Post-Secondary Stress and Mental Well-Being: A Scoping Review of the Academic Literature

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-32
Author(s):  
Brooke Linden ◽  
Heather Stuart
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Well Being ◽  
National Standard ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Academic Literature ◽  
Student Stress ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Post Secondary Students

Post-secondary students have been identified as an at-risk population for chronic stress and poor mental health. We conducted a scoping review of the academic literature surrounding student stress and mental well-being as the first phase of research in the development of Canada’s National Standard for the Psychological Health and Safety of Post-Secondary Students. Major thematic findings included student stress, resilience through effective coping and help-seeking, and programs or strategies to improve campus mental health. Recommendations include a call for increased mental health promotion and mental illness prevention activities that are sensitive to diverse cultures, ethnicities, religions, and sexualities.

scholarly journals Post-secondary Student Mental Health During COVID-19: A Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenney Zhu ◽  
Nicole Racine ◽  
Elisabeth Bailin Xie ◽  
Julianna Park ◽  
Julianna Watt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Post Secondary Students

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed notable challenges to post-secondary students, causing concern for their psychological well-being. In the face of school closures, academic disruptions, and constraints on social gatherings, it is crucial to understand the extent to which mental health among post-secondary students has been impacted in order to inform support implementation for this population. The present meta-analysis examines the global prevalence of clinically significant depression and anxiety among post-secondary students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several moderator analyses were also performed to examine sources of variability in depression and anxiety prevalence rates. A systematic search was conducted across six databases on May 3, 2021, yielding a total of 176 studies (1,732,456 participants) which met inclusion criteria. Random-effects meta-analyses of 126 studies assessing depression symptoms and 144 studies assessing anxiety symptoms were conducted. The pooled prevalence estimates of clinically elevated depressive and anxiety symptoms for post-secondary students during the COVID-19 pandemic was 30.6% (95% CI: 0.274, 0.340) and 28.2% (CI: 0.246, 0.321), respectively. The month of data collection and geographical region were determined to be significant moderators. However, student age, sex, type (i.e., healthcare student vs. non-healthcare student), and level of training (i.e., undergraduate, university or college generally; graduate, medical, post-doctorate, fellow, trainee), were not sources of variability in pooled rates of depression and anxiety symptoms during the pandemic. The current study indicates a call for continued access to mental health services to ensure post-secondary students receive adequate support during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO website: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42021253547.

Mindfulness for the Mental Health and Well-Being of Post-Secondary Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Mindfulness ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jillian E. Halladay ◽  
Jamie L. Dawdy ◽  
Isabella F. McNamara ◽  
Allison J. Chen ◽  
Irene Vitoroulis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Post Secondary Students

scholarly journals Post-secondary students’ adherence to the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults: Results from the first deployment of the Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey (CCWS)

2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 173-181
Author(s):  
Katie A. Weatherson ◽  
Himabindu Joopally ◽  
Kelly Wunderlich ◽  
Matthew Y.W. Kwan ◽  
Jennifer R. Tomasone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Sedentary Time ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Dissemination And Implementation ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Post Secondary Students

Introduction New Canadian 24-Hour movement guidelines for adults recommend several hours of light physical activity each day, 150 minutes/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) including muscle strengthening activities at least twice a week, no more than 8 hours of sedentary time and 3 hours of recreational screen time each day, and 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. This study examines post-secondary student adherence to the guidelines and its associations with sociodemographic factors and mental health. Methods We analyzed data from a sample of 20 090 post-secondary students in Canada who participated in the 2019–2020 Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey (CCWS). Prevalence of meeting guidelines for physical activity, sedentary time, recreational screen time and sleep were examined. We conducted logistic regression to examine associations between meeting movement guidelines and sociodemographic factors and mental health outcomes. Results Only 9.9% of students (females 10.4%; males 9.2%) were currently achieving four components of the 24-hour movement guidelines. Respondents most commonly adhered to MVPA (61.1%) and sleep (59.7%) guidelines. Adherence to sedentary and screen time guidelines was lower (56.3% and 36.2%, respectively). Sociodemographic factors associated with higher odds of meeting the guidelines included being female, older age, self-identifying as White, and living at high socioeconomic status. Students who reported higher psychological well-being were more likely to meet the guidelines. Conclusion Overall adherence to the new guidelines is low among post-secondary students in Canada. The CCWS provides a mechanism for monitoring the dissemination and implementation of the new Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines for adults.

