Aubin Keira C M, Thachet Tara A, Hotston Isabella, Thompson Ashley M E, Hellemans Kim G C
Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Front Psychiatry. 2025 Jul 3;16:1532987. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1532987. eCollection 2025.
INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted the mental health of young adults in Canada, with research showing high rates of depression and anxiety symptomatology. Graduate students, who already experience elevated mental health challenges, represent a particularly vulnerable population-yet research examining their experiences during the pandemic remains limited. This study aims to investigate mental health and well-being outcomes, negative impacts, coping strategies, and gender differences among Canadian graduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Canadian graduate students (N = 261) to assess mental health symptoms, well-being, negative impacts, coping strategies, and gender differences during the COVID-19 pandemic using a series self-report of questionnaires (e.g. BDI, BAI, DASS-S). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and t-tests. RESULTS: Findings revealed significant mental health challenges among Canadian graduate students during the pandemic, with high rates of depression, anxiety, and stress reported. Female students reported worse mental health outcomes and experienced greater negative impacts compared to males. Coping strategies predominantly involved avoidant behaviors, such as watching TV and using social media, with gender differences in coping strategies. DISCUSSION: Compared to pre-pandemic findings, graduate students in this pandemic sample reported elevated rates of mental health challenges. Women appeared to be disproportionately impacted, reflecting the heightened mental health burden they reported during this period. Avoidant coping strategies were most commonly used-aligning with the socially isolating conditions of the pandemic-with notable gender differences in types of strategies employed. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have exacerbated the mental health crisis among Canadian graduate students, with higher rates of depression, anxiety, and stress reported compared to pre-pandemic findings. Female students face heightened challenges, emphasizing the need for gender-sensitive support strategies. Universities should prioritize mental health support and promote healthy coping mechanisms to address the impacts of the pandemic on graduate student well-being.
引言：新冠疫情对加拿大年轻人的心理健康产生了深远影响，研究表明抑郁和焦虑症状的发生率很高。研究生群体本身就面临着更大的心理健康挑战，是一个特别脆弱的群体，但关于他们在疫情期间经历的研究仍然有限。本研究旨在调查新冠疫情期间加拿大研究生的心理健康和幸福状况、负面影响、应对策略以及性别差异。 方法：对加拿大研究生（N = 261）进行了一项横断面调查，通过一系列自我报告问卷（如BDI、BAI、DASS-S）评估新冠疫情期间的心理健康症状、幸福状况、负面影响、应对策略和性别差异。使用描述性统计、卡方检验和t检验对数据进行分析。 结果：研究结果显示，疫情期间加拿大研究生面临重大的心理健康挑战，报告的抑郁、焦虑和压力发生率很高。与男性相比，女学生报告的心理健康状况更差，受到的负面影响更大。应对策略主要包括回避行为，如看电视和使用社交媒体，应对策略存在性别差异。 讨论：与疫情前的研究结果相比，本疫情样本中的研究生报告的心理健康挑战发生率有所上升。女性受到的影响似乎尤为严重，反映出她们在此期间报告的更大心理健康负担。回避应对策略最为常用，这与疫情期间的社交隔离状况相符，且在采用的策略类型上存在显著的性别差异。 结论：新冠疫情似乎加剧了加拿大研究生中的心理健康危机，与疫情前的研究结果相比，抑郁、焦虑和压力的发生率更高。女学生面临更大的挑战，这凸显了对性别敏感的支持策略的必要性。大学应优先提供心理健康支持，并推广健康的应对机制，以应对疫情对研究生幸福的影响。
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