Mental health and well-being of higher education academics

Master of Public Health Declaration of Originality

I certify that this thesis contains no material that has been accepted for a degree or diploma by the University or any other institution except by way of background information and duly acknowledged in the thesis, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, no material previously published or written by another person except where due acknowledgement is made in the text of the thesis, nor does the thesis contain any material that infringes copyright. I certify that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my work, and that all assistance received in preparing this thesis and sources have been acknowledged, nor has this thesis been submitted for any degree or other purposes.

Acknowledgement

I am Ramandeep Kaur student of Master of Public Health. I completed my master’s under the guidance and support of Federation University and professors, and I am very thankful to all of them. Here I would love to thank my supervisors, Dr. Biswajit Banik and Dr. Aziz Rahman, for their encouragement, invaluable support and continuous support throughout the completion of my research thesis. Their feedback, advice help me a lot to finish my work. I am grateful to each one of you. THANK YOU

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

• Background and Rationale
  • Overview of Mental Health and Well-being in Academic Settings
  • Challenges Faced by University Professors
  • Impact of Academic Stressors on Mental Health and Job Performance

• Research Gaps and Justification

• Limited Focus on Faculty Well-being in Higher Education Research
• Need for Studies on Coping Mechanisms and Institutional Support

• Aim and Research Question

• Statement of the Aim of the Review
• Research Question Focusing on Factors Affecting Professors’ Mental Health and Potential Interventions

1. Methodology

• Scoping Review Framework and Guidelines

• Alignment with PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews)

• Eligibility Criteria

• Inclusion Criteria

• Studies Addressing Mental Health and Well-being Among University Professors
• Research Published Between 2011-2024
• Studies Focused on Occupational Stressors, Coping Mechanisms, and Institutional Support
• Articles in English and Peer-Reviewed

• Exclusion Criteria

• Studies on Non-Academic Populations or General Mental Health
• Non-Primary Research (e.g., Reviews, Meta-analyses)

• Search Strategy

• Databases Searched: PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, EBSCO

• Keywords
• Key Terms: “University Professors,” “Mental Health,” “Burnout,” “Well-being,” “Occupational Stress,” “Academic Stressors,” etc.
• Contextual Terms (e.g., “Higher Education,” “University Environment”)
• Use of the Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) Framework for Search Development

• Study Selection

• Screening Process

• Initial Title and Abstract Screening with Covidence
• Detailed Full-Text Review for Eligibility Confirmation
• PRISMA Flow Diagram of Study Selection Process

• Data Extraction and Charting

• Data Extraction Process and Variables Collected (e.g., Study Details, Population Characteristics, Key Findings)
• Data Extraction Table: Summarizing Main Findings and Study Attributes

1. Result

• Overview of Included Studies

• General Characteristics of the Selected Studies (e.g., Publication Years, Countries Represented)
• Types of Studies (Cross-Sectional, Cohort, etc.) and Sample Sizes

• Key Findings on Mental Health and Occupational Stress in University Professors

• Prevalence of Mental Health Challenges (Burnout, Depression, Anxiety) Among Professors
• Common Occupational Stressors (e.g., Workload, Job Insecurity, Isolation)
• Identified Coping Mechanisms and Support Systems

1. Data Extraction Summary Table

• Organised Table Displaying Study Attributes and Key Findings
• Study Focus, Population, Factors, Outcomes, Key Results

Synthesis of Findings

• Analysis of Patterns in Mental Health Outcomes Across Studies
  • Differences in Stress and Well-being Based on Institutional Support, Job Role, and Regional Variations

