"I Can't Do Research When Stressed": How Mental Health Affects Faculty Research Motivation and Productivity

• In Event: Research on Faculty Teaching, Evaluation, and Development

Abstract

University faculty members face demanding, multi-faceted work obligations that can lead to high stress and poor health, but how does that affect their research motivation and productivity? The current study investigated this question among 651 STEM faculty using an online survey. Structural equation modeling analysis revealed good mental health and lower stress predicted basic psychological needs of autonomy and competence, which yielded higher autonomous motivation and lowered introjected motivation, in turn greater research productivity. Mediational analyses further revealed that autonomy via autonomous motivation was a significant indirect predictor of the relationship between mental health and research success. The results contribute to the awareness of faculty mental health on their research success.

Authors

• Chialin Chang, University of North Dakota

• Jordan Jaeger, University of North Dakota

• Robert H. Stupnisky, University of North Dakota