scholarly journals The role of family structure and parenting in first year university adjustment

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 446-459
Author(s):  
Verushka Zaskia Daniels ◽  
Eugene Lee Davids ◽  
Nicolette Vanessa Roman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Family Structure ◽  
South African ◽  
Autonomy Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
First Year ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Supportive Parenting ◽  
University Adjustment

The first year of university creates new experiences and challenges for first years and lays the foundation for the subsequent years of study. This first year has implications for academic development, mental health, and well-being of students and subsequently student retention. The majority of South African university students stay within their familial home unlike their international counterparts. The family may therefore play a contributory role in adjustment to university but this role is somewhat unclear. The current study therefore aimed to establish the associations between university adjustments of first year students, family structure, and parenting. The study employed a cross-sectional design, with a sample of 556 first year undergraduate students at a South African university. The data were collected using an electronic self-administered questionnaire on a secure online platform using the Perceived Parental Autonomy Support Scale and the College Adaptation Questionnaire. Data analysis included hierarchical regression analyses and one-way analyses of variance to determine and compare the relationships between the variables. The results suggest that students from two-parent families were more adjusted than those from one-parent families. Autonomy-supportive parenting predicted positive university adjustment for the total sample, but only maternal autonomy-supportive parenting predicted good adjustment for students in two-parent families. This study highlights the potential role parents and families may play in the adjustment of first year students to university. This is particularly relevant in South Africa where many students are first-generation students, are challenged in transitioning to university, and this may have subsequent mental health–related challenges.

scholarly journals U-Flourish university students well-being and academic success longitudinal study: a study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. e029854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Margaret Goodday ◽  
Daniel Rivera ◽  
Hannah Foran ◽  
Nathan King ◽  
Melissa Milanovic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Oxford University ◽  
Queen's University

IntroductionOver 30% of Canadians between the ages of 16 and 24 years attend university. This period of life coincides with the onset of common mental illnesses. Yet, data to inform university-based mental health prevention and early intervention initiatives are limited. The U-Flourish longitudinal study based out of Queen’s University, Canada and involving Oxford University in the UK, is a student informed study funded by the Canadian Institute for Health Research Strategy for Patient Oriented Research (CIHR-SPOR). The primary goal of U-Flourish research is to examine the contribution of risk and resiliency factors to outcomes of well-being and academic success in first year students transitioning to university.Methods and analysisThe study is a longitudinal survey of all first-year undergraduate students entering Queen’s University in the fall term of 2018 (and will launch at Oxford University in fall of 2019). In accordance with the CIHR-SPOR definitions, students represent the target population (ie, patient equivalent). Student peer health educators were recruited to inform the design, content and implementation of the study. Baseline surveys of Queen’s first year students were completed in the fall of 2018, and follow-up surveys at the end of first year in the spring of 2019. Extensive student-led engagement campaigns were used to maximise participation rates. The baseline survey included measures of personal factors, family factors, environmental factors, psychological and emotional health, and lifestyle factors. Main outcomes include self-reported indicators of mental health at follow-up and mental health service access, as well as objective measures of academic success through linkage to university administrative and academic databases. A combination of mixed effects regression techniques will be employed to determine associations between baseline predictive factors and mental health and academic outcomes.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval was obtained by the Health Sciences and Affiliated Teaching Hospitals Research Ethics Board (HSREB) (#6023126) at Queen’s University. Findings will be disseminated through international and national peer-reviewed scientific articles and other channels including student-driven support and advocacy groups, newsletters and social media.

Variables affecting first-year student commitment during the transition to college in Ireland

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 741-751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasha Daniels ◽  
Jerome Sheahan ◽  
Pádraig MacNeela
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
Student Persistence ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Transition To College ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
First Year ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Retention Models

Abstract Third-level student attrition rates internationally are a cause for concern. Thus, student retention and academic success are top priorities for colleges, and students alike. In addition to this, student well-being is a growing public health concern. This study explores the need to incorporate well-being as a predictor in traditionally academically focused models of student persistence during the transition to college. A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted with 574 first-year students aged 17–22 years attending a university in Ireland to examine the effect of student persistence and well-being variables on student commitment during the transition to college. This study highlights the connection between student academic, social and well-being variables during the transition to college within the fitted models that emerged from the data. Student well-being plays a key role ensuring student persistence during the transition to college. The results support our hypothesis that many student variables have the potential to substantially impact student commitment during the first-year transition to college. These variables include student depression, self-rated health, academic environment, peer connections and perceiving the academic programme to be an appropriate personal choice. It is therefore important for education institutions to acknowledge and address student persistence and student well-being in an integrative way and for traditionally academically focused student retention models to orientate to incorporate student well-being.

scholarly journals Managing your mind: how simple activities within the curriculum can improve undergraduate students' mental health and wellbeing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor Roisin Edwards ◽  
Heidrun Interthal ◽  
Heather McQueen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Higher Education ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Well Being ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Personal Lives ◽  
Transition Activities ◽  
Mental Health Awareness ◽  
Mental Well Being

The transition into higher education stretches students socially, academically and within their personal lives requiring adaptation and development of resilience. For many, such demands may lead to decreased mental well-being and, for some, mental ill-health.This project aimed to trial simple mental health awareness and well-being tasks with first year undergraduate students, and to determine whether students find these interventions beneficial and worthy of embedding as transition activities within the first-year curriculum. Four activities were trialled with 185 first-year students who reported the activities as beneficial. All activities caused an overall increase in student knowledge of how to maintain good mental well-being. In the light of this project’s findings, such activities are recommended for embedding into the first-year curriculum and throughout higher education. 