Abstract

The increasing workload, environmental pressures, and transformation of the educational system have turned the mental state and general welfare of university teachers into a fundamental issue. This review in the form of a scoping exercise aimed at determining the factors that affect the mental health and general wellbeing of university academics, their consequences as well as measures that can ameliorate these issues. The PRISMA-ScR technique was employed to achieve methodological integrity in the review. It included nineteen sources published within the period 2010-2014 which were retrieved through MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL and other sources. The studies in question were different in nature but had been matched to predetermined standards concerning the regulation of the conditions surrounding work, certain aspects of the structure which contained the system, as well as the self-adjustment of the system in relation to the academic profession. The results of this review suggest that work conditions, including high demands of work, including heavy administration, work insecurity, and lack of institutional support, are among the leading causes of poor mental health in academics. For example, the continuous pressure to manage teaching, research and administrative functions together was a common cause of concern especially for teaching institutions. More so, the COVID-19 pandemic added more complications to the problem, creating a need for work-from-home environments, a shortage of institutional help, and further raising anxiety, depression and time spent by faculty in burnout. Research works incorporated in this review showed that over half of the stressed academic respondents rated their stress levels between moderate and severe, and a large percent had experience of burnout symptoms coupled with job dissatisfaction. Many studies also showed that psychosocial factors such as job autonomy, social support, and coping strategies are buffers against occupational stress. For instance, higher social and institutional support and recognition facilitated the better well-being of academics, with lower stress levels and higher job satisfaction. Similarly, job autonomy was highlighted as an area that enabled the faculty to perform better in their roles, hence enhancing their overall well-being. These results stress the significance of creating a conducive working environment and social networks in academic institutions to address the above needs. This analysis also served as a reflection on the cycle of problems that cause mental health issues among intellectuals. Aspects such as poor working conditions, lack of adequate mental health services and cultural perceptions of mental illness in an academic environment were found to be significant impediments to well-being. It also emerged from the studies that scholars are at times caught in a tension between their occupations and their living and that this leads to poor integration of the two in terms of time use. This imbalance not only deteriorates their mental state but also affects their performance and participation in their duties. In addition, such a difference in mental health outcomes was also found in various socio-demographic variables like gender and employment, where women and junior research scholars reported more stress and burnout than males and those in senior positions. It is quite common for faculty members to juggle several roles including teaching, research and even some administration, which in turn, contributes a lot to mental health problems such as stress, anxiety, or reminisce of burnout. According to the review, factors such as anxiety, depression, and emotional burnout, which fall under the umbrella of workforce-related stress, negatively affect the performance of an institution, and, most importantly, the students’ results. Mental health problems that led to lower attendance ratings and poor presenteeism strongly impacted faculty, which altogether worsened the quality of education and research outcomes. Moreover, the fact that burnout has a wide reach in the academic environment raises serious concerns about the future of professionals in academia, which in turn requires immediate action at the institutional and policy levels to maintain stability.

Introduction

As academic environment changes along with demands increasing, as well as faculty members' mental health in addition to well-being have grown across importance during higher education institutions around the globe. Faculty positions were traditionally primarily recognized about contributions towards research as well as teaching, however today's academic expectations have grown significantly to include increased workloads, along with administrative responsibilities, as well as ongoing performance reviews. Academic staff members' mental health along with general well-being have suffered as a result of these obligations, which have caused them to experience severe psychological stress (Darabi et al., 2017; Moreira et al., 2018; Zhang et al., 2014). Many academics struggle to properly manage the imbalance caused by issues including job instability, lacking institutional support, along with blurring of lines across personal along with professional life. Studies conducted in number of nations demonstrate that these problems are widespread along with systemic instead of isolated, awhereas that academic institutions' structural along with cultural features make them worse (Dreyer et al., 2010; Urbina-Garcia, 2020).

Certain workplace characteristics that have a detrimental effect on faculty mental health have been discovered by prior qualitative and quantitative studies. For example, academics across UK experience a great deal of stress due to a combination of severe teaching workloads, along with restricted autonomy, as well as contradictory expectations (Darabi et al., 2017). Similar research from New Zealand shows that the main causes of psychological discomfort among university employees are workload demands along with a lack of acknowledgment (Dreyer et al., 2010). Brazilian research (Moreira et al., 2018) also showed how psychosocial factors including too many job demands, not enough support, and emotional weariness might impact academic well-being. In the setting for Chinese universities,along with excessive task demands, as well as imprecise role expectations, including a lack about organizational resources seem harming mental wellness about academic personnel worldwide. These studies show that academic job demands are very different and have a big effect on mental health.
The COVID-19 pandemic made these problems worse by adding new duties that affected academic professionals more than anybody else. Academics globally faced considerable pressure due to the swift shift to online education, concerns related to familial and personal safety, and the imperative to maintain student engagement in virtual settings (Almhdawi et al., 2021; Melnyk et al., 2021). Similarly, when adopting to distant teaching approaches, along with Japanese academics reported feeling more alone a well as anxious (Kita et al., 2022). Concerns about mental health persist even after the peak of the pandemic. Documented persistent problems like anxiety, along with burnout, as well as inadequate balance of work-life across higher education staff worldwide, highlighting the crisis's long-lasting effects as well as shortcomings about current system system of institutional support.

