Academic Stress Exacerbates Depression and Anxiety in Graduate Students Under Omicron Quarantine

Background: Omicron outbreak in Shanghai challenges daily life of local population. Here we aim to investigate the influential factors on depression and anxiety status in graduate students under quarantine.Methods: One hundred and nine graduate students finished Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and a designed stress questionnaire. A regression model and network model were conducted for analyses.Results: Academic stress and life stress are predictive factors for severity of depression and anxiety, but not for COVID-19-related stress and career stress. In network analysis, needs and frustrating events were central to life stress, research pressure and study plan were central to academic stress, low energy and depressed mood were central to depression, and trouble relaxing was central to anxiety. Frustrating events, irritability, sleep duration and low energy were bridge factors that connected stress, depression and anxiety.Conclusions: Academic and life stress exacerbate depression and anxiety of graduate students during quarantine. These findings emphasized the need to provide guidance on work-life balance, and emotional support.