Previous MHNAs indicated that students perceived a need to increase awareness among faculty and staff about students’ mental health; promote mental health services to students, faculty, and staff; and advance mental health services (e.g., online services, more counselors). As many of these suggestions require the participation of faculty and staff, the MHNA research team thought it important to gather both faculty and staff perspectives on student mental health and also the suggestions proposed by students.
Methods
Forty faculty and staff members participated in seven focus groups and seven semi-structured interviews. Focus groups and interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Content analysis was then applied to the transcribed data.
Participants included nine faculty members from five faculties, four teaching assistants, 19 clinical staff members from student health services and counselling services, and eight student support staff (i.e., access and diversity, academic advising, student services). Gender, age, and ethnicity were generally representative of the population of faculty and staff working at the UBC Vancouver campus. The majority of participants indicated that they had a personal experience of a mental health condition (60%) or that they had a close friend or family member with a mental health condition (83%).
Findings
In general, faculty and staff perspectives echoed those of students. Three main topics emerged from the discussion: aspects of university life that affect student mental health; limited mental health literacy among faculty, staff, and students; and an unequal utilization of on-campus resources.
Aspects of University Life Affecting Student Mental Health
Faculty and staff participants identified multiple factors that affect student mental health. Participants recognized that there is a competitive academic culture at UBC, as students strive to achieve high grades while juggling multiple responsibilities. Most students seem to have either part- or full-time jobs, and many students dedicate significant time to commuting, family responsibilities, and volunteer roles. The participants recognized not only that these time demands could make it difficult for students to sleep, eat well, or exercise, but also that there is a connection between physical and mental health, whereby poor physical health can create stress and anxiety, or vice versa.
In addition to the multiple time commitments, the participants suggested that the transition to university may challenge student mental health, as students adapt to a new culture, develop independent living and study skills, navigate new relationships, and redefine their identities. The size of UBC was identified as a potential barrier to students finding a sense of community. The participants acknowledged that technology could be used effectively to share information and find connections, but cautioned that the same technology also exposes students to information that could negatively affect their mental health.
Limited Mental Health Literacy among Faculty, Staff, and Students
The participants indicated that poor mental health literacy made it difficult for faculty and staff to identify students who are struggling. In many cases, lack of attendance or poor grades are the only signal that a student may be experiencing a mental health issue. Moreover, the participants indicated that sometimes the student does not recognize or want to admit that they have a mental health concern.
Unequal Utilization of On-Campus Resources
Faculty and staff suggested that some resources are overused (i.e. counseling) while others are underutilized (i.e. peer programs) and that two factors contribute to this unequal utilization: a general lack of awareness and the non-prioritization of wellness among students. The participants indicated that there is no central resource and little training to help them refer a student with mental health concerns to the most appropriate service; as a result, most referrals were made to counselling services. Participants also suggested that the non-prioritization of wellness among students might lead to an escalation of the situation. Although not explicitly stated, one can reasonably conclude that if a student delays help-seeking behaviour until they reach crisis point, this will further exacerbate demand on clinical services such as counselling.
Conclusions
This study suggests that faculty and staff’s perceptions of the factors affecting student mental health are similar to students’ perceptions. The small sample size and high incidence of mental health concerns among the participants limits the transferability of these findings, but the participants’ insights suggest opportunities for improving campus mental health literacy and increasing awareness of the support services available.
Posted: Feb 22, 2016