Academic staff well-being has also been found to be significantly influenced by leadership styles along with workplace culture.Psychological well-being is favorably impacted by supportive leadership, along with collaborative settings, as well as good communication, whereas higher distress is associated with a shortage of control with workload as well as exclusion regarding processes of decision-making. In a similar vein, stressed the significance about balance of work-life along with its close relationship to stress as well as wellbeing among Australian scholars (Bell et al., 2012). In their 2019 editorial addressing academic employee wellness, Kinman and Johnson emphasized the necessity considering institutional commitment for mental health as well as structural problems associated with occupational stress. According to reviews, there is still a substantial gap with formal programs of mental health along with faculty-specific policies. This suggests that, despite increased awareness, universities have not yet put comprehensive strategies in place effectively tackle mental health o faculty (Bell et al., 2012). Predictive along with structural analysis further elucidate the interaction among individual as well as organizational elements. Highlighted the psychological dangers related to academic work environments by connecting prevalent mental diseases among professors with excessive workload, along with position uncertainty, as well as job discontent (Donato et al., 2022). According to expectancy based on theory study, academics' mental health outcomes may be improved as well as stress levels can be decreased by matching job expectations alongside sufficient support as well as rewards (Liang and Bautista, 2021). In the meanwhile, employing structural equation modeling about psychosocial elements, such as social support as well as professional engagement, have a major impact on Saudi Arabian faculty members' mental health (Alenezi et al., 2023). Along with job engagement, the phenomena of workaholism along with burnout have also been studied. Research of Montenegrin academics revealed intricate connections among psychological strain as well as excessive work participation(Babic et al., 2022). When taken as a whole, these results highlight a number of significant gaps in the research. Despite the fact that a large body of research has shown the pressures and mental health consequences linked to academic workloads, there aren't many reliable, evidence-based therapies designed especially for faculty workers.

Additionally, although the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic affecting faculty mental health have been extensively studied, little is known about long-term post-pandemic support systems. Furthermore, rather than looking at the larger institutional, along with cultural, as well as social settings that influence faculty mental health, the majority of current research concentrates on individual-level factors or discrete workplace characteristics. Additionally, there is a dearth of multi-country comparative along with longitudinal research, which are essential to comprehending the long-term effects of various contexts across well being of academics.

Given the critical role faculty members play in determining the caliber along with sustainability of higher education, closing these inequalities is imperative. In addition to affecting people, mental health problems can also negatively impact research output, instructional effectiveness, and eventually, institutional performance. Therefore, the goal of this study is to present a thorough synthesis of the body of research on workload as well as professional pressure as factors influencing the mental health along with wellbeing for university staff. Additionally, it aims to determine the type and efficacy of solutions intended to lessen these difficulties. This study intends to contribute with institutional policies as well as practices which support long-term academic careers, along with create supportive settings, as well as improve mental wellbeing in the field by concentrating with faculty of higher education.

In conclusion, workload, professional demands, along with institutional culture, as well as outside crises like the COVID-19 epidemic all have an impact on teacher mental health, which is a complex issue. Even though a lot of study has been done on the difficulties faced by scholars, there are still a lot of unanswered questions about systemic support systems along wth successful solutions. This thesis contributes to filling these gaps by systematically reviewing how workload impacts mental health in higher education faculty and exploring intervention strategies. Ultimately, the findings aim to support the development of healthier, more resilient academic workplaces that can sustain faculty well-being and academic excellence.

Research question

How do professional pressures and workload affect higher education faculty members’ mental health and well-being, and what interventions can mitigate these impacts?

Research aim:

This study investigates the impact of professional pressures and workload on the mental health and well-being of higher education faculty members. It seeks to identify the primary stressors contributing to mental health challenges, evaluate their effects on job performance, and explore potential interventions or strategies to mitigate these impacts. The research will comprehensively understand how institutional dynamics, psychosocial factors, and external pressures, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, influence faculty members' mental health and overall quality of life.

Methodology

This scoping review was drafted according to the guidelines outlined by the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-Scr) checklist, which was used systematically. The primary goal was to explore and map out the existing literature on higher education staff’s mental health and self-care, attempting to identify the major sources of stress, the weight of the academic burden on his/her health and the possible mitigating approaches. The following sections show in detail the methods and processes that were employed in carrying out the review.

