PhD Studies Hurt Mental Health, but Less Than Previously Feared

37 Pages Posted: 13 Sep 2022 Last revised: 10 May 2024

See all articles by Matti Keloharju

Matti Keloharju

Aalto University School of Business; Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Samuli Knüpfer

Aalto University School of Business; BI Norwegian Business School; Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN)

Dagmar Müller

Swedish Public Employment Service; Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Joacim Tåg

Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN); Hanken School of Economics

Date Written: May 7, 2024

Abstract

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.

Note:
Funding Information: This work was supported by the Academy of Finland (Grant 319316 to M.K.) and Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg foundation (Grant 2020.0049 to J.T.).

Conflict of Interests: None.

Ethical Approval: The project was approved by the Regional Ethical Review Board of Stockholm, Statistics Sweden, and the National Board of Health and Welfare.

Keywords: doctoral studies; mental health; depression; anxiety; suicide

Suggested Citation

Keloharju, Matti and Knüpfer, Samuli and Müller, Dagmar and Tåg, Joacim, PhD Studies Hurt Mental Health, but Less Than Previously Feared (May 7, 2024). IFN Working Paper No. 1435, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4190289 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4190289

Matti Keloharju

Aalto University School of Business ( email )

P.O. Box 21210
AALTO, FI-00076
Finland

Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN) ( email )

Box 55665
Grevgatan 34, 2nd floor
Stockholm, SE-102 15
Sweden

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) ( email )

London
United Kingdom

Samuli Knüpfer

Aalto University School of Business

P.O. Box 21210
AALTO, 00076
Finland

HOME PAGE: http://www.samuliknupfer.com

BI Norwegian Business School ( email )

Nydalsveien 37
Oslo, 0442
Norway

Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN)

Box 55665
Grevgatan 34, 2nd floor
Stockholm, SE-102 15
Sweden

Dagmar Müller

Swedish Public Employment Service ( email )

Elektrogatan 4
Stockholm, 11399
Sweden

Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN) ( email )

Box 55665
Grevgatan 34, 2nd floor
Stockholm, SE-102 15
Sweden

IZA Institute of Labor Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Joacim Tåg (Contact Author)

Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN) ( email )

Box 55665
Grevgatan 34, 2nd floor
Stockholm, SE-102 15
Sweden

Hanken School of Economics ( email )

PB 287
Helsinki, Vaasa 65101
Finland

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