scholarly journals Understanding Students’ Mental Well-Being Challenges on a University Campus: Interview Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sun Young Park ◽  
Nazanin Andalibi ◽  
Yikai Zou ◽  
Siddhant Ambulkar ◽  
Jina Huh-Yoo
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Transitional Period ◽  
Major Life Events ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Mental Well Being

BACKGROUND Research shows that emerging adults face numerous stressors as they transition from adolescence to adulthood. This paper investigates university students’ lived experiences of maintaining mental well-being during major life events and challenges associated with this transitional period. As we continue to design health technology to support students’ mental health needs, it is imperative to understand the fundamental needs and issues particular to this phase of their life to effectively engage and lower the barriers to seeking help. OBJECTIVE This study first aimed to understand how university students currently seek and receive support to maintain their mental well-being while going through frequent life events during this period of emerging adulthood. The study then aimed to provide design requirements for how social and technical systems should support the students’ mental well-being maintenance practice. METHODS Semistructured interviews with 19 students, including graduate and undergraduate students, were conducted at a large university in the Midwest in the United States. RESULTS This study’s findings identified three key needs: students (1) need to receive help that aligns with the perceived severity of the problem caused by a life event, (2) have to continuously rebuild relationships with support givers because of frequent life events, and (3) negotiate tensions between the need to disclose and the stigma associated with disclosure. The study also identified three key factors related to maintaining mental well-being: time, audience, and disclosure. CONCLUSIONS On the basis of this study’s empirical findings, we discuss how and when help should be delivered through technology to better address university students’ needs for maintaining their mental well-being, and we argue for reconceptualizing seeking and receiving help as a colearning process.

scholarly journals Understanding Students’ Mental Well-Being Challenges on a University Campus: Interview Study

10.2196/15962 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. e15962 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sun Young Park ◽  
Nazanin Andalibi ◽  
Yikai Zou ◽  
Siddhant Ambulkar ◽  
Jina Huh-Yoo
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Transitional Period ◽  
Major Life Events ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Mental Well Being

Background Research shows that emerging adults face numerous stressors as they transition from adolescence to adulthood. This paper investigates university students’ lived experiences of maintaining mental well-being during major life events and challenges associated with this transitional period. As we continue to design health technology to support students’ mental health needs, it is imperative to understand the fundamental needs and issues particular to this phase of their life to effectively engage and lower the barriers to seeking help. Objective This study first aimed to understand how university students currently seek and receive support to maintain their mental well-being while going through frequent life events during this period of emerging adulthood. The study then aimed to provide design requirements for how social and technical systems should support the students’ mental well-being maintenance practice. Methods Semistructured interviews with 19 students, including graduate and undergraduate students, were conducted at a large university in the Midwest in the United States. Results This study’s findings identified three key needs: students (1) need to receive help that aligns with the perceived severity of the problem caused by a life event, (2) have to continuously rebuild relationships with support givers because of frequent life events, and (3) negotiate tensions between the need to disclose and the stigma associated with disclosure. The study also identified three key factors related to maintaining mental well-being: time, audience, and disclosure. Conclusions On the basis of this study’s empirical findings, we discuss how and when help should be delivered through technology to better address university students’ needs for maintaining their mental well-being, and we argue for reconceptualizing seeking and receiving help as a colearning process.

scholarly journals The 5Cs of Positive Youth Development, Purpose in Life, Hope, and Well-Being Among Emerging Adults in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nor Ba’yah Abdul Kadir ◽  
Rusyda Helma Mohd
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Purpose In Life ◽  
Emerging Adult ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Positive Development

A substantial body of evidence supports Lerner and colleagues’ 5Cs model of positive youth development (PYD) in the United States (U.S.). Nonetheless, it remains unclear whether the 5Cs can be used to identify positive development in the under-researched Asian contexts, such as Malaysia. Thus, this study examined the 5Cs of PYD (competence, confidence, character, connection, and caring) and their importance to purpose in life, hope, and well-being in a sample of emerging adult undergraduate university students in Malaysia. Data were collected from 400 participants from 15 Malaysian universities (132 males, 268 females; ages ranged from 18 to 26 years old, M = 22). A hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that two of the 5Cs of PYD (confidence and connection) as well as hope were important to explaining variation in well-being. The findings imply that there are strong links between PYD, especially confidence and connection, and well-being, while purpose in life and hope were indirectly related to the 2Cs (confidence and connection) of PYD and well-being. Therefore, mental health professionals are encouraged to review and redefine their treatment design to include confidence, connection, purpose in life and hope when working with Malaysian emerging adult university students.

