A Global Scoping Review on Mental Health in Higher Education

Discussion

The findings of this scoping review reinforce a growing body of literature that identifies the mental health and well-being of higher education faculty as a pressing and systemic concern. Across multiple institutional contexts and geographic regions, the reviewed studies consistently demonstrate that the academic profession is marked by escalating workload demands, insufficient institutional support, and cultural conditions that discourage open discussion about mental health. These issues collectively generate high levels of psychological distress, manifesting as burnout, anxiety, depression, and emotional fatigue.

The theme of workload intensity emerged as the most prominent factor affecting faculty mental health. Faculty members face multidimensional demands including teaching, research, service obligations, administrative duties, and supervision of students which often exceed standard working hours (Darabi et al., 2017; Zhang et al., 2014). Donato et al. (2021) reported that increased work demands significantly predicted common mental disorders and psychiatric medication use among faculty. The complexity of the academic role, coupled with ambiguous performance expectations, creates persistent stress and impairs emotional resilience. This burden is exacerbated in contexts where academic institutions promote a culture of overwork, often idealising productivity and self-sacrifice as markers of professional success (Kinman & Johnson, 2019).

Notably, the COVID-19 pandemic intensified pre-existing challenges. Faculty were required to transition to online teaching without adequate training, resources, or institutional preparedness (Kita et al., 2022; Harkness et al., 2024). The abrupt change in work settings, alongside concerns over student engagement, job security, and health risks, led to a spike in reported anxiety and depression (Melnyk et al., 2023). Several studies, including those by Tadesse et al. (2024) and Almhdawi et al. (2021), found that faculty working under pandemic conditions reported elevated levels of mental health symptoms, including sleep disturbance, emotional exhaustion, and physical symptoms of stress. The pandemic functioned not only as a health crisis but also as a catalyst that exposed the structural weaknesses of academic support systems.

Beyond workload and crisis response, institutional culture and leadership practices significantly influence mental health outcomes. Studies by Mopkins et al. (2024) and Smith et al. (2022) highlight how the quality of interpersonal relationships within departments, communication from leadership, and the availability of psychological resources directly impact faculty well-being. Supportive environments marked by clear communication, collegiality, recognition, and inclusion in decision-making serve as protective factors that enhance resilience and reduce burnout. In contrast, competitive environments with minimal feedback and poor recognition often lead to isolation, disillusionment, and a sense of being undervalued (Darabi et al., 2017).

Work-life balance remains a significant issue in academia, with faculty frequently citing difficulties maintaining boundaries between their professional and personal lives (Bell et al., 2012). This issue was magnified during the COVID-19 period, as remote work blurred spatial and temporal boundaries. Faculty members with caregiving responsibilities, particularly women and early-career academics, reported higher levels of distress due to the simultaneous management of academic and familial obligations (Liang & Bautista, 2020). The traditional structure of academic work, which often relies on unpaid overtime and assumes availability beyond standard hours, places an unsustainable burden on faculty members and contributes to emotional and cognitive overload.

Gender disparities and career stage also shaped the mental health outcomes reported in the studies. Female academics were consistently more likely to report higher levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout, as noted in Liang and Bautista (2020) and supported by global data in Rahman et al. (2024). The disproportionate impact on women reflects broader societal norms and institutional biases that continue to disadvantage female faculty through unequal distribution of labor, underrepresentation in leadership, and limited access to promotion opportunities. Similarly, junior academics and those in precarious contracts (e.g., adjuncts, sessionals) are at greater risk of psychological distress due to job insecurity, financial instability, and limited institutional influence.

The review also examined coping mechanisms and psychological interventions. While individual-level strategies such as time management, social support, mindfulness, and physical activity were identified as common tools for stress reduction (Melnyk et al., 2021), these approaches were often constrained by external pressures and institutional cultures. The effectiveness of individual coping depends heavily on the organisational context in which academics operate. For instance, if faculty feel unsafe or stigmatized for seeking help, even well-designed programs may go underutilized (Smith et al., 2022). Consequently, addressing stigma and promoting help-seeking must be prioritized in institutional policy.

Despite the clarity of these findings, comprehensive institutional responses remain lacking. The studies by Urbina-Garcia (2020) and Coats et al. (2024) indicate that although universities recognize faculty well-being as a concern, there is minimal implementation of structured mental health programs tailored to academic professionals. Instead, existing initiatives often cater to students or are generic workplace programs that do not consider the unique stressors of academic roles. Furthermore, the absence of regular mental health training for department heads and academic leaders prevents early intervention and reduces awareness of faculty needs.

From a policy perspective, the review highlights the necessity of moving from reactive to proactive strategies. Universities must not only provide access to psychological services but also reshape their workload models, reward structures, and institutional cultures to prioritize sustainable well-being. The development of inclusive leadership, transparent communication systems, and flexible workload planning are essential reforms. Additionally, there is a need for policies that recognize emotional labor, caregiving responsibilities, and non-research contributions in promotion and appraisal systems.

Finally, the current evidence base is limited by certain methodological constraints. Most studies rely on cross-sectional data, which restricts causal inferences. The small number of intervention-based or longitudinal studies limits understanding of long-term outcomes and effective policy responses. Furthermore, regional disparities in the literature, with most studies concentrated in North America and Europe, suggest a gap in evidence from underrepresented regions like Africa, South Asia, and Latin America regions where contextual challenges may differ significantly.

In summary, this review affirms that the mental health of higher education faculty is a critical concern that stems from both systemic and individual-level factors. Workload demands, leadership practices, gender inequality, and crisis response mechanisms interact to shape psychological outcomes. A multidimensional approach involving institutional, cultural, and policy-level reform is urgently needed to mitigate these issues.