Eligibility criteria

Specific eligibility criteria were established to assist with the stepwise selection of studies and their transparency. These criteria incorporated studies that were precisely related to academics' mental health and well-being in the higher education sector. Our intention was to be concerned with studies published from the year 2010 to the year 2024 to capture the most recent trends in academic and mental welfare, as the field of HE has undergone a drastic change in the last couple of years, owing to heightened stress levels and technological advancement. The excluded criteria included non-peer-reviewed articles, those not in English, to impact the results' credibility and comprehensibility.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Faculty members’ stressors specific to mental health, well-being outcomes, or psychological problems among higher education staff
2. Articles addressing factors contributing to professional stress, including but not limited to workload, job insecurity, role conflict, and organisational culture.
3. Evaluation of interventions to promote academic mental health or workplace resilience, such as workshops, mental health programs, or training.
4. Articles published between 2010 to 2024 so that the information used is contemporary and relevant in the present academic scenario.
5. Articles that were published in the English language and have gone through peer review to guarantee content validity within the English academic audience.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Other forms of studies that do not contribute primary data that speaks to mental health of the academic setting such as meta-analyses or literature reviews.
2. Studies carrying out research on populations other than the academic one such as students or administrative staff or studies in institutions that are not universities.
3. Non-English language articles, opinion pieces, editorials, reports of conferences, and all forms of non-refereed publications.
4. Studies on mental health that are not work-related stress, burnout or coping mechanisms that are unique to academic staff.

DATA EXTRACTION

Data extraction was conducted using selected studies identified through Covidence software. The data extraction table systematically captured key information including author, year, study title, study design, location, sample size, age, workload factors, mental health outcomes, and key findings. This process enabled a comprehensive synthesis of evidence regarding the impact of workload on the mental health and well-being of higher education faculty members.

Some examples of these key data points include the following:

• Population: Breakdown of academic staff type, country of study, and faculty rank.
• Mental Health Outcomes: Information on the various outcomes of interest, e.g. stress, anxiety, burnout, and general well-being.
• Interventions: Any accounts of mental health programs, resilience training and institutional help recorded in the studies.
• Study Findings: Major findings of papers linking occupational stress to mental health and major findings on the efficacy of countermeasures.

The comprehensive analysis of the selected studies underscores a consistent and robust relationship between workload and the mental health and well-being of higher education faculty members. Excessive workload, frequently characterised by extended working hours, high teaching loads, administrative obligations, and rigorous research expectations, has been identified as a primary occupational stressor adversely affecting faculty members’ psychological health. High levels about mental health issues including burnout, along with chronic stress, as well as anxiety, in addition to depressive symptoms are frequently brought on by this complex task. Several studies emphasise that the cumulative effect of professional demands not only increases psychological distress but also disrupts the critical balance between professional responsibilities and personal life, leading to poor work-life harmony. This imbalance has been shown to exacerbate feelings of exhaustion, emotional depletion, and decreased job satisfaction, all of which contribute to the deterioration of mental well-being. The synthesis also emphasizes how organizational along with environmental variables have a significant moderating effect in link between workload along with mental health. Availability about supportive network of peer, along with mentorship programs, as well as counseling services, including flexible workload distribution, with promotion of mental health policies are examples of institutional support mechanisms which have been shown to be important protective factors how can lessen the detrimental psychological effects of high workload demands. Notably, the fundamental link between workload along with poor mental health outcomes is always there, independent of time period, even if a number for research in this review contextualize findings within unique conditions for COVID-19 epidemic. This implies faculty members' mental health problems brought on by their workload are widespread as well as persistent problems with institutions of higher education. The synthesis also shows individual along with ethnic differences in how people react to task demands. For example, psychological discomfort is often higher among female academics as well as younger professors, indicating need for specialized therapies that take these characteristics into account. In order to moderate stress reactions, adaptive coping techniques including time management, along with resilience-building, as well as the use of social support are also essential. The data shows that universities need to make big changes to improve mental health services, create workplaces that put faculty well-being and long-term professional engagement first, and make sure that workloads are spread out as much as possible.

