▶ BCM210 RESEARCH PRACTICES IN MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION
Research Question: How does mental health affect university students?
İlhan, N., Güzlük, M., & Özmen, E. (2019). The relationship between mental health and basic need fulfillment of university students. Journal of Psychiatric Nursing / Psikiyatri Hemsireleri Dernegi, 10(4), 286–295. https://doi-org.ezproxy.uow.edu.au/10.14744/phd.2019.43255
This study shows the relationship between university students and mental health both in the eyes of a student as well as an overall. It was conducted in Istanbul, Turkey and the research study conducted 609 students to participate; all from a foundation university in Istanbul — the data was collected through means of a questionnaire that was distributed to the students.
In the beginning of the research paper they have stated that being a university student can be one of the most stressful periods a person can go through in their life — reason being, this is the crucial stage between adolescence to adulthood where an individual makes life changing decisions based on specific aspects like the course a student will take or the classes they choose to attend or not attend. During a student’s university life, the student will undergo different tasks and problems that one is not too familiar with all while learning new ways to cope or resolve these problems and tasks. It is also a period in a university student’s life where they undergo these new challenges alone and without the help of their parents/family.
In the research it was found that there are several students that developed certain ways to cope with certain problems or issues that they face during their university life whilst a handful of students that go through the same challenges as the ones who are able to cope, are unable to come up with ways to cope with the same problems. Through their research, they found that these individuals who have struggles with developing coping mechanisms are more vulnerable to depressive tendencies, behavioral disorders, overall mental health issues and even academic failures.
After collecting the results of the research, they found that a university student’s mental health affects positively once provided with basic needs such as survival, love and belonging and freedom. Whilst still on the topic of freedom, it was found as well that the mental health of university students significantly improved after given the basic need of freedom — because once an adolescent becomes more independent during their period in university especially — they are more capable of making their own decisions which means that their psychological level of freedom has increased, since they are choosing their own path.
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). College students’ mental health is a growing concern, survey finds. Retrieved June 2013, from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/06/college-students
In this study, the Association for University and College Counselling Center Directors found that 95% of college counselling center directors in the US have discovered that there has been an increasingly large amount of university students that are going through psychological problems and that it is becoming a growing concern.
This study found that the average number of students that seek for counselling services in smaller colleges is 9-12% while in large colleges and universities it is 6-7%, it was said that those schools that do provide services as such have a larger body of students that these schools cater to. The most prominent mental health issue is anxiety where they found that amongst college students; 41.6% of them are experiencing problems of that issue, the next most prominent mental health issue was depression which 36.4% of students were found to be experiencing it. Other concerns that the students have presented are things like, relationship problems (35.8%), suicidal tendencies (16.1%), alcohol abuse (9.9%), sexual assault (9.2%), ADHD (8.9%) and self inflicted injury (8.7%).
Despite surveying these colleges and their students and finding out which were the most prominent issues occurring and psychological problems being a growing concern, on average only 24.5% of these students take prescribed medication to help lessen the symptoms of their mental health issues.
When reviewing these two researches about mental health I found there are different sides of the spectrum when it comes to university students, one side is more willing to seek out for professional help and wanting to resolve their on-going psychological issues while the other side; they do want to resolve their psychological issues as well — however, they may be willing but because of these psychological issues; it may be preventing them from seeking out for professional help since it can take a lot to just speak up about how they feel — anxiety being one of the biggest mental health issues found in university students.
In conclusion, I believe that universities can be more open on the different situations an individual student may or may not be experiencing — counselors aside. It can help alleviate the overall stress and pressure that a student feels considering that university is that one period in one’s lifetime that everyone will at least undergo. I also believe that it would be ideal if the counselling services that universities provide on-site would be more taken into account if such services provided more information to students that can help reach out to those specific students who are unable to step up by themselves and reach out for professional help — since I can say that most university students are not really employed into a stable job let alone a job, and may think that paying for counselling in their university may be a waste and may not be worth their money as well as their time.
Jessica Pauline Camille Ablog Mercado 