Citation

Zhang L. Heliyon 2023; 9(8): e18382.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18382

PMID

37560672

PMCID

PMC10407023

Abstract

The annual incidence of suicide among Chinese doctoral students remains high. We reviewed the statistics for doctoral student suicides over the past 12 years and administered a questionnaire survey and interviews to relatives and friends of doctoral students who committed suicide. The results indicated that suicide among doctoral students is closely related to academic pressure, the teacher-student relationship, and the academic environment, reflecting the current condition of China's doctoral tutorial system. This study provides a theoretical basis for society to understand Chinese doctoral student suicide and the Chinese doctoral tutorial system as well as the relationship between the two. Our results may serve as a warning to the academic community to prevent the worsening of the suicide contagion.

Language: en

Keywords

Chinese academic circle; Doctoral student suicide; Doctoral student suicide–doctoral tutorial system relationship; Doctoral tutorial system; Higher education in China