Results

1. Workload and Job Demands

It was found that workload and job pressure were a prominent and recurring topic in the literature that was studied. This highlights the complicated nature of faculty obligations and the impact that they have on individual mental health. Faculty members from a variety of locales and types of schools said all the time that they had too much work to do. Most of the time, this job involves teaching, doing research, and doing administrative tasks including service-related jobs. For example, an international study was done with the help of academic experts from sixteen different countries. The results of this study showed that there are often conflicting demands from administrative duties, research output goals, performance standards in both teaching and research, as well as more students and grading stress. As a result of these expectations, employees frequently experienced feelings of emotional exhaustion and a diminished sense of satisfaction with their professions (Darabi et al., 2017). By utilising quantitative methodologies, it was revealed that there was a statistically significant link between the perspectives of task overload held by Brazilian faculty members and the symptoms of anxiety and melancholy that they experienced. The evidence presented indicates that elevated job expectations are widespread and significantly detrimental to individual mental health. Additionally, the complexity of the endeavour, along with its numerous varied elements, was emphasised. Quantitative approaches demonstrated a statistically significant correlation between symptoms of anxiety and melancholy, as well as feelings of being overwhelmed by tasks, among Brazilian teaching staff. This implies that there is quantifiable harm towards mental health in addition to the prevalence of high job expectations. Numerous studies also highlighted the task's intricacy along with variety of components. Other responsibilities, like as committee work, along with grant writing, as well as student mentoring, were also seen as mentally taxing, even though traditional teaching along with research were regularly mentioned. In addition, work demands evolved as well as grew during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Using quantitative techniques, it was shown that across members of Brazilian teaching, there being statistically significant association between symptoms of anxiety along with depression as well as the sense of task overload. This suggests that in addition to the frequency of high job expectations, there is measurable impairment to mental health. Several studies also emphasized the task's complexity and range of elements. Even though conventional teaching and research were frequently noted, other duties such as committee work, along with grant writing, as well as student mentoring were also viewed as mentally hard. Additionally, during COVID-19 epidemic, labor demands increased as well as changed.

Highlighted the swift along with sometimes unforeseen shift to online instruction, which necessitated that faculty members quickly learn new technologies, adapt their courses for online delivery, as well as offer virtual student support—often without official training as well as institutional support. These abrupt changes resulted in longer workdays, along with screen weariness, as well as more emotional strain (Harkness et al., 2024);(Kita et al., 2022).Also highlighted non-academic workload difficulties that affect faculty members' personal life, such part-time occupations for domestic duties, along with parenting, as well as financial assistance (Rahman et al., 2024). Particularly for female along with early-career academics, effect of cumulative workload of such extra responsibilities increased stress. Faculty workload was described in literature as being both numerically high along with qualitatively complex, involving emotional, along with mental, as well as physical effort that increased susceptibility to mental health issues.

1. Mental Health Outcomes

Both quantitative as well as qualitative research repeatedly found a strong correlation between high job demands and negative mental health outcomes. Faculty members who were subjected to ongoing work-related stress often displayed signs of psychological discomfort, along with anxiety, as well as sadness, including burnout. About 29 percent of participants in study experienced burnout, as well as a startling 73 percent showed moderate to severe psychological discomfort, suggesting that mental health issues are common in academia (Rehman et al., 2023). With a focus on Ethiopian professors, the study found that 11 percent of participants had anxiety along with 12.3 percent had depression. These numbers might be a reflection of both work-related stressors as well as more general systemic along with cultural problems. Similarly, found that among Brazilian professors, a high workload constituted significant predictor about anxiety as well as depression symptoms, indicating that there is a cross-national association across work circumstances as well as psychological health (Donato et al., 2021). These findings were further enhanced by qualitative reports from, which provided insights into faculty members' life experiences. Participants in this research reported persistent stress, dissatisfaction, frustration, and emotional detachment due to their work environment. Due to performance metrics together with student assessments, some faculty members said to feel "constantly under surveillance," that intensified their thoughts of inadequacy as well as anxiousness. It was necessary to note that distinct demographic groups met disparate outcomes for their mental health (Darabi et al., 2017; Smith et al., 2022). Liang and Bautista's 2020 study found that female faculty members who were not married were substantially more likely to report bad news about their mental health, especially in Chinese universities. The fact that this is the case illustrates that the impacts of workload may be compounded by society and individual characteristics, such as gender norms, marital status, and the burden placed on childcare providers. The significance of providing mental health support services that are effectively suited to the needs of higher education institutions is underscored by these intersectional findings.

