Author guidelines for journals could help to promote transparency, openness, and reproducibility

Social scientists should adopt higher transparency standards to improve the quality and credibility of research.

This study examined the mental health needs, knowledge, and utilization of counseling services among graduate students at a large university in the western United States. Almost half of graduate student respondents reported having had an emotional or stress-related problem over the past year, and over half reported knowing a colleague who had had an emotional or stress-related problem over the past year. Self-reported mental health needs were significantly and negatively related to confidence about one s financial status, higher functional relationship with one s advisor, regular contact with friends, and being married. Utilization of counseling services was positively associated with an index of depression symptoms, the number of semesters in school, and identifying as female. those students who had experienced a significant mental health event in the past year and had higher functional relationships with their advisors were significantly more likely to utilize counseling services. Findings suggest a need for increased attention to graduate student mental health needs, especially the role of financial confidence in student well-being and the relationship of graduate students with their advisors.

There is an unmet mental health need among international graduate students. Special mental health outreach efforts should be directed at international graduate students, with particular attention on the relationship between students and their advisors and on adequate financial support for students.

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