調查：讀研更容易讓人抑鬱
A new study found that graduate students are six times more likely to exhibit depression symptoms than the general population. The findings should surprise no one but it’s important to have quantitative data about a mental health hazard running rampant in universities across the entire world. Such data “should prompt academia and policymakers to consider intervention strategies,” the authors wrote in the journal Nature.
一項新研究發現，研究生出現抑鬱症狀的概率是普通人羣的六倍。雖然這不算出乎意料的發現，但抑鬱症在世界各地的大學肆虐，收集相關數據資料十分重要。研究作者在《自然》雜誌上寫道，這些數據“應該促使學術界和政策制定者思考干預策略”。
Researchers led by Teresa Evans, a neuroscientist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, surveyed 2,279 students in 26 different countries, 70% of whom were female, 28% male, and 2% transgender. The fields of study involved were 56% humanities and 38% physical sciences. Approximately 40% of the respondents scored moderate to severe for anxiety. Nearly 40 percent of respondents also showed signs of moderate to severe depression.
德州大學聖安東尼奧分校健康科學中心神經學家特蕾莎•伊萬斯帶領的研究團隊對26個國家的2279名學生做了調查，其中70%受訪者爲女性，28%爲男性，2%爲變性者。調查涉及的學科有56%是文科，38%是理科。在受訪者中，40%左右的人出現了中度至重度焦慮症狀，近40%的人還出現了中度至重度抑鬱。
Consistent with previous research on non-student populations, transgender and gender-nonconforming graduate students, along with women, were more likely to experience anxiety and depression than their cisgender male counterparts. The prevalence of anxiety and depression in transgender or gender-nonconforming graduate students was 55% and 57%, respectively. Among cis students, 43% of women had anxiety and 41% were depressed. That’s compared to 34% of cis men reporting symptoms of anxiety and 35% showing signs of depression.
與之前對非學生羣體的調查結果相一致的是，變性者、性別認識不清者和女性比順性別男性更容易焦慮和抑鬱。變性者和性別認識不清者感到焦慮抑鬱的概率分別是55%和57%。在順性別學生中，43%的女性感到焦慮，41%的女性感到抑鬱。相比之下，34%的順性別男性出現焦慮症狀，35%的順性別男性出現抑鬱症狀。
These incredibly high rates of anxiety and depression, when compared to the general population, are alarming and should serve as a wakeup call for the academia, Evans says.
伊萬斯稱，這樣的概率比普通人羣要高得多，學術界應該敲響警鐘。
It’s not hard to understand why life as a Ph.D. student can literally drive some people crazy. Long hours, social isolation, and feelings of inadequacy can break even the most motivated persons among us. Top it all off with a generous topping of impostor syndrome, and when this situation persists, the anxiety and depression can become chronic.
讀研的日子能把人逼瘋，這點不難理解。漫漫長日、脫離社會和力不從心感，甚至可以讓我們身邊最積極的人崩潰。最終你開始不斷自我懷疑，長此以往，焦慮和抑鬱可能會難以治癒。
One obvious solution is improving the work-life balance among graduate students. Of the graduate students who experienced moderate to severe anxiety, 56% did not agree that their work-life balance was ‘good’, versus 24% who did. Among graduate students with depression, more than half (55%) did not agree with the statement (21% agreed).
最直接的解決辦法是改善研究生的工作生活平衡。在感到中度至重度焦慮的研究生中，有56%的人認爲自己不能“很好”地維持工作與生活的平衡，有24%的人認爲兩者很平衡。而在感到抑鬱的研究生中，超過55%的人認爲不能維持工作和生活的平衡（21%的人認爲能維持平衡）。
Proper mentorship is another aspect that can impact a graduate student’s mental health. Among the respondents with anxiety or depression, only half agreed that their immediate mentors provided “real” mentorship.
與導師的良好關係也是影響研究生心理健康的一個因素。在出現焦慮和抑鬱的受訪者中，只有一半人認爲直系導師爲他們提供了“真正”的指導。
Evans and colleagues wrote in their study that one important study limitation is that students suffering from anxiety and depression may be biased, in the sense that they are particularly motivated to take part in the survey. This may have skewed the results but even if only one in four grad students is depressed, that’s still a clear sign that something is wrong. She adds that universities need to recognize the problem and provide students with the necessary training and support in order to help them manage their time and cope with stress.
伊萬斯和同事在研究論文中指出，該研究最大的侷限是，焦慮和抑鬱的學生可能會更願意參加此次調查，導致結果出現偏差。但即使只有四分之一的研究生抑鬱了，仍然說明學術界明顯存在問題。她認爲大學應該重視這個問題，爲學生提供必要的培訓和支持，幫助他們管理時間，應對壓力。
