The correlation between academic staff depression and student course evaluation scores: A cross-sectional quantitative study.

Abstract

Background
Mental health in academia has become an increasing concern due to its impact on teaching quality and student learning. Depression among lecturers can reduce motivation, attendance, and classroom engagement, potentially influencing how students perceive teaching effectiveness. This study examines the relationship between depressive symptoms among academic staff and student course evaluation outcomes at a South African public university.

 Methods
A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted with 30 academic staff across four faculties: Humanities, Science, Engineering, and Management Sciences. Depression levels were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and corresponding course evaluation scores were obtained from the university’s evaluation system. Statistical analyses included Pearson’s correlation and faculty-based subgroup comparisons to determine the relationship between depression and teaching evaluations.

 Results
A moderate negative correlation was observed between BDI-II scores and student course evaluations (r = -0.41, p < 0.01), indicating that lecturers with higher depressive symptoms received lower evaluation scores. Faculty-level analysis showed that Humanities staff had the highest mean BDI-II score (23.6 ± 8.4), followed by Science (19.2 ± 6.7), Engineering (17.8 ± 7.1), and Management Sciences (16.4 ± 5.9). The mean course evaluation score declined from 82.4% among staff with minimal depression to 67.1% among those with moderate to severe symptoms, a 15.3% difference. The relationship was strongest in first-year courses, where lecturer-student interaction is most intensive.

 Conclusion
Depressive symptoms among academic staff are significantly associated with lower student evaluation scores, suggesting that mental health challenges can indirectly affect perceptions of teaching performance.

 Recommendations
Universities should integrate mental health support into academic development programmes and avoid relying solely on student evaluations for performance assessment. Early intervention, counselling access, and workload adjustments are crucial to fostering lecturer well-being and sustaining teaching excellence.