CACTUS Mental Health Survey

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CACTUS MENTAL HEALTH SURVEY REPORT 2020

13,000 researchers gave us their views on what a more nurturing research culture would look like

Read insights from Joy and Stress Triggers – the largest and most diverse global survey on mental health among researchers.

For media enquiries, please contact mentalhealthsurvey@cactusglobal.com

GET A FREE COPY OF THE REPORTS!

About the reports

  • 13,000+ participants globally
    Largest global survey on researcher mental health and wellbeing
  • Responses from 160+ countries
    Strong representation from around the world, including the top 10 research producing countries
  • Diverse sampling
    Covers all academic career stages with strong representation of minorities
  • 5,000+ Researcher insights
    Powerful suggestions reflecting changes the global researcher community would like to see

Why you should download the reports

If you are a researcher
  • Understand joy and stress triggers of researchers like you
  • Gain productive insights on managing highs and lows in your work environment
  • Share with relevant people at your institution who can offer support
If you are a university
  • Understand challenges and stresses your researchers might be experiencing
  • Get actionable takeaways on how you can support them better
  • Show your commitment as an institution that truly cares about researcher wellbeing
If you are a publisher or funder
  • Understand factors that may influence research productivity and output
  • Identify how you can help improve the research environment through policy changes
  • Share meaningful insights with other decision-makers to amplify the conversation and initiate change
DOWNLOAD THE REPORTS

Here are some perspectives shared by survey participants

Hold supervisors accountable for their PhD students' welfare. Put in place mentor training that takes into account issues of being a foreign national, and the toxic culture in academia. Give awards to profs/students that advocate and create change around mental health.
Policies need to be put in place for postdoc working conditions, e.g. regulation of teaching and supervision obligations... I'm still just a postdoc on a fixed-term contract, but I'm supervising staff/students and running 3 projects to the same level as my tenured colleagues. So... the university gets my grant overhead money, and don't have to pay me a penny or offer me anything permanent.
Be aware of the stresses that the graduate students are under, and don't assume that because they're doing a good job of handling the work they have, that they are automatically able to take up additional projects.
I think the organizations in academia are already doing their best. The problem is the overall academic culture: how progress is evaluated at a global scale and the little government funding available.
The culture needs to change. The expectation that everyone needs to be constantly working, no matter what is incredibly damaging. Publications need to not be the only metric of success.
Value impact, not impact factor. Realise that pressure and exploitation don't lead to the best science. Value people holistically and not just as data producers. Abolish the old boys club.

Distribution Partners

Several universities, research institutions, and organizations extended support
towards this cause and were our distribution partners for this survey

  • Participating organizations
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Amplification Partners

We appreciate the support of our partners who are helping us amplify our survey findings among relevant stakeholders in the academic community

  • Amplification Partners
  • Amplification Partners
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  • Amplification Partners

Analytics & Reporting Partner

  • Analytics Partner

Independent Consultant

  • Indepdendent Consultants

Advisors & Collaborators (13)

We have collaborated with active researchers and mental health advocates to make this survey more powerful.

Dr. Furaha Asani
Mental health advocate, researcher, teacher, creative writer, PhD in Infection and Immunity
Dr. Caven Mcloughlin
Fulbright Scholar, academic trainer, journal editor, Professor Emeritus, Kent State University
Rianna Walcott
Writer, activist, musician, and London Arts & Humanities Partnership (LAHP)-funded research scholar, King's College, London
Dr. Lorie Owens
Developmental Editor of The Ohio State University's Theory into Practice journal, Muskingum University graduate studies lecturer
Dr. Samara Linton
Doctor, Writer, Content Creator, Co-editor of The Colour of Madness
Dr. Elliot C. Brown
Neuroscientist, scientific advisor, mental health advocate, Senior Research Fellow, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Prasha Sarwate Dutra
Founder, Podcaster, Keynote Speaker, Diversity & Inclusion Advocate, Engineer, STEMinist
Dr. Nadia Idri
Researcher, Senior Lecturer at University of Bejaia, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Studies in Language, Culture, and Society, EMICOB Research Team Chair in the LESMS lab
Dr. Fanuel Muindi
Founder of STEM Advocacy Institute (SAi)
Victor Ugo
Medical Doctor, Founder of Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative, Senior Campaign Officer at United for Global Mental Health
Dr. Mary McMillan
Lecturer in Biomedical Science at the University of New England, Armidale - BSc (Hons), PhD, Grad Cert Tertiary Education
Dr. Emily Moye
PhD in Clinical and Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, post-doctoral fellowship at Auburn University, mental health advocate
Joyce Wangari
Doctor of Psychology, PsyD, Clinical Psychology Candidate
DOWNLOAD THE REPORTS

About the survey

The global survey on mental health in academia was conducted from October 2019 to July 2020. The survey is the first to be done by any organization on a global scale, at understanding what we can do to create a healthier and more nurturing research culture. The survey saw a phenomenal response of over 13,000 participants globally, with strong representation from the top 10 research-producing countries, making it the largest and most diverse survey of its kind among researchers. The survey results were released on the occasion of World Mental Health Day 2020. This project was led by a core team of Clarinda Cerejo, Mriganka Awati, and Andrea Hayward.

Contact us at mentalhealthsurvey@cactusglobal.com