1. Work-Life Balance and Personal Factors

The existence or absence of work-life balance is a major mediating variable impacting the results related to faculty members' mental health. In several research, faculty members who participated indicated challenges in reconciling their personal commitments with their academic obligations, especially when expectations were excessively stringent or unattainable. underlined the challenge that academic professionals experience in seeking to reconcile the demands of their work with the responsibilities of providing care for others, in addition to the responsibilities of home activities and, in some cases, part-time occupations. Women, in particular, were more likely to feel ashamed and inadequate because of this imbalance. This not only caused psychological pain but also made people feel less than others.The importance of highlighting the ways in which Chinese cultural standards place college teachers under additional stress connected to their families, which usually results in overwork as well as emotional exhaustion. According to Xiao Liang and Bautista's research from 2020, faculty members regularly claimed that they had to sacrifice their individual hobbies, social activities, and leisure time in order to satisfy their professional duties. This had a negative impact on their personal health.

Work-life problems were much more intense during the COVID-19 epidemic. The transition to home-based work environments as well as remote instruction dissolved the distinctions among job and personal life, hence eliminating any time or space barriers among the two spheres. Faculty members were finding it difficult to detach themselves from institutional demands, even on weekends as well as evenings, and were working for extended periods from home. These adjustments added another level of stress as well as frequently resulted in weariness, along with emotional exhaustion, as well as persistent sleep problems (Melnyk et al., 2023; Tadesse et al., 2024). The work-life balance was further hampered by the absence of childcare as well as eldercare assistance during lockdowns, especially about faculty members who had dependent family members as well as small children. The research paints a comprehensive picture of how academic staff members' mental health is declining, with institutional and situational constraints exacerbating the loss about boundaries of work-life.

1. Support and Coping Mechanisms

Social along with institutional support have become important barriers against the detrimental impacts of academic overload. According to a number of research, psychological well-being was significantly enhanced by felt support from coworkers, along with managers, as well as the larger university setting. Mopkins et al. (2024), for example, found Revealed better mental health outcomes, such as lower levels of anxiety along with burnout among university employees, were associated with higher levels of supervisory as well as organizational support.On the other hand, it was discovered that a lack of such assistance was harmful. According to faculty members in research through sentiments of dissatisfaction and professional disenchantment were exacerbated by management's lack of acknowledgment, isolation, as wel as poor communication (Darabi et al., 2017; Smith et al., 2022). It might be challenging for academics to ask for or provide assistance when academic climates are poisonous or competitive because they inhibit teamwork and encourage individualism. Many faculty members responded by creating their own coping mechanisms to deal with the stress brought on by their workload.

These included practicing time management skills, along with establishing boundaries between work as well as personal life, exercising, including asking friends and family for emotional support (Melnyk et al., 2023). But depending just on own coping strategies wasn't always enough. Faculty members frequently refrained from using institutional services like counseling as well as programs of employee wellness due to the stigma associated with mental health issues along with concerns about coming off as weak (Smith et al., 2022).All of the research demonstrated the necessity of proactive, culturally aware mental health interventions. Healthy as well as effective teachers were more likely to be retained by institutions that promoted an environment of transparency, along with adaptability, as well s support. To normalize help-seeking along with lessen stigma, a number of research recommended the use of organized wellness programs, along with mental training of manager as well as anonymous support networks.

5. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

A turning point in the history of faculty workload along with mental health was the COVID-19 epidemic. Research has repeatedly shown that pandemic not only increased pre-existing stresses but also brought about brand-new difficulties, many of which were unheard before. Together, detailed how faculty had to deal with quick shifts to online instruction while having little infrastructure as well as no training. These abrupt adjustments required constant adaption, upset instructional patterns, and caused technical anxiety (Alhamdawi et al., 2021; Harkness et al., 2024; Kita et al., 2022).

Found that anxiety mixed with psychological discomfort were enhanced by employment insecurity, fear of infection, and alter institutional processes during the epidemic. Faculty were also burdened with the "triple burden" of maintaining research production, combined with student interaction, as well as professional growth (Melnyk et al., 2023). This was particularly applicable to academics engaged in contractual labour, as well as novices in their careers who experienced heightened pressure to perform in an increasingly volatile environment. The pandemic has a long-lasting effect on mental health, which is an important result. Longitudinal research indicates that some faculty members continued to experience persistent psychological distress even after the institutions reopened. This indicates that stress and tension levels did not inherently diminish over time (Harkness et al., 2024). The literature reviewed indicates that recovery from the limits imposed by the pandemic requires not only significant time but also sustained efforts by the institution. This method includes things like open lines of communication, flexible work hours, and full mental health care.

