Prevalence and Severity of Psychological Distress Among Early-Career Researchers: A Systematic Review and Multilevel Meta-Analysis

Mental health concerns among early-career researchers (ECRs) have gained attention, but prevalence and severity estimates remain fragmented. We conducted a pre-registered systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis to quantify the burden of psychological distress in this population (PROSPERO: CRD42024596813). A total of 139 studies and four primary databases were identified (k = 212, N = 128,684) via Scopus and supplementary searches through 31 December 2024. Based on established diagnostic thresholds, pooled prevalence estimates indicated that 28.9% (95% confidence interval 25.3–32.7%) of ECRs met the criteria for at least one mental health syndrome or symptom. Specifically, 28.9% (25.4–32.5%) met criteria for depression, 29.1% (25.4–32.9%) for generalized anxiety disorder, 24.9% (20.6–29.4%) for an eating disorder, 21.4% (17.2–26.0%) for alcohol abuse, 18.2% (14.2–22.6%) engaged in nonsuicidal self-injury, and 17.5% (14.2–21.0%) reported suicidal ideation. Complementing prevalence estimates, analyses of normalized severity scores indicated that ECRs experienced mild degrees of depression, anxiety, and moderate degrees of stress. Severity estimates for eating disorders and suicidal ideation did not exceed clinical cut-offs. Moderator analyses indicated that the type of syndrome and the type of measurement scale explained the largest part of the variance in both the prevalence and the severity models. Most individual-level factors, such as gender, ethnicity, academic discipline, country, career stage, social support, and supervisor relationship, did not significantly moderate prevalence or severity estimates. Age showed a small, but significant association with lower prevalence (β = -0.01, CI -0.03 – -0.0009). Higher study quality and random or full sampling were also associated with lower severity and prevalence levels of psychological distress. These findings underscore both the need for structural reforms and for the implementation of evidence-based support services and interventions for ECRs.