A comparison of mental health literacy,attitudes, and help-seeking intentions among domestic and international tertiary students

Limited research has examined distress or help-seeking knowledge and attitudes among international students. The aim of this study was to examine psychological distress, mental health literacy (MHL), and help-seeking attitudes and intentions among a sample of domestic and international tertiary students. The sample comprised 357 domestic and international tertiary students. Participants completed an online questionnaire package, with measures relating to distress, MHL, help-seeking attitudes, and help-seeking intentions. International student status was predictive of lower scores on MHL, help-seeking attitudes, and help-seeking intentions for suicidal ideation. Student group was not predictive of help-seeking intentions for emotional problems or psychological distress, but international students had lower help-seeking intentions for suicidal ideation. Educational interventions targeting MHL and help-seeking attitudes and intentions among international students may be required to improve help-seeking behaviours.     

The mental health of university students in the United Kingdom

ABSTRACT

There are increasing concerns globally about the mental health of students. In the UK, the actual incidence of mental disturbance is unknown, although university counselling services report increased referrals. This study assesses the levels of mental illness in undergraduate students to examine whether widening participation in education has resulted in increases as hypothesised by the UK Royal College of Psychiatrists. Patterns of disturbance across years are compared to identify where problems arise. Students (N=1197) completed the General Health Questionnaire-28 either on the first day at university or midway through the academic year for first, second and third year students. Rates of mental illness in students equalled those of the general population but only 5.1% were currently receiving treatment. Second year students reported the most significant increases in psychiatric symptoms. Factors contributing to the problem are discussed.     

Attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help among Chinese students at a UK university

Aim: In this study we aimed to investigate whether Chinese international and British home students at a university in the United Kingdom differed in their attitudes towards seeking psychological help. Method: The total sample comprised 323 participants. Participants completed measures to assess their attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help (recognition of need for psychological help, stigma tolerance, interpersonal openness, confidence in mental health practitioners). Results: Chinese students reported significantly less interpersonal openness than that reported by British students. Contrary to prediction, however, no significant group differences were found on any of the other mental health attitudes (i.e. recognition of need for psychological help, confidence in mental health practitioners or stigma tolerance). Within‐group contrasts also showed that Chinese students reported lower scores on interpersonal openness than on stigma tolerance and confidence in mental health practitioners. In contrast, British participants reported less confidence in mental health practitioners and recognition of the need for psychological help than reported for stigma tolerance and interpersonal openness. Conclusion: The findings highlight the need for a greater understanding of students' cultural inclinations toward mental health issues and cultural attitudes that may hinder and/or facilitate students' access and engagement with psychological services in higher education institutions.     

An internet survey of emotional health,treatment seeking and barriers to accessing mental health treatment among Chinese-speaking international students in Australia

The present internet survey examined the demographic characteristics of Chinese-speaking international students in Australia, psychological distress levels as measured by the Kessler-10 (K-10) Item scale, help-seeking history and preferences, as well as treatment barriers. Of the 144 respondents, 54% reported high psychological distress (mean K-10 score?=?23.96; SD?=?9.03). However, only 9% of those who were highly distressed reported they had sought mental health services in the past year. While the majority preferred help from informal social networks, they tended to favour mental health services over traditional culture-specific forms of help. Common barriers to accessing mental health services reported by respondents with high psychological distress included costs or transportation concerns, limited knowledge of available services, time constraints, the perception that symptoms were not severe enough to warrant treatment, language difficulties and lack of knowledge of symptoms of psychological distress. Although the majority preferred face-to-face treatments over internet treatments, a considerable percentage of respondents were willing to try either treatment modality. Chinese-speaking international students are a high risk group for developing psychological distress, yet they tend to underuse mental health services. Education about the effectiveness of face-to-face and online treatments may increase treatment seeking by this population.     