Discussion

The findings of this scoping study clearly indicate a burgeoning body of research that recognises the mental health and well-being of instructors in higher education as a significant and systemic issue. Research regularly reveals that the academic profession is distinguished by growing workload expectations, insufficient institutional support, and cultural barriers that prevent open talks about mental health across varied institutional contexts and geographic regions. The accumulation of these problems results in acute psychological pain, which expresses itself in the form of exhaustion, anxiety, hopelessness, and emotional depletion.
It was noticed that the level of difficulty of the assignment was the most significant factor involved in determining the mental health of the teachers. Teachers are liable for a range of actions that extend beyond the typical business hours of the university (Darabi et al., 2017; Zhang et al., 2014). These responsibilities include teaching, doing research, serving on committees, performing administrative functions, and supervising students. According to Donato et al. (2021), increased employment demands have a major impact on the usage of psychiatric medications by faculty members as well as the incidence of common mental illnesses throughout the faculty. The complex structure of the academic post creates constant stress, and the wrong performance standards can make psychological resilience weaker. According to Kinman and Johnson (2019), academic institutions that promote a culture of excessive effort and that idealise productivity and generosity as markers of professional success lead to the development of this burden.
The COVID-19 outbreak exacerbated pre-existing issues, which is also an unusual occurrence. Kita et al. (2022) and Harkness et al. (2024) say that teachers were pushed to switch to online teaching even though they didn't have the right training, tools, or institutional support. Due to the unexpected change in working conditions, people were more anxious and upset, and students were worried about the possible hazards to their health, job security, and involvement (Melnyk et al., 2023). Various studies, like those conducted by Tadesse et al. (2024) and Almhdawi et al. (2021), have demonstrated that faculty members employed during the pandemic had exacerbated mental health symptoms. The symptoms included not being able to sleep, feeling emotionally drained, and showing bodily indications of stress. The outbreak was a serious threat to public health, and it also showed how academic support networks weren't working as well as they should have.
The influence of leadership practices and institutional culture on mental health outcomes extends beyond mere workload and crisis management speed. Smith et al. (2022) and Mopkins et al. (2024) found that the quality of connections between people in a department, how easy it is to get psychiatric help, and the way the leaders talk to each other all had a direct effect on the well-being of faculty members. A supportive atmosphere is one where people may speak their minds, interact with others, earn acknowledgement, and have a say in decisions. People can become more resilient and less likely to burn out by doing all of these things. Conversely, Darabi et al. (2017) assert that competitive environments characterised by minimal feedback and acknowledgement often lead to feelings of loneliness, melancholy, and a perception of being undervalued or diminished.
Bell et al. (2012) pinpoint a critical challenge in academia: faculty members often find it difficult to distinguish between their personal and professional lives. This demonstrates that work-life balance continues to be a major priority. This problem got a lot worse because people could work from home during the COVID-19 outbreak without having to worry about time or distance. Liang and Bautista (2020) found that faculty members who were responsible for providing care were less happy with their caregiving duties since they had to balance their academic and family responsibilities at the same time. This was especially true for women and academics who were just starting out in their careers. They are subjected to an unsustainable burden as a result of the present academic labour structure, which typically relies on unpaid overtime compensation and asks faculty members to be available outside of regular business hours. This leads in emotional and mental weariness.

The research findings on mental health outcomes were influenced by factors including gender disparities and the phase of professional development. The findings of Rahman et al. (2024) indicated that female academics were consistently more likely to report higher levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout (Liang and Bautista, 2020). These findings were based on global statistics.The disproportionate effect on women reflects institutional prejudices and larger societal standards that continue to harm female faculty members through limited possibilities for advancement, unequal labour distribution, and a lack of representation in leadership roles. Similarly, because of employment insecurity, unstable finances, and limited institutional power, junior academics, along with those with insecure contracts (such as extensions or sessional) are more likely to experience psychological distress.

The review also looked at psychological treatments and coping strategies. Although individual-level stress-reduction techniques, including time management, social support, mindfulness, and exercise, were shown to be beneficial (Melnyk et al., 2021), institutional cultures and outside demands sometimes limited these methods. The organisational environment in which academics work significantly impacts how well each person copes. For example, even well-designed programs may be neglected if faculty members feel unsafe or stigmatised for asking for support (Smith et al., 2022). Therefore, institutional policy must prioritise eliminating discrimination while promoting help-seeking.

Even though these findings are clear, there are still insufficient effective institutional solutions. According to research by Coats et al. (2024) and Urbina-Garcia (2020), universities acknowledge the importance of faculty well-being, but they rarely put in place formal mental health programs designed specifically for academic staff. However, current programs are either conventional workplace initiatives that do not take into account the particular demands of academic employment or they frequently focus to students. In addition, department administrators and academic leaders who do not receive regular mental health training are less aware of faculty needs and are unable to get involved early.

