Understanding Entrepreneurs' Mental Health: Findings from Two Systematic Literature Reviews

By:

• Ismail Elalaoui, researcher at the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières (UQTR)
• Étienne St-Jean, holder of the UQTR Research Chair in Entrepreneurial Career Development at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR)
• Florence Guiliani, Associate Professor at the School of Management at the University of Sherbrooke (UdeS)
• Simon Coulombe, Full Professor in the Department of Industrial Relations at Laval University (ULaval)

At the MAIN Summit, Ismail Elalaoui presented the findings of a scientific review on the mental health of entrepreneurs, based on recent academic literature.

The first point is fundamental: mental health is not limited to well-being; rather, it should be understood as a continuum with four major interconnected dimensions:

• Eudaimonic well-being
• Hedonic well-being
• Psychological distress
• Mental disorders

This approach is fully in line with the report’s findings, which emphasize that these dimensions often coexist rather than conflict with one another.

A reality unique to entrepreneurship

One distinctive feature stands out: conflicting psychological states can coexist within a single entrepreneur. For example, an individual may feel deeply fulfilled while simultaneously being under a great deal of stress.

This duality is particularly evident in the business world, where the demands for performance, the level of uncertainty, and the need for personal commitment are high.

The research presented here shows that entrepreneurs’ mental health has both direct and indirect effects on their decision-making ability, creativity, commitment, personal life, and business performance.

In other words, mental health is not a peripheral issue; it is a key determinant of entrepreneurial performance.

Well-identified risk factors

The report highlights several sources of stress specific to entrepreneurship:

• workload and role ambiguity
• decision-making isolation
• the financial implications
• market uncertainty
• and the difficulty of balancing work and personal life

These factors are particularly pronounced among entrepreneurs who are just starting out. The studies presented point to a central idea: entrepreneurs’ mental health depends on a dynamic balance between personal, emotional, relational, and organizational resources.

This perspective calls for moving beyond a simplistic view of well-being to acknowledge the true complexity of the entrepreneurial experience and to develop responses tailored to this reality.