Degrees of Distress: the impact of university life on the wellbeing of undergraduate students; A mixed methods exploration

Robson, Kelly

Abstract

Today's university students are pivotal to the future of our societies, professions, and families, making their psychological wellbeing a significant public health concern attracting interest from researchers and policy makers alike. The sociodemographic nature of student populations has shifted significantly, which, when combined with the impact of neoliberal ideologies on higher education, has contributed to heightened pressure and anxieties amongst students. A narrative of a ‘student mental health crisis has emerged in which deficit and pathology have been emphasized arguably at the expense of considering the contextual demands which may be driving student distress. This thesis clearly delineates the often-conflated constructs of mental health and wellbeing and distress, offering theoretically grounded critical engagement with the prevailing discourse, consequently identifying contextual facilitators of wellbeing and psychological distress as constructs of import.
The use of a sequential mixed-methods approach iteratively advances examination of the topic of interest, grounding findings in both the extant literature and in the subjective experience of contemporary students. Situated within a paradigm of pragmatism, the use of contrasting but complementary research design and methodologies, approaches the topic from a variety of perspectives thus increasing the robustness of the findings.
Research findings highlight that contextual demands associated with the university experience can drive psychological distress and serve to diminish or facilitate wellbeing. Of particular value was the identification of the student-personal supervisor relationship as having a significant influence on wellbeing, belonging and academic engagement implicating the relevance of a settings-based approach
The findings of this thesis illustrate that one cannot divorce students’ experience of mental health and wellbeing from the social, political and environmental forces which shape them. Implications are offered for both future research and more importantly, practical application within the university sector. Consideration of the psychological impact of systems and processes as well as a fundamental shift toward prioritising relatedness in all university activity has the potential to positively impact on student wellbeing.

Citation

Robson, K. (2024). Degrees of Distress: the impact of university life on the wellbeing of undergraduate students; A mixed methods exploration. (Thesis). University of Hull. https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4920495

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Nov 18, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 19, 2024
• Keywords: Psychology
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4920495
• Additional Information: Department of Psychology; University of Hull
• Award Date: Oct 3, 2024