The analysis emphasises the need to switch from reactive to preventive approaches from an administrative perspective. To prioritise sustainable well-being, universities must not only make psychological services accessible but also change their institutional cultures, workload models, and reward systems. The crucial changes include the development of welcoming management, open communication channels, and flexible workload scheduling. Policies that acknowledge caring duties, emotional work, and non-research contributions in promotion and appraisal processes are also necessary.

Lastly, some methodological limitations restrict the existing body of research. The majority of research uses data from cross-sectional studies, which restricts the capacity for making findings regarding causes. Effective policy responses and knowledge of long-term impacts are limited by a shortage of intervention-based or longitudinal studies. Regional differences in the literature also point to a lack of evidence from overlooked regions, including Africa, South Asia, and Latin America—regions where contextual challenges may differ greatly, with the majority of studies focused on North America and Europe.

In conclusion, this review confirms that institutional and individual variables contribute to the serious concern over the psychological wellness of higher education staff. Interactions between gender imbalance, leadership styles, workload pressures, and crisis response approaches all have an impact on the psychological effects that result from these situations. In order to mitigate the effects of these issues, it is important to implement a multidimensional strategy that encompasses transformations at the institutional, cultural, and policy levels.

Conclusion

The purpose of this scoping review was to analyse the effects of professional pressures and workload on the mental health and well-being of faculty members working in higher education by synthesising evidence from a variety of worldwide contexts. The findings indicate that faculty members are being forced to cope with work that is becoming increasingly challenging and demanding. This is detrimental to their mental health and creates a decrease in their level of satisfaction with their careers. These pressures are systemic, which means that they influence one another. Additionally, they are influenced by the culture of the organisation, the leadership styles, the priorities of the institution, and the overall socioeconomic state.
Through the addition of additional stressors, such as work insecurity, emotional tiredness, and jobs that are located in distant locations, the COVID-19 outbreak made these fears much more severe. It was also shown that the existing institutional support structures have deficiencies in terms of their ability to respond to crises and protect the mental health of academics at the school. Although wellness programs have been accepted by a large number of institutions, these initiatives are typically disjointed, short-lived, or completely out of sync with the day-to-day lives of academic professionals.
Within the scope of this review, the need of recognising mental health as an individual responsibility is emphasised. As a result of the direct connection that exists between institutional frameworks and the well-being of faculty members, it is of the utmost importance to be committed to your organisation and to devise innovative policies. By implementing necessary changes in leadership development, task distribution, and recognition processes, institutions are obligated to not only respond to mental health crises but also prevent them from occurring in the first place.

Key Recommendations:

• It is recommended that colleges and universities have mental health policies that are incorporated into the general policy of the institution. The mandatory mental health orientation, the availability of private assistance, and the regular monitoring of mental health indicators should all be included in this. These initiatives must to be continuously evaluated and co-developed with the participation of faculty members in order to guarantee a response to newly imposed requirements.
• It is necessary to provide periodic leadership training in psychological safety, effective communication, and conflict resolution in order to promote the culture of the company and the morale of its staff. Leaders are also responsible for knowing how to see the early indicators of mental illness and for making it easy for people to ask for help.
• Develop equitable models for the distribution of duties that take into account several elements, including recuperation time, clear performance rating systems, and reasonableness. These models should provide a sustainable balance between academic activities while also taking into account the responsibilities of caregiving, the demands of research, and the seasonal peaks.
• Develop accessible mechanisms for the promotion and management of activities that, alongside conventional research measurements, improve academic collaboration, community participation, emotional investment, and mentorship. These tactics ought to be easy to utilise. The employed procedures must be unbiased and consider the different contributions of faculty members to the university's achievement.
• The creation of regional and global research collaborations is something that should be done in order to alleviate evidence shortages in neglected areas and to make it easier for people to share their expertise on the most recent discoveries in academic mental health studies. The discovery of solutions that are sensitive to a range of cultures and the initiation of a worldwide movement towards higher learning can both be done through cooperative research.

In conclusion, it is both morally important and strategically vital to enable professors in higher education to maintain and strengthen their mental health to nurture academic creativity and achievement. Organisations that care for the health and well-being of their faculty members keep their best employees longer, get better research and teaching results, and build dynamic academic communities.

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