TABLE 6.

Self-reported ways that depression affected PhD students’ research or the student as a researcher

Theme	Description	% (n) (N = 50)	Example quote	Example quote
Lack of motivation and productivity	Depression can make students feel less motivated to do research, which can result in a lack of productivity. This lack of productivity can range from not being able to analyze a data set to not being able to write and submit a paper.	64 (32)	Student 3: “When I’m really depressed and I’m trying to do something that’s pretty positive and challenging, like write a manuscript, it tends to be really difficult. I can go from, when I’m not depressed, banging out some really good work, and then when I become depressed, that definitely tanks.”	Student 35: “[Depression] keeps me from doing the things that I want to do, like every single day and be consistent. Like reading a paper every day or writing for an hour every day and it’s just like, I am so exhausted that I feel like I can’t do that. It increases procrastination.”
Low self-esteem or overly self-critical	Depression can cause students to doubt their abilities as a scientist, be self-critical, internalize failure, take unnecessary responsibility for something that did not work, and be hyperaware of any issues they may be having.	58 (29)	Student 10: “Sometimes I feel I’m an imposter. Internally I know that I have intelligence, but then it’s like I don’t know if I can do it. Everything is harder, and then my research will suffer.”	Student 19: “[My depression] brings on this imposter syndrome. Like, ‘What am I doing in this program?’ So, I’m constantly struggling and battling those thoughts. Never feeling that you fit in, struggling with, ‘Are you good enough? Is what you’re doing good enough? Should I stay in this program?’”
Difficulty focusing and concentrating	Depression can cause students to be distracted or unfocused or to struggle to pay attention to detail, which can result in feelings of frustration and exhaustion.	28 (14)	Student 9: “Because I was going through kind of a mental instability, I was unable to actually focus on what I was actively doing in lab. I was kind of like a zombie going in to work and getting out every day.”	Student 40: “The trouble concentrating just makes everything harder when you just can’t seem to sit down and focus and get things done. I would say it’s made grad school harder, more frustrating, and less enjoyable because I just constantly feel like I’m behind and not doing enough.”