Associations between multiple health risk behaviors and mental health among Chinese college students

Although there is substantial evidence that health risk behaviors increase risks of premature morbidity and mortality, little is known about the multiple health risk behaviors in Chinese college students. Here, we investigated the prevalence of multiple health risk behaviors and its relation to mental health among Chinese college students. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Wuhan, China from May to June 2012. The students reported their health risk behaviors using self-administered questionnaires. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the self-rating depression scale and self-rating anxiety scale, respectively. A total of 2422 college students (1433 males) aged 19.7 ± 1.2 years were participated in the study. The prevalence of physical inactivity, sleep disturbance, poor dietary behavior, Internet addiction disorder (IAD), frequent alcohol use and current smoking was 62.0, 42.6, 29.8, 22.3, 11.6 and 9.3%, respectively. Significantly increased risks for depression and anxiety were found among students with frequent alcohol use, sleep disturbance, poor dietary behavior and IAD. Two-step cluster analysis identified two different clusters. Participants in the cluster with more unhealthy behaviors showed significantly increased risk for depression (odds ratio (OR): 2.21; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.83, 2.67) and anxiety (OR: 2.32; 95%CI: 1.85, 2.92). This study indicates that a relatively high prevalence of multiple health risk behaviors was found among Chinese college students. Furthermore, the clustering of health risk behaviors was significantly associated with increased risks for depression and anxiety.     

中国国民心理健康素养的现状与特点

本研究以系统的全国抽样调查方式, 了解我国国民心理健康素养现状。结果显示, 我国成年公众的心理健康素养总体处于中偏低水平; 其发展水平在地域、人口学分布上比较均衡; 在结构上, 公众心理健康素养的发展表现出心理健康维护和促进的素养高于心理疾病应对的素养, 自助的素养高于助人的素养两个特点。调查还发现, 个体心理健康素养中, 知识观念部分个体差异较大, 态度和习惯部分个体差异较小; 在心理健康素养的社会性影响因素方面, 社会经济地位是所考察变量中效应最大的因素, 且其对素养的知识观念方面影响较大, 对素养的态度习惯方面影响较小。调查结果提示, 要充分认识心理健康素养提升任务的艰巨性; 在实践策略上, 宜以提升心理疾病应对的素养作为当前的工作重点和突破口。     

Loneliness: Its correlates and associations with health risk behaviours among university students in 25 countries

The aim of this cross-national study was to assess factors associated with loneliness and to determine the degree to which loneliness affects health status and risk behaviours among university students. Data were collected from 17 886 university students in 25 countries (females = 58.6%, from Africa = 33.5%). In multivariable logistic regression, loneliness was predicted by lower family wealth, living in a low or lower middle income country, and antecedent childhood. Moreover, psychosocial factors of perceived lack of control, low organised religious activity, high non-organised religious activity, high intrinsic religiosity, and low social support were associated with loneliness. Lonely students were also likely to self-report poor subjective health status, sleeping problems, short sleep duration, tobacco use, heavy internet use, aggressive behaviour, injury, and sexual risk behaviour. University students with loneliness may be assisted by preventive health interventions aimed at enhancing their subjective well-being.     

Contribution of self‐compassion to positive mental health among Korean university students

Although evidence suggests self‐compassion can serve as an important predictor of positive mental health, few studies have examined the contribution of self‐compassion to mental health. This study examined the relations between six components of self‐compassion and three dimensions of positive mental health (Psychological, Emotional and Social Well‐being) in young Korean adults. A sample of 689 Korean college students were administered the Self‐Compassion Scale (SCS) and the Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC‐SF) to evaluate self‐compassion and positive mental health. A multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) analysis revealed that Self‐Kindness significantly predicted all dimensions of positive mental health. Additionally, Over‐Identification significantly contributed to Emotional Well‐being, Common Humanity to Social Well‐being and Isolation to Psychological Well‐being. These results suggest Self‐Kindness is a key predictor of positive mental health and that specific components of self‐compassion are strongly related to specific dimensions of mental health in Koreans.     

中国人心理健康素养干预效果的元分析

本研究遵循PRISMA-Protocol, 运用元分析的技术, 以心理健康素养的知识、污名态度和求助为结果变量, 考察干预效果及影响因素, 以期为更高效地提升心理健康素养提供参考。元分析共纳入38项研究。结果发现：干预对知识、污名态度和求助的即时效果量达到显著的中到大的效果(知识：g = 0.70, 污名态度：g = -0.52, 求助：g = 1.18)。亚组分析结果表明：心理健康素养的干预效果受地域、被干预者类型、干预中的互动与接触以及试验类型等多个变量的影响。后续研究应进一步探索心理健康素养的调节变量, 并结合中国文化, 制定针对不同干预对象的个性化干预方案, 以提升干预效益。     

