Research Topic Ideas: Mental Health 🌱
100+ Mental Health Research Ideas + Sample Studies
By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewed By: Dr. Eunice Rautenbach | Updated January 2025

IIf you’re just starting out exploring mental health topics for your dissertation, thesis or research project, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll help kickstart your research topic ideation process by providing a hearty list of mental health-related research topics and ideas.
PS – This is just the start…
We know it’s exciting to run through a list of research topics, but please keep in mind that this list is just a starting point. To develop a suitable education-related research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap, and a viable plan of action to fill that gap.
If this sounds foreign to you, check out our free research topic webinar that explores how to find and refine a high-quality research topic, from scratch. Alternatively, if you’d like hands-on help, consider our 1-on-1 coaching service.
Mood Disorders
Research in mood disorders is vital for understanding their underlying causes, improving treatment strategies, and reducing stigma. These topics explore biological, environmental, cultural, and therapeutic dimensions of mood disorders:
- The impact of genetics on the susceptibility to depression.
- Efficacy of antidepressants vs. cognitive behavioural therapy.
- The role of gut microbiota in mood regulation.
- Cultural variations in the experience and diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
- Seasonal Affective Disorder: Environmental factors and treatment.
- The link between depression and chronic illnesses.
- Exercise as an adjunct treatment for mood disorders.
- Hormonal changes and mood swings in postpartum women.
- Stigma around mood disorders in the workplace.
- Suicidal tendencies among patients with severe mood disorders.
Anxiety Disorders
Research on anxiety disorders can uncover the factors influencing their onset, improve coping mechanisms, and assess treatment options. These topics explore biological, social, and therapeutic aspects of anxiety disorders:
- The relationship between social media and anxiety.
- Exposure therapy effectiveness in treating phobias.
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder in children: Early signs and interventions.
- The role of mindfulness in treating anxiety.
- Genetics and heritability of anxiety disorders.
- The link between anxiety disorders and heart disease.
- Anxiety prevalence in LGBTQ+ communities.
- Caffeine consumption and its impact on anxiety levels.
- The economic cost of untreated anxiety disorders.
- Virtual Reality as a treatment method for anxiety disorders.
Psychotic Disorders
Research on psychotic disorders aims to deepen understanding of their causes, improve diagnostic accuracy, and enhance treatment strategies. These topics explore biological, therapeutic, and societal aspects of psychotic disorders:
- Early signs and interventions in adolescent psychosis.
- Brain imaging techniques for diagnosing psychotic disorders.
- The efficacy of antipsychotic medication.
- The role of family history in psychotic disorders.
- Misdiagnosis and delayed treatment of psychotic disorders.
- Co-morbidity of psychotic and mood disorders.
- The relationship between substance abuse and psychotic disorders.
- Art therapy as a treatment for schizophrenia.
- Public perception and stigma around psychotic disorders.
- Hospital vs. community-based care for psychotic disorders.
Personality Disorders
Research on personality disorders can enhance understanding of their development, treatment, and societal impacts. These topics address clinical, social, and psychological dimensions of personality disorders:
- Long-term outcomes of borderline personality disorder.
- Antisocial personality disorder and criminal behaviour.
- The role of early life experiences in developing personality disorders.
- Narcissistic personality disorder in corporate leaders.
- Gender differences in personality disorders.
- Diagnosis challenges for Cluster A personality disorders.
- Emotional intelligence and its role in treating personality disorders.
- Psychotherapy methods for treating personality disorders.
- Personality disorders in the elderly population.
- Stigma and misconceptions about personality disorders.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
Research on obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) and related conditions can shed light on their underlying causes, symptoms, and innovative treatment methods. These topics explore psychological, social, and therapeutic aspects:
- OCD and its relationship with anxiety disorders.
- Cognitive mechanisms behind hoarding behaviour.
- Deep Brain Stimulation as a treatment for severe OCD.
- The impact of OCD on academic performance in students.
- Role of family and social networks in treating OCD.
- Alternative treatments for hoarding disorder.
- Childhood onset OCD: Diagnosis and treatment.
- OCD and religious obsessions.
- The impact of OCD on family dynamics.
- Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Causes and treatment.
PTSD
Research on PTSD can help uncover its triggers, underlying mechanisms, and innovative treatment approaches. These topics explore psychological, social, and therapeutic aspects of PTSD:
- PTSD in military veterans: Coping mechanisms and treatment.
- Childhood trauma and adult onset PTSD.
- Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) efficacy.
- Role of emotional support animals in treating PTSD.
- Gender differences in PTSD occurrence and treatment.
- Effectiveness of group therapy for PTSD patients.
- PTSD and substance abuse: A dual diagnosis.
- First responders and rates of PTSD.
- Domestic violence as a cause of PTSD.
- The neurobiology of PTSD.
Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Research on neurodevelopmental disorders like Autism and ADHD focuses on understanding their causes, improving interventions, and reducing stigma. These topics explore their impact on daily life, education, and societal inclusion:
- Early diagnosis and interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder.
- ADHD medication and its impact on academic performance.
- Parental coping strategies for children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
- Autism and gender: Diagnosis disparities.
- The role of diet in managing ADHD symptoms.
