A team of researchers has uncovered significant patterns in how familial relationships and academic lineage influence anxiety levels among college and university faculty. The study, led by researchers from Howard University, George Mason University, and New York Medical College, reveals that close family relationships serve as a crucial buffer against anxiety, particularly for faculty at HBCUs and Hispanic-Serving Institutions.
The research team, including Dr. Anietie Andy from Howard University's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, analyzed data from 2,106 professors across 62 U.S. higher education institutions using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) assessment. Their findings address what they describe as "a critical yet understudied public health concern."
"Academic faculty lead complex professional lives and are uniquely susceptible to anxiety-inducing factors," the researchers write in their report. These pressures include integrating multiple demanding responsibilities across scholarly research, teaching, and administrative duties, leading to "chronic role overload and significant time management challenges."
One of the study's most striking findings involves the relationship between academic rank and anxiety levels. Tenure-track assistant professors reported the highest anxiety scores with a predicted GAD-7 score of 7.9, significantly higher than their more senior colleagues. Academic rank explained approximately 3.3% of the variance in faculty anxiety scores.
The study confirms that "the traditional tenure system, while designed to ensure academic excellence, creates a significant psychological burden for early-career faculty." The relatively lower anxiety levels among non-tenure track full professors compared to their tenure-track counterparts raises questions about the relationship between job security and mental well-being in academia.
Surprisingly, the study found that academic discipline had minimal impact on anxiety levels, explaining only 0.32% of the variance. This challenges assumptions that certain fields inherently create more stress than others. Instead, the researchers discovered that institutional factors and support systems play more substantial roles in faculty mental health.
The protective effect of close family relationships was particularly pronounced at HBCUs and HSIs (b = -4.24, p = .015), where faculty without close family support showed dramatically higher anxiety levels compared to those with strong familial connections. The researchers suggest this may reflect these institutions' historically strong emphasis on community and mentorship.
For faculty at HBCU/HSI institutions, not having an academic parent resulted in significantly higher anxiety (b = 1.47, p = .016) relative to faculty at 4-year public universities. Having at least one parent who worked in academia emerged as a novel protective factor, especially for faculty in STEM and Humanities disciplines. This finding aligns with recent research showing that tenure-track faculty are 25 times more likely to have a parent with a PhD but extends this observation by demonstrating tangible mental health benefits from this academic lineage.
The researchers note several limitations to their work, including the self-reported nature of the GAD-7 assessment and the cross-sectional design, which prevents causal inference. Additionally, the study deliberately excluded health profession faculty, who experience distinct clinical practice challenges, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The timing of the study, conducted from June to December 2024, may also reflect specific temporal stressors in the academic calendar. A higher proportion of tenured full professors responded to the survey, which could skew results, as these faculty reported lower anxiety levels overall.
The researchers suggest that future work should examine longitudinal changes in faculty anxiety levels through critical career transitions and explore the effectiveness of specific institutional support programs.
"This study comes at a crucial time when academia faces increasing pressure to address mental health concerns while maintaining academic excellence," the researchers conclude. Their findings provide evidence-based guidance for institutions seeking to support faculty well-being while preserving the rigorous standards of academic achievement.