2010~2020中国内地大学生心理健康问题检出率的元分析

估计我国大学生心理健康问题的检出率, 能够为心理健康政策完善和教育活动开展提供证据支持。对2010~2020年我国大学生主要心理健康问题检出率及影响因素进行元分析, 结果表明, 睡眠问题、抑郁、自我伤害在大学生中较为突出; 近10年, 大学生焦虑、抑郁、睡眠问题和自杀未遂的检出率显著上升, 自我伤害的检出率显著下降; 测量工具、检出标准和检出时间是导致检出率大小不一的关键因素; 整体而言, 东北和中部地区大学生的心理健康情况优于西部和东部大学生; 性别、生源地、独生与否对大学生心理健康问题检出率的影响均不显著。未来应重视研制适合我国大学生的心理健康测评工具并确定检出标准, 同时据此积极开展心理行为问题的筛查与控制。     

Prevalence of mental health problems in Australian university health services

General practice patients report greater mental health problems than the general population, and students attending one university health service have reported greater prevalence rates at the end of the academic year. This study assessed the overall prevalence rate of mental health problems in university students using a cross‐sectional survey design of 1,168 students from three large, predominantly urban, Australian university health services. Approximately half of the students attending university health services reported elevated levels of psychological distress. The majority of severely distressed students had not sought any professional assistance for mental health problems. While there is scope for general practitioners to take a lead role in the identification of mental health problems in tertiary students, adequate treatment pathways need to be available. Implications for the role of universities in prevention work are discussed.     

Sleep duration and health correlates among university students in 26 countries

The aim of this study was to investigate sleep duration and its health correlates in university students from 26 low-, middle- and high-income countries. Using anonymous questionnaires and anthropometric measurements, data were collected from 19417 undergraduate university students (mean age 20.8, SD = 2.8) from 27 universities from 26 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas. Results indicate that the average number of self-reported hours of sleep was 7.07 (CI = 7.04–7.09), with the prevalence of reporting ≤6, 7–8, and ≥9?h sleep duration of 39.2, 46.9, and 13.9%, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression found that sociodemographic variables, health risk behaviour and health status variables were found to be associated with short and long sleep duration.     

Help-seeking behaviour and attitudes towards counselling: a qualitative study among Hong Kong Chinese university students

This study examined Hong Kong university students’ perception of general help-seeking and seeking of professional help. Thirty-two students, aged from 25 to 46 years were interviewed. A grounded theory approach was adopted. The results indicated four domains to categorise culture-influenced factors: attitudes towards speaking, relational concern, nature of the problem and assumptions about counselling. Hong Kong students are not reluctant to receive help but are reluctant to seek help from outsiders. Help is expected to be received from those within their social network. Passive coping strategies are normally adopted for finding relief and solving problems. These issues may greatly hinder people from consulting professional counsellors, or may limit the counselling process to something superficial and short term. The implications for counsellors are discussed.     

Development of the Uni Virtual Clinic: an online programme for improving the mental health of university students

ABSTRACT

There is growing recognition of the importance of addressing the mental health needs of young people attending university. Anonymous, scalable, and evidence-based online interventions can help to reduce burden on university services and increase access to care for marginalised or disconnected students. This paper reports the participatory design methods used to develop the Uni Virtual Clinic (UVC), a comprehensive online programme that was designed to prevent and treat mental health problems and related issues in university students. Data evaluating the participatory design process is also presented. The potential for the implementation of the UVC within university-based counselling services is strong, and has potential to reduce the prevalence of mental disorders in a high-risk group of young people.     

2010~2020中国内地小学生心理健康问题检出率的元分析

我国小学生心理健康问题的检出率莫衷一是, 为整合调查结果并分析其原因, 对2010~2020年来检索到的相关研究进行了元分析。结果显示：(1)小学生心理健康问题的检出率由高到低依次是睡眠问题(25.2%, 95% CI = [0.16, 0.37])、抑郁(14.6%, 95% CI = [0.12, 0.18])、焦虑(12.3%, 95% CI = [0.06, 0.23])、攻击行为(4.1%, 95% CI = [0.02, 0.10])、退缩(3.8%, 95% CI = [0.02, 0.06])、违纪行为(3.7%, 95% CI = [0.02, 0.07])、躯体化(3.6%, 95% CI = [0.02, 0.07])。(2)测量工具、检出标准、检出时间是导致小学生心理健康问题检出率不一致的关键因素。总体而言, 我国小学生除了睡眠问题、抑郁和焦虑检出率偏高外, 整体心理健康状况尚可。未来应开发适合中国小学生的心理健康状况测评工具及检出标准, 为心理健康问题的预防和精准干预提供支持。     

Multiple health risk behaviours and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among university students from 22 countries

