadvantage to the time in the PhD program. This deterioration suggests doctoral studies causally affect mental health.

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  • Keloharju, Matti & Knüpfer, Samuli & Müller, Dagmar & Tåg, Joacim, 2022. "PhD Studies Hurt Mental Health, But Less than Previously Feared," Working Paper Series 1435, Research Institute of Industrial Economics, revised 29 Jun 2024.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:iuiwop:1435
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    1. Levecque, Katia & Anseel, Frederik & De Beuckelaer, Alain & Van der Heyden, Johan & Gisle, Lydia, 2017. "Work organization and mental health problems in PhD students," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(4), pages 868-879.
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    4. Bergvall, Sanna & Fernström, Clara & Ranehill, Eva & Sandberg, Anna, 2025. "The impact of PhD studies on mental health—a longitudinal population study," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).

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    JEL classification:

    • A23 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Graduate
    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I29 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Other
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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