Student mental health in England: Statistics, policy, and guidance - House of Commons Library (parliament.uk)
Home (studentspace.org.uk)
Estimating suicide among higher education students, England and Wales: Experimental Statistics - Office for National Statistics
Current state of student mental health services:
Investigate student support services in , colleges and schools (what’s on offer)
Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of student support
Look at recent studies /reports on student support and the importance/effectivness
Digital mental health platforms:
- look at already existing successful mental health platforms targeting gen-z
Analyse features, user engagement strategies
What ,makes them resonate with their target audience
Impact of loss on student :
Research into studies on the psychological affect loss can have on academic performance of students
Explore different coping mechanisms ‘s usually do during times of loss
Gen-z research and Characteristics:
Investigate unique characteristics of gen-z compared to other generations
Explore preferences, attitudes towards mental health and communication styles
How ‘digital natives’ approach and Handel challenges in their life
Global perspective on student mental :
compare approaches to student mental health globally
Successful approaches and practices for student mental wellbeing
Technological trends and their role in mental :
the role of technology in addressing mental health
Emerging trends of ‘Teletherapy’ and mental health apps
The positive and negative impacts of social media
Current state of student mental health services:
most common of mental health provision
Wellbeing services to deliver low intensity support and signpost to non-medical services
Counselling services for students with moderate mental distress
Disability services for students who may receive disability student allowance and are diagnosed with a mental illness.
student space- a mental health wellbeing platform for students
A range of support services
Support at your university
Could i add a more personal app to pair with this website to further help students on a more personal level?
survey done by students minds 57% of respondents self-reported a mental health issue
Death and suicide rate of students from 2017- 202, 319 students (63% male)
Student opinion +feedback on student services:
What would an ideal well-being service for students look ?
Students have said they wanted a mental health and wellbeing services to be delivered in a community setting, alongside other services and activities that young people need.
A service that was; comfortable, honest and professional
Outcome; happiness self-confidence, helping a community
Digital mental health services and competetors:
- peer to peer, peer support
Note- services that are already on offer dont resonate with gen-z/students design and marketing wise, websites aren’t something gen-z use often how could I improve?
The impact of loss on students:
negative impacts of loss/bereavment on college/university students academically can be the cause of lower grades, poorer quality or lack of sleep and higher risk of dropping out
Affects overall academic performance and quality of life due to decreased socialisation and being away from family/ not having a support system
How can educators support students dealing/struggling with loss?
- 4% of students lose one or both parents before the age of 18
-providing more support training for staff
-providing support training for peers/friends
-having a good and positive communication with the students and give them lots of options
why do students become depressed and dealing with depression at university
Social pressures + wanting to fit in
Personal, family, or relationship issues
Balancing studies with other commitments (work)
Poor sleep schedule/disturbance
Low confidence (self and accidemically)
What’s recommended if a student is depressed at university?
Understand mental health triggers
Be prepared for triggers and ask for help early
How student well-being services be improved?
Promote the services on offer in the right places to reach the correct audience
Introduce online/in person mindfullness sessions for HES as university can feel a little ‘non-stop’ at times
Implement training sessions for staff and students
Organise events to promote it more and create a positive community
Gen-z research and characteristics:
- Unique characteristics of gen-z compared to other generations
Research shows gen-z are more pragmatic (sensible and cautious about choices they make)
more cautious about career choice
more likely to finish school and complete HE
gen-z who grew up in 2007-2009 witnessed higher struggle with money and in adulthood avoid creating money sruggles for themselves.
Source: Britannica.com/topic/generation-z
-The first true digital natives
more felxable for times and places
What are gen-z known for?
wary about acquiring debt
youtube being a learnign source
streaming services over regular tv
Gen-z's attitude to mental health:
-Why do gen-z use therapy more than previous generations?
life for gen-z has introduced a different variety of new stressors leading to increased psycological concerns
awarness of mentla health issues has grown therefore things that may have been ignored before now are a cause for concern of mental health issues
stigma around useing metnal health services has decreased makeing it more likely for gen-z to identify their own issues and seek helpwhen they feel their metnal health may be deteriorating.
Exposure to harmful content on social media:
A generation that are likely to have been exposed to harmful content online at a young age (self-harm, inappropriate sexual content or death/murder)
Gen-z are more likely to self harm, have poor body image and skip sleep, be overweight, and have depression.
How do digita natives/gen-z handle or approach challenes in their lifes?
-How gen-z approach decision making
Gen-z decision making journey begins and ends with self reflection
advice from others and consulting the interent
gen-z decision influences changes over time a student for example would go quickly from releying on parents or family to educaters friends and social media- the transition to indepoendency.
thye may their own educational and professional decisions
HE and career plans are vastly different to other generations, they tend to look for alternative career choices than previous generations they priorities happiness in a job over money.
they want to learn more about career options before leaving school for HE; 68% of students have said theyrd prefer to have had more caeer and living advice before leaving school.
high-school should encourage future not plant fear
success and happiness have a different definition
Global perspective of student mental health:
-Comparison of student metnal health support
globally, mental health disorders account for 1-6 years of living with disabilitys
graduate students mental health and wellnes is just as important
people with severe mental healht condiitons tend to die 10-20 years earlier than general population
health systems remain sygnificantly under-resourced
most colleges/universitys have free cancelling services for students
they offer advice to students about current circumdtances
can offer external support
Technological trends and supporting mental health:
Teletherapy: Teletherapy is a type of therapy that uses technology to connect patients and mental health professionals virtually
Mobile applications: Apps have become a increasingly popular tool for mental health treatments, like mood tracking, coping skills and activities ys, and connecting with professionals, a benefit of apps is they’re affordable for the user and . And they provide 24/7 support
Virtual : a way of creating immersive and stimulating environments , helping to treat anxiety disorders and ptsd. This includes exposure therapy to help patients with fears and overcoming them step by step.
Artificial intelligence: ai has the potential to transform mental health treatment by providing personalised data treatment plans based on each patient. As-well as real time monitoring allowing professionals to intervene when .
Social media benefits and negatives:
Having a social connection online can :ease stress, anxiety and depression, boost self-worth, provide comfort and joy, prevent.
However, lacking strong social in person connections can pose a serious risk to mental and social health.
Positive aspects of social media:
Communicate with friends and family all over the world
Find new friends and communities
Seek/offer emotional support
Find ways to socially connect through live events nearby
An outlet for creativity and self-expression
Sources of valuable information and learning and self-improvement
Negative aspects of social media;
link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts.
Inadequacy about your life or appearance: Even if you know that images you’re viewing on social media are manipulated, they can still make you feel insecure about how you look or what’s going on in your own life.
Fear of missing out (FOMO) and social media addiction. While FOMO has been around far longer than social media, sites such as Facebook and Instagram seem to exacerbate feelings that others are having more fun or living better lives than you are.
Many of us use social media as a “security blanket”. Whenever we’re in a social situation and feel anxious, awkward, or lonely, we turn to our phones and log on to social media. Of course, interacting with social media only denies you the face-to-face interaction that can help to ease anxiety.
When you feel lonely, depressed, anxious, or stressed, you use social media more often—as a way to relieve boredom or feel connected to others.
Using social media more often, though, increases FOMO and feelings of inadequacy, dissatisfaction, and isolation.
In turn, these feelings negatively affect your mood and worsen symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.
These worsening symptoms cause you to use social media even more, and so the downward spiral begins
