Open Access

REVIEW

Mental Health and Well-Being of Doctoral Students: A Systematic Review

Yuxin Guo^1,2, Xinqiao Liu^3,*
1 School of Economics and Management, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
2 Graduate School of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
3 School of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300354, China
* Corresponding Author: Xinqiao Liu. Email:

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2025.074063

Received 30 September 2025; Accepted 12 December 2025; Published online 24 December 2025

Abstract

Background: Mental health concerns among doctoral students have become increasingly prominent, with consistently low levels of well-being making this issue a critical focus in higher education research. This study aims to synthesize existing evidence on the mental health and well-being of doctoral students and to identify key factors and intervention strategies reported in the literature. Methods: A systematic review was conducted to examine the determinants and interventions related to doctoral students’ mental health and well-being. Relevant studies were comprehensively searched in Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCO, with the final search conducted on September 19, 2025. Records were screened according to predefined criteria: empirical studies on doctoral students’ mental health or well-being published in English were included, while non-empirical, non-English, and non-doctoral-student-focused studies were excluded. A total of 56 studies were included after rigorous screening. Results: Doctoral students’ mental health and well-being are shaped by multiple interacting factors across individual, academic, interpersonal, organizational, and environmental levels. Moreover, variations in gender, identity, discipline, study stage, and institutional context may further exacerbate or mitigate psychological distress. Existing intervention studies primarily focus on three approaches: psychologically oriented training, practice-based behavioral and learning programs, and relationship- or support network-based initiatives. Conclusion: This review offers integrated evidence on doctoral students’ mental health and well-being and highlights the need for universities to assume greater responsibility in developing systematic and responsive support mechanisms. Current research remains limited by insufficient cross-cultural comparison, a lack of intersectional perspectives, and a scarcity of large-scale, long-term evaluations of intervention effectiveness. Future studies should give greater attention to institutional contexts and vulnerable groups while expanding the scope and rigor of intervention research.

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Keywords

Doctoral students; mental health; well-being; interventions; depression; anxiety

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