scholarly journals Fall Break Fallout: Exploring Student Perceptions of the Impact of an Autumn Break on Stress

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 45-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Agnew ◽  
Heather Poole ◽  
Ayesha Khan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Student Stress ◽  
Stress Intervention ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Academic Assessments ◽  
The Impact

The mental health of post-secondary students has dominated recent discourse surrounding higher education. Accordingly, many institutions have introduced a break in the fall term, designed to support student well-being. As part of an interdisciplinary, longitudinal study examining the effects of the fall break on student stress, we held focus groups with undergraduates. We observed mixed feedback surrounding this intervention. Students appreciated the fall break as an opportunity to reduce their stress, yet they frequently reported negative impacts of the break on the timing of academic assessments and their ability to effectively manage study time. Based on extensive dialogue with students, we provide recommendations for institutions which have implemented or are considering implementing a fall break as a way to support student mental health. We aim to address the paucity of qualitative research on student stress and develop a deeper understanding of the factors driving students’ responses to stress intervention policies.

scholarly journals Effects of Touch on Students’ Stress, Happiness, and Well-Being During Animal-Assisted Activities

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 111
Author(s):  
Laura Sokal ◽  
Brianne Bartel ◽  
Taylor Martin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
North America ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
College And University ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Repeated Measures Design

Post-secondary institutions across North America have adopted animal-assisted activities as a way to promote better mental health in their students. The current research study of 242 Canadian college and university students sought to contribute to our collective understanding of the aspects of the programs and characteristics of students that are related to promotion of better mental health in post-secondary students including decreased stress, and increased happiness and well-being. Results of a repeated measures design showed that students demonstrated greater positive effects on stress, happiness, and well-being when they touched dogs as compared to when they observed them. Furthermore, positive mental health outcomes were correlated with greater durations of contact as well as with higher levels of animal affiliation in students. Implications for post-secondary institutions are discussed. 

scholarly journals Cross-Sectional Trend Analysis of the NCHA II Survey Data on Canadian Post-Secondary Student Mental Health and Wellbeing from 2013 to 2019

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brooke Linden ◽  
Randall Boyes ◽  
Heather Stuart
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Post Secondary Students

BACKGROUND: Canadian post-secondary students are considered to be at risk for chronic stress and languishing mental health, but there has been no longitudinal analysis of the available population-level data. The purpose of this study was to examine trends in the overall and sex-specific prevalence of self-reported stress, distress, mental illness, and help seeking behaviours among Canadian post-secondary students over the past several years. METHODS: Using the 2013, 2016, and 2019 iterations of the National College Health Assessment II Canadian Reference data, we conducted a trend analysis for each variable of interest, stratified by sex. The significance and magnitude of the changes were modelled using cumulative linked ordinal regression models and log binomial regression models.RESULTS: With few exceptions, we observed significant increases over time in the proportion of students reporting symptoms of psychological distress, mental illness diagnoses, and help seeking for mental health related challenges. Female students reported a higher level of stress than male students, with a statistically significant increase in the stress level reported by female students observed over time. In all cases, larger proportions of female students were observed compared to male students, with the proportion of female students who self-reported mental illness diagnoses nearly doubling that of males. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis indicated that the proportion of students self-reporting mental health related challenges, including stress, psychological distress, and diagnosed mental illnesses increased between the 2013, 2016 and 2019 iterations of the NCHA II conducted among Canadian post-secondary students.

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