Perfectionism in the transition to university: Comparing diathesis-stress and downward spiral models of depressive symptoms

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelby L. Levine ◽  
Marina Milyavskaya
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Personal Standards ◽  
Downward Spiral ◽  
Personal Standards Perfectionism ◽  
Spiral Model ◽  
Diathesis Stress Model

Transitioning to university may be especially difficult for students who expect perfection from themselves. Self-critical perfectionism has consistently been linked to poor mental health. The current study compares a diathesis-stress and a downward spiral model, to determine why self-critical perfectionism is detrimental for mental health during this transition. First-year students (N=658) were recruited prior to beginning university in August and contacted again in October, January, and April. Participants completed measures on perfectionism, stress and depressive symptoms. Evidence was found for a downward spiral model with self-critical perfectionism, but not a diathesis-stress model. Students higher in self-critical perfectionism were more likely to experience increased stress and depressive symptoms in a circular and additive manner. Conversely, students higher in personal standards perfectionism experienced less stress and subsequent depressive symptoms. This research provides a theoretical model for why self-critical perfectionism is related to poor mental health outcomes which become sustained over time.

scholarly journals Performers of the night: Examining the mental health of electronic music artists

2021 ◽  
pp. 030573562097698
Author(s):  
Jolan Kegelaers ◽  
Lewie Jessen ◽  
Eline Van Audenaerde ◽  
Raôul RD Oudejans
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Sleep Disturbance ◽  
Electronic Music ◽  
Music Performance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Music Performance Anxiety ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Levels Of Functioning

Despite growing popular interest for the mental health of electronic music artists, scientific research addressing this topic has remained largely absent. As such, the aim of the current study was to examine the mental health of electronic music artists, as well as a number of determinants. Using a cross-sectional quantitative design, a total of 163 electronic music artists participated in this study. In line with the two-continua model of mental health, both symptoms of depression/anxiety and well-being were adopted as indicators for mental health. Furthermore, standardized measures were used to assess potential determinants of mental health, including sleep disturbance, music performance anxiety, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, occupational stress, resilience, and social support. Results highlighted that around 30% of participants experienced symptoms of depression/anxiety. Nevertheless, the majority of these participants still demonstrated at least moderate levels of functioning and well-being. Sleep disturbance formed a significant predictor for both symptoms of depression/anxiety and well-being. Furthermore, resilience and social support were significant predictors for well-being. The results provide a first glimpse into the mental health challenges experienced by electronic music artists and support the need for increased research as well as applied initiatives directed at safeguarding their mental health.

scholarly journals Application of Cannabis Use Intention Questionnaire (CUIQ) to First Year University Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Inês Teodoro ◽  
Hugo Torres ◽  
Nuno Venâncio ◽  
Guilhermina Moutinho ◽  
Maria Deolinda Auxtero
Keyword(s):  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Self Control ◽  
First Year ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
Intent To Use ◽  
First Year University

Cannabis is the illegal drug most used worldwide. Its long-term use increases the risk of depression and schizophrenia, causing a major public health problem. A validated questionnaire was applied to first year students of Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz to assess their intention regarding cannabis use. They do not consider cannabis to be much associated with well-being, they slightly consider the opinion of relatives, and they show a low intent to use the drug, believing themselves to have strong self-control. Scores are above average for 18-y.o. Portuguese students, except for belief in self-control.

scholarly journals Day-to-day variability in sleep parameters and depression risk: a prospective cohort study of training physicians

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Fang ◽  
Daniel B. Forger ◽  
Elena Frank ◽  
Srijan Sen ◽  
Cathy Goldstein
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Smartphone Application ◽  
Sleep Time ◽  
Self Report ◽  
First Year ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Wake Time ◽  
Mood Variability ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
Sleep Parameters

AbstractWhile 24-h total sleep time (TST) is established as a critical driver of major depression, the relationships between sleep timing and regularity and mental health remain poorly characterized because most studies have relied on either self-report assessments or traditional objective sleep measurements restricted to cross-sectional time frames and small cohorts. To address this gap, we assessed sleep with a wearable device, daily mood with a smartphone application and depression through the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) over the demanding first year of physician training (internship). In 2115 interns, reduced TST (b = −0.11, p < 0.001), later bedtime (b = 0.068, p = 0.015), along with increased variability in TST (b = 0.4, p = 0.0012) and in wake time (b = 0.081, p = 0.005) were associated with more depressive symptoms. Overall, the aggregated impact of sleep variability parameters and of mean sleep parameters on PHQ-9 were similar in magnitude (both r2 = 0.01). Within individuals, increased TST (b = 0.06, p < 0.001), later wake time (b = 0.09, p < 0.001), earlier bedtime (b = − 0.07, p < 0.001), as well as lower day-to-day shifts in TST (b = −0.011, p < 0.001) and in wake time (b = −0.004, p < 0.001) were associated with improved next-day mood. Variability in sleep parameters substantially impacted mood and depression, similar in magnitude to the mean levels of sleep parameters. Interventions that target sleep consistency, along with sleep duration, hold promise to improve mental health.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document