Competitiveness in university research and its impact on professors’ mental health: an exploratory analysis of demands and resources

Abstract

The adoption of a highly competitive university model that emphasizes excellence and national accreditation has induced substantial transformations and systemic pressures on Spanish academics. When engaged in teaching, research, and managerial roles, university professors face challenges that adversely affect their mental health. This research explores this topic further by adopting the job demands–resources theoretical framework to analyse the relationships between role stress (RS), social support (SS), and mental health (MH), including work engagement (WE) as a mediator construct. The empirical study, conducted through surveys, administered a questionnaire to 340 Spanish academics in the field of social sciences. Using partial least squares (PLS) and necessary condition analysis (NCA), the study validates the hypothesized relationships, demonstrating the strong and direct impact of job demands and resources on the mental health of university academics. The results indicate that RS had a relationship of necessity and a negative correlation with MH through WE. In contrast, SS had a direct positive effect on MH both independently and through the mediation of WE. Finally, WE revealed not only a relationship of necessity but also a direct positive impact on MH. This paper contributes valuable insights that have the potential to shape policies and interventions aimed at fostering a healthier, less competitive, and more supportive academic environment.