Treatment - Other
Graduate School & Mental Health: Blunting the Emotional Toll of a Postgraduate Education
Neema Prakash, B.S., M.S.
Graduate Student - Clinical Psychology
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Patricia J. Deldin, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Cecilia Votta, Ph.D.
Chief Science Officer
Color Health
Burlingame, California
Elena L. Pokowitz, M.S.
Doctoral Student
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Objectives: Graduate students are at greater risk of developing mental health concerns than other adults in their age group. Despite the need for care within this population, there is a lack of literature on accessible interventions designed specifically to meet the needs of graduate students. The present study examines the efficacy of a novel intervention: Mood Lifters for Graduate Students (ML-GS).
Method: This study is a clinical trial with randomization. The sample size consisted of 131 participants. The average age was 25.98 years, and the sample was majority women. More than half of the sample were White and identified as straight or heterosexual. However, there was still a significant proportion of non-White and LGBTQIA+ participants in the sample. Participants completed the same survey before and after participating in ML-GS, as well as 1-month after completing ML-GS. Three measures from those surveys were examined in this study: Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Two-way mixed-design ANOVAs and Repeated Measures ANOVAS were used to analyze this data.
Results: Results indicated that participants enrolled in ML-GS experienced significant, clinically meaningful reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress, when compared to their waitlist counterparts. The changes made during the ML-GS program were also maintained at the 1-month follow-up.
Conclusions: These findings suggest that ML-GS is effective in reducing depression, anxiety, and stress among graduate students. It may be a good solution for the large demand for mental health support in that population.
Public Health Significance: This study strongly suggests that Mood Lifters for Graduate Students is an effective treatment for depression, anxiety, and/or stress among graduate students.
Keywords: intervention efficacy, group therapy, graduate school, mental wellness, accessibility