- Neurodevelopmental disorders in the criminal justice system.
- Genetic factors influencing Autism.
- ADHD and its relationship with sleep disorders.
- Educational adaptations for children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
- Neurodevelopmental disorders and stigma in schools.
Eating Disorders
Research on eating disorders delves into their psychological, social, and biological dimensions, uncovering factors that contribute to their onset and exploring effective treatments. These topics examine societal influences, treatment methods, and underrepresented groups:
- The role of social media in promoting eating disorders.
- Family dynamics and their impact on anorexia.
- Biological basis of binge-eating disorder.
- Treatment outcomes for bulimia nervosa.
- Eating disorders in athletes.
- Media portrayal of body image and its impact.
- Eating disorders and gender: Are men underdiagnosed?
- Cultural variations in eating disorders.
- The relationship between obesity and eating disorders.
- Eating disorders in the LGBTQ+ community.
Substance-Related Disorders
Research on substance-related disorders investigates the mechanisms of addiction, evaluates treatment options, and examines their social and health impacts. These topics explore prevention, intervention, and societal challenges:
- Efficacy of rehabilitation centres for alcohol addiction.
- The role of genetics in substance abuse.
- Substance abuse and its impact on family dynamics.
- Prescription drug abuse among the elderly.
- Legalisation of marijuana and its impact on substance abuse rates.
- Alcoholism and its relationship with liver diseases.
- Opioid crisis: Causes and solutions.
- Substance abuse education in schools: Is it effective?
- Harm reduction strategies for drug abuse.
- Co-occurring mental health disorders in substance abusers.
I didn’t know if I was good enough.
See how Kelsee went from lost and confused to conquering her PhD.Real Examples: Mood Disorder Topics
As you can see, the finance topic ideas we’ve covered above are relatively broad and open-ended. Here are some examples of real research articles within the mental health domain to give you an idea of how these can be narrowed down into actionable research topics.
Wang, P.S., Berglund, P. & Kessler, R. (2000) ‘Recent care of common mental disorders in the United States’, Journal of General Internal Medicine, 15, pp. 284–292.
Pitchforth, J., Viner, R. & Hargreaves, D. (2016) ‘Trends in mental health and wellbeing among children and young people in the UK: a repeated cross-sectional study, 2000–14’, The Lancet, 388.
Claassen, D., Ascoli, M., Berhe, T. & Priebe, S. (2005) ‘Research on mental disorders and their care in immigrant populations: a review of publications from Germany, Italy and the UK’, European Psychiatry, 20, pp. 540–549.
Wittchen, H. & Jacobi, F. (2005) ‘Size and burden of mental disorders in Europe—a critical review and appraisal of 27 studies’, European Neuropsychopharmacology, 15, pp. 357–376.
Walby, F., Myhre, M. & Kildahl, A.T. (2018) ‘Contact with mental health services prior to suicide: a systematic review and meta-analysis’, Psychiatric Services, 69(7), pp. 751–759.
Petrie, K., Crawford, J., Baker, S., Dean, K., Robinson, J., Veness, B.G., Randall, J., McGorry, P., Christensen, H. & Harvey, S. (2019) ‘Interventions to reduce symptoms of common mental disorders and suicidal ideation in physicians’, The Lancet Psychiatry, 6(3), pp. 225–234.
Sheldon, E., Simmonds-Buckley, M., Bone, C., Mascarenhas, T., Chan, N., Wincott, M., Gleeson, H., Sow, K., Hind, D. & Barkham, M. (2021) ‘Prevalence and risk factors for mental health problems in university undergraduate students’, Journal of Affective Disorders, 287, pp. 282–292.
Ma, L., Mazidi, M., Li, K., Li, Y., Chen, S., Kirwan, R.P., Zhou, H., Yan, N., Rahman, A., Wang, W. & Wang, Y. (2021) ‘Prevalence of mental health problems among children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic’, Journal of Affective Disorders, 293, pp. 78–89.
Beattie, T., Smilenova, B., Krishnaratne, S. & Mazzuca, A. (2020) ‘Mental health problems among female sex workers in low- and middle-income countries’, PLoS Medicine, 17.
Cooper, M., Avery, L., Scott, J., Ashley, K., Jordan, C., Errington, L. & Flynn, D. (2022) ‘Effectiveness and active ingredients of social prescribing interventions targeting mental health’, BMJ Open, 12.
As you can see, these research topics are a lot more focused than the generic topic ideas we presented earlier. So, you’ll need to get specific and laser-focused on a specific context with specific variables of interest. To learn more about the topic ideation and refinement process, check out our Free Research Topic Bootcamp.
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Good morning everyone. This are very patent topics for research in neuroscience. Thank you for guidance
What if everything is important, original and intresting? as in Neuroscience. I find myself overwhelmd with tens of relveant areas and within each area many optional topics. I ask myself if importance (for example – able to treat people suffering) is more relevant than what intrest me, and on the other hand if what advance me further in my career should not also be a consideration?
This information is really helpful and have learnt alot
Phd research topics on implementation of mental health policy in Nigeria :the prospects, challenges and way forward.
This info is indeed help for someone to formulate a dissertation topic. I have already got my path from here.