Conclusion

This scoping review synthesized evidence from diverse global contexts to examine how workload and professional pressures affect the mental health and well-being of faculty members in higher education. The findings demonstrate that faculty are increasingly exposed to excessive and multifaceted job demands that compromise their psychological well-being and undermine professional satisfaction. These stressors are not isolated but systemic, shaped by organizational culture, leadership practices, institutional priorities, and broader socio-economic conditions.

The COVID-19 pandemic further magnified these challenges, creating new pressures such as remote work, job insecurity, and emotional fatigue. It also revealed the inadequacy of existing institutional support systems to respond to crises and sustain faculty mental health. While some institutions have implemented wellness initiatives, these efforts are often fragmented, temporary, or misaligned with the lived realities of academic professionals.

This review emphasizes that mental health cannot be treated as an individual responsibility alone. Faculty well-being is intrinsically tied to institutional structures and therefore requires organizational commitment and policy innovation. Institutions must create environments that not only respond to mental health crises but also prevent them through systemic changes in workload allocation, recognition practices, and leadership development.

Key Recommendations

1. Implement faculty-specific mental health policies that include confidential counseling, peer support networks, and anti-stigma campaigns.
2. Develop training programs for academic leaders and supervisors to recognize early signs of stress, promote work-life balance, and support staff proactively.
3. Restructure workload models to include flexibility, fairness, and recognition of all forms of academic labour including teaching, mentoring, service, and caregiving.
4. Ensure equity in mental health support by addressing gender, career-stage, and cultural barriers to help-seeking.
5. Invest in longitudinal and intervention-based research to evaluate the effectiveness of institutional policies and identify scalable models for mental health promotion.

In conclusion, protecting and promoting the mental health of higher education faculty is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic necessity for sustaining academic excellence and innovation. Institutions that prioritise faculty well-being are better positioned to retain talent, improve teaching and research outcomes, and foster resilient academic communities.

Assessment Requirements:
The assessment for BSBOPS402 required students to demonstrate competence in coordinating business operational plans through the following key components:

1. Knowledge Questions: Short and long-answer questions assessing understanding of operational planning, resource management, performance monitoring, contingency planning, and implementation methods.

2. Assessment Tasks: Practical activities requiring students to:

   • Develop two operational plans with SMART objectives, strategies, implementation methods, timeframes, responsibilities, and KPIs.

   • Consult stakeholders to document resource requirements and plan contingencies.

   • Present proposals to stakeholders and document feedback.

   • Assist in recruitment, onboarding, and acquisition of physical resources.

   • Support cost-effective and safe resource use.

   • Monitor operational performance and assess outcomes against KPIs.

Key Pointers to be Covered:

• Preparing, implementing, and reviewing operational plans.

• Consulting with stakeholders for resource requirements.

• Developing contingency plans and risk mitigation strategies.

• Applying workplace skills such as communication, leadership, and supervision.

• Documenting and reporting operational performance.

Assessment Approach Guided by the Academic Mentor

Step 1: Understanding the Assessment Requirements
The mentor began by clearly explaining the unit of competency (BSBOPS402) and its four core elements: preparing, implementing, monitoring, and reviewing operational plans. The student was guided to identify the purpose and scope of operational plans within a familiar organisational context.

Step 2: Knowledge Questions Completion

• The mentor provided guidance on interpreting instructional words (define, describe, evaluate, identify).

• Students were shown how to use evidence-based examples, cite sources correctly, and provide concise answers aligned with competency requirements.

Step 3: Developing Operational Plans (Assessment Task 1 – Part A)

• Students were guided to draft two operational plans (e.g., Marketing and Operations).

• For each plan, the mentor helped define SMART objectives, outline strategies, assign responsibilities, establish timeframes, and set at least four KPIs for performance tracking.

• Templates were provided to ensure consistency and clarity.

Step 4: Stakeholder Consultation and Resource Planning (Part B & C)

• The mentor demonstrated how to identify stakeholders, plan consultations, and record resource requirements (human, physical, financial).

• Guidance was given on how to document oral communication and evidence of feedback.

• Contingency plans were drafted, outlining risks, mitigation strategies, and monitoring mechanisms.

Step 5: Proposal Presentation and Documentation (Part D)

• The student practiced presenting operational plans to stakeholders and documenting outcomes.

• The mentor assisted in drafting a professional email summarising stakeholder feedback and next steps.

Step 6: Recruitment, Onboarding, and Resource Acquisition (Assessment Task 2)

• The mentor guided the student in preparing job advertisements, screening questions, and reference checks for a junior staff position.

• Acquisition of physical resources was demonstrated through vendor comparison, cost-benefit analysis, and drafting approval emails.

• Memo writing was taught to communicate efficient, cost-effective, and safe use of resources.

Step 7: Monitoring Operational Performance (Assessment Task 3)

• Students maintained performance records over two weeks using trackers, spreadsheets, and graphs.

• The mentor explained how to analyse KPIs and summarise findings to inform future operational planning.

Assessment Outcome and Learning Objectives Covered

• Outcome Achieved:
  Students successfully developed operational plans, consulted stakeholders, prepared contingency plans, supported recruitment and resource management, and monitored performance, demonstrating competence across all unit elements.

• Learning Objectives Covered:

  1. Understanding and implementing operational plans.

  2. Applying resource planning and allocation techniques.

  3. Monitoring performance and evaluating outcomes.

  4. Supporting staff through coaching, mentoring, and supervision.

  5. Communicating effectively with stakeholders.

  6. Managing contingencies, risks, and operational challenges.

Final Note:
The step-by-step guidance from the Academic mentor ensured that the student not only completed all assessment tasks but also developed practical workplace skills in planning, resource management, stakeholder communication, and performance monitoring.

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