Does growth require suffering? A systematic review and meta-analysis on genuine posttraumatic and postecstatic growth

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Mangelsdorf ◽  
Michael Eid ◽  
Maike Luhmann
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Prospective Studies ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Positive Trend ◽  
Major Life Events ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Total N

Previous literature on growth after major life events has primarily focused on negative experiences and operationalized growth with measures which rely on the post-hoc self-perception of change. Since this method is prone to many biases, two questions have become increasingly controversial: Is there genuine growth after major life events and does growth require suffering? The present meta-analysis is the first synthesis of longitudinal research on the effects of life events on at least one subdomain of psychological well-being, posttraumatic, or postecstatic growth. Studies needed to have a longitudinal design, assess changes through independent measures over time, and provide sufficient data to estimate change scores. The meta-analysis comprises 364 effect sizes from 154 independent samples (total N = 98,436) in 122 longitudinal studies.A positive trend has been found for self-esteem, positive relationships, and mastery in prospective studies after both positive and negative events. We found no general evidence for the widespread conviction that negative life events have a stronger effect than positive ones. No genuine growth was found for meaning and spirituality. In the majority of studies with control groups, results did not significantly differ between event and control group, indicating that changes in the outcome variables cannot simply be attributed to the occurrence of the investigated life events. More controlled prospective studies are necessary in order to validate the genuine nature of post-event growth. Overall, the meta-analysis provides a systematic overview of the state of life event research and delineates important guidelines for future research on genuine growth.

The Influence of Major Life Events and Personality Traits on the Stability of Affective Well-Being

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 719-741 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Hentschel ◽  
Michael Eid ◽  
Tanja Kutscher
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Major Life Events ◽  
Major Life ◽  
The Stability

scholarly journals A Dimensional Taxonomy of Perceived Characteristics of Major Life Events

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maike Luhmann ◽  
Ina Fassbender ◽  
Mark Alcock ◽  
Peter Hähner
Keyword(s):  
Social Status ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Outcomes ◽  
Common Finding ◽  
External Control ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Major Life Events ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Total N

Major life events (MLEs) are studied in many different areas in psychology such as personality development, clinical psychology, or posttraumatic growth. In all of these areas, a common finding is that MLEs differ in their effects on psychological outcomes. However, a framework that allows a systematic examination of these differences is still absent. This paper presents a systematic literature review and 4 empirical studies (Ns between 226 and 449, total N = 1,477) in which we developed and evaluated a dimensional taxonomy of nine perceived characteristics of MLEs: valence, impact, predictability, challenge, emotional significance, change in world views, social status changes, external control, and extraordinariness. These event characteristics can be measured reliably with the Event Characteristics Questionnaire (ECQ). Perceived event characteristics predicted individual differences in changes in subjective well-being in both retrospective and longitudinal data after MLEs over and above established predictors of subjective well-being such as personality and demographic characteristics. A comparison between the ECQ and established taxonomies of situation characteristics such as the DIAMONDS (Rauthmann et al., 2014) showed high conceptual and empirical convergence between some ECQ subscales (e.g., valence, challenge) with characteristics of situations, whereas other ECQ subscales (e.g., social status changes, external control) were conceptually and empirically distinct from situation characteristics. In sum, including measures of perceived event characteristics in studies on MLEs may enhance our understanding of why MLEs differ in the direction, strength, and duration of their effects on psychological outcomes.

“I Am Grateful That I Still Live Under One Roof With My Family”: Gratitude Among South African University Students

2020 ◽  
pp. 216769682097069
Author(s):  
Carolina F. du Plessis ◽  
Tharina Guse ◽  
Graham A. du Plessis
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
South African ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Developmental Trajectory ◽  
Socioeconomic Resources ◽  
Material Resources ◽  
University Life

During the transition from school to university, students are faced with many challenges to their well-being. This is especially true in resource constrained societies like South Africa. While there is extensive research linking well-being with gratitude, less is known qualitatively about what individuals are grateful for. A sample of 933 undergraduate students submitted gratitude lists, resulting in over 9,000 unique “gratitude items.” Thematic analysis revealed several prominent themes, such as gratitude for relationships, material resources, being at university, life and health, and, finally, religious gratitude. These themes are discussed in the context of the importance of family relationships in the lives of emerging adults, the core role played by the educational context, the importance of socioeconomic resources and the association between religion, gratitude, and well-being. Strengthening these resources and cultivating gratitude for these prominent targets of appreciation may support students in their developmental trajectory.

scholarly journals Assessment of Self-Reported Mental Health and Acculturation Stress Among Foreign-Born and U.S.-Born Latinos in Immokalee, Florida: A Pilot Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Payal Kahar ◽  
Lirio K Negroni
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Life Events ◽  
The United States ◽  
Acculturation Stress ◽  
Sociodemographic Characteristics ◽  
Foreign Born ◽  
Major Life Events ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Educational Levels

