Collaborative Research: Understanding STEM Faculty Mental Health and Well-Being: Impacts on Equity in Higher Education

Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University, Blacksburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

Mental health and well-being are rising concerns nationally. University faculty are no exception, as academia is known as a high stress environment. This is a national study of the prevalence and severity of mental health problems among faculty working in STEM disciplines. The project will examine specific factors that positively and negatively impact STEM faculty mental health and well-being and how academic systems affect these factors for different demographic groups. In doing so, the project will ultimately contribute to improved support for faculty by informing practices and policies that can promote well-being and more inclusive academic environments. The project leverages an exploratory mixed methods design informed by the Job-Hindrance-Support-Control model, specifically the hindrance appraisal component of the model, and Collins and Bilge’s model of multiple strata interacting to create unique hindrances for some. Results will confirm, extend, or modify the Job Hindrance-Support-Control model, thereby expanding occupational well-being literature in academic contexts. Collins and Bilge describe a model of systems of power within an organization and highlights structural, disciplinary, cultural, and interpersonal domains of power. The qualitative phase of the project will include exploratory interviews with 60 STEM faculty and 20 administrators at U.S. institutions. These interviews will be leveraged to develop a novel survey validated through cognitive interview and pilot data collection phases. Once distributed nationally to an estimated 1,244 STEM faculty members through institutional partnerships, the project will become the largest study to date on faculty mental health and well-being. Through this large-scale data collection, the project will identify stressors for faculty strata that are often excluded (e.g. non-tenure track) and contribute to understanding how multiple faculty identities impacts their mental health and well-being. As part of the partnership agreement, the project will return customized reports to partner institutions in addition to workshops reviewing the institutional findings and research-based workshops on supporting faculty. The project results will be shared broadly with research communities and the public, including but not limited to scholarly publications, popular media, and a project website that hosts community resources. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.