Stress, anxiety, and depression in professional graduate students during COVID 19 pandemic

Background: The mental health of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT), and Doctorate of Occupation Therapy (OTD) students was impacted by the COVID- 19 pandemic. The investigators explored the impact of the pandemic on the students’ mental health. Methods: The study included 90 students from the DPT, MOT, and OTD programs. The data was collected using a survey including demographics and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21. Results: The prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression increased two-fold in all three disciplines of students. Out of the 90 students, 60% reported stress, 52.2% anxiety, and 53.3% depression. No significant difference was observed between genders, marital status, and the different disciplines. Conclusion: This study shows that graduate DPT, MOT, and OTD students experienced a significant degree of mental health disorder during the pandemic. Adequate measures need to be adopted to support the well-being of the students and for a successful academic career. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a change in graduate education such as methods of teaching, practical learning strategies, and evaluation techniques. Changes in education methods resulted in a higher prevalence of mental health issues including stress, anxiety, and depression in students and the general population. DASS-21 is a reliable and valid scale to measure stress, anxiety, and depression. What this topic adds: (1) This study explored mental health issues in physical therapy and occupational therapy profession graduate students in the United States. (2) It recognized a two-fold increase in stress, anxiety, and depression in graduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic. (3) This study documented no difference in perceived stress, anxiety, and depression between the Flex program and residential program as well as DPT, MOT, and OTD students.