The population of Immokalee in Southwest Florida is 75% Latinos, with nearly half being foreign-born. Several documented stressors contribute to poor mental health among Latinos. However, little is known about Latinos’ mental health in this region. This study sought to assess self-rated mental health (SRMH) and acculturation stress (AS) and predict SRMH based on stress from life events, AS, sociodemographic characteristics, and social support among U.S.-born and foreign-born Latinos. Face-to-face interviews and assisted self-administered surveys were used to collect information among 158 Latinos on sociodemographic characteristics, AS, major life events that caused stress, social support, and SRMH. AS was elicited by asking three questions (Cronbach’s a = .84), total stress level was determined by 10 major life events, and social support was elicited by 14 questions (Cronbach’s a = .76). Results indicated that foreign-born Latinos 36–75 years old, with minimal social support, U.S.-born Latinos with lower educational levels, minimal social support, and high-moderate stress levels reported statistically significant low SRMH. AS was significantly higher among foreign-born 36- to 75-year-olds, with lower educational levels, minimal social support, who preferred the Spanish language and lived ≤15 years in the United States. Linear regression analysis showed social support, educational levels, and life stressors to be significant predictors of SRMH among U.S.-born Latinos, whereas social support was a significant predictor in foreign-born Latinos.

scholarly journals Stability and Change of Perceived Characteristics of Major Life Events

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Haehner ◽  
Sarah Kritzler ◽  
Ina Fassbender ◽  
Maike Luhmann
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Big Five ◽  
Continuous Time ◽  
Rank Order ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Major Life Events ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Life Event ◽  
Stability And Change ◽  
The Stability

The occurrence of major life events is associated with changes in mental health, well-being, and personality. To better understand these effects, it is important to consider how individuals perceive major life events. Although theories such as Appraisal Theory and Affective Adaptation Theory suggest that event perceptions change over time and that these changes are relevant for personality and well-being, stability and change of the perceptions of major life events have not been systematically examined. The present paper aims to fill this gap using data from a longitudinal study (N = 619 at T1). In this study, participants rated nine characteristics of the same major life event up to five times within one year with the Event Characteristics Questionnaire. We estimated rank-order and mean-level stabilities as well as intraclass correlations of the nine life event characteristics with continuous time models. Furthermore, we computed continuous time models for the stability of affective well-being and the Big Five personality traits to generate benchmarks for the interpretation of the stability coefficients. Rank-order stabilities of the life event characteristics were lower than for the Big Five, but higher than for affective well-being. Furthermore, we found significant mean-level changes for the life event characteristics extraordinariness, change in world views and external control. Most of the variance in life event characteristics was explained by between-person differences. Future research should examine whether these changes in perceived event characteristics are associated with changes in other constructs and which factors contribute to the stability and change of perceived event characteristics.

Stepping Off the Hedonic Treadmill

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 144-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony D. Mancini ◽  
George A. Bonanno ◽  
Andrew E. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Growth Mixture Modeling ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Major Life Events ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Modal Response ◽  
Stress Responding ◽  
Best Fit

Theorists have long maintained that people react to major life events but then eventually return to a setpoint of subjective well-being. Yet prior research is inconclusive regarding the extent of interindividual variability. Recent theoretical models suggest that there should be heterogeneity in long-term stress responding ( Bonanno, 2004 ; Muthén & Muthén, 2000 ). To test this idea, we used latent growth mixture modeling to identify specific patterns of individual variation in response to three major life events (bereavement, divorce, and marriage). A four-class trajectory solution provided the best fit for bereavement and marriage, while a three-class solution provided the best fit for divorce. Relevant covariates predicted trajectory class membership. The modal response across events was a relatively flat trajectory (i.e., no change). Nevertheless, some trajectories diverged sharply from the modal response. Despite the tendency to maintain preevent levels of SWB, there are multiple and often divergent trajectories in response to bereavement, divorce, and marriage, underscoring the essential role of individual differences.

scholarly journals Service interactions and subjective well-being in later life

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 245-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cécile Plaud ◽  
Samuel Guillemot
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Daily Consumption ◽  
Major Life Events ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examines the positive and negative impact of service provider experiences on the process of identity adjustment and how they can lead to subjective well-being (SWB). Due to increased life expectancies, people are experiencing major life events during aging (e.g. death of a spouse, serious disease and major health problems), events that lead to identity redefinition. Design/methodology/approach – To gain more insight into this issue, a qualitative study was carried out that involved 37 in-depth interviews conducted with aging individuals who had experienced a major life event such as retirement and/or death of spouse. To apprehend the diversity of consumption situations, the authors investigated daily consumption, hedonic consumption and imposed services (e.g. health and funeral services) due to life events. Findings – The findings suggest that service providers influence consumer’s SWB as regards relationships, growth and purpose in life, mastery and independence and self-acceptance. Originality/value – The contribution indicates that services play a role in maintaining and/or creating SWB. By segmentation through social roles and facilitating access to services, providers must take into account the processes of normalcy and abandonment (déprise) among aging consumers in life transitions. They must also ensure that they support consumers with the lowest human capital (skills, level of education, income and social class).

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