The goal of the study was to investigate multiple health risk behaviours in relation to PTSD symptoms in a sample of university students from 22 countries. Using anonymous questionnaires, data were collected from 16804 undergraduate university students (mean age 20.8, SD?=?2.8) from 23 universities in 22 countries in Africa, Asia, Caribbean and South America. Results indicate that overall, 20.9% of the university students screened positive for PTSD, and the overall mean of health risk behaviours (range from 1–10) was 2.7 for university students from all countries. Logistic regression adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and social support found that each of the ten individual health risk behaviours was significantly associated with PTSD symptoms. In addition, logistic regression with multiple health risk behaviours found a steady increase from 1 (Odds Ratio (OR): 1.37, CI 1.05–1.77) to 5 or more (OR: 3.57, CI 2.75–4.64) health risk behaviours in association with PTSD symptoms, adjusted for age, gender, economic family background and social support.     

2010~2020中国内地高中生心理健康问题检出率的元分析

我国高中生心理健康问题的检出率亟需关注, 许多研究对此进行了探究, 但结果并不一致。为明确近10年来我国高中生心理健康问题的检出状况及其影响因素, 对检索后获得的252项研究进行了元分析。结果发现: 检出率由高到低依次是抑郁(28.0%)、焦虑(26.3%)、睡眠问题(23.0%)、自我伤害(22.8%)、自杀意念(17.1%)、躯体化(9.8%)、自杀计划(6.9%)、自杀企图(未遂) (2.9%)。我国高中生心理健康问题检出率受出版年代、测量工具、检出标准、检出时间、年级和区域影响。未来应着力编制标准化测评工具、构建心理健康教育长效机制并对高年级、欠发达地区高中生的心理健康问题予以重点关注。     

Association between tobacco use,depression, and anxiety: A cross-national study among university students from 30 low- and middle-income countries

This study aimed to investigate the association between tobacco use and depression and anxiety in a cross-national study among university students from 30 predominantly low- and middle-income countries. Self-report survey data were collected from 23 073 university students (58.0% female), with a mean age of 20.8 years (SD = 2.5). Following logistic regression analyses, tobacco using university students were more likely to have depressive symptoms and anxiety (posttraumatic stress symptoms = PTSS) than non-tobacco using students. Gender stratified analysis found associations between tobacco use and depressive symptoms were stronger among women than men. The associations between tobacco use and anxiety (PTSD) symptoms were stronger among men than women. In this large cross-national study, current tobacco use was significantly associated with depression and anxiety (PTSD) symptoms. Tobacco use prevention efforts can help alleviating mental health problems among university students.     

Chinese students in Japan: The mediator and the moderator between their personality and mental health

To clarify the influence of personality traits on the psychological acculturation of Chinese international students in Japan, the present study used three structuring questions: (a) What personality trait makes the students vulnerable to psychological distress? (b) What mediates between personality and psychological distress? (c) What buffers personality from psychological distress? The study examined personality traits (Harm‐Avoidance, HA; and Self‐Directedness, SD; two dimensions of the Temperament and Character Inventory), acculturation attitudes (integration, assimilation, separation, and marginalization), and the mental health (General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)‐30) of 253 Chinese students in Japan (17–30 years of age) using self‐report questionnaires. The hypotheses are: For the Chinese international students in Japan, (a) the individuals with high HA or low SD are more vulnerable to psychological distress; (b) the acculturation strategy mediates between personality (HA/SD) and mental health (GHQ); (c) social support can moderate the effect of personality on acculturation adaptation. The results show that the Chinese international students in Japan had higher GHQ scores compared to normative standards, and marginalization (a less adaptive strategy) was their second most preferred acculturation strategy, next to integration. Individuals with high HA or low SD were more likely to have a marginalization attitude and suffer from more psychological distress. The mediation effect of marginalization and the moderation effect of social support in life (SSL) between HA/SD and GHQ were confirmed. Most of the hypotheses were supported by the results. Explanations of these findings and their implication for acculturation adaptation are discussed.     

Mental health correlates of HIV risk behaviour and STIs/HIV infection among university students from 22 low,middle and high income countries

The aim of this study was to determine mental health correlates of HIV risk behaviour and self-reported STIs/HIV infection among university students in 22 low, middle and high income countries. Data on mental health and HIV risk were collected from 16 567 undergraduate university students (mean age 20.9, SD = 2.9) from 23 universities in 22 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas. Results indicate that overall 16.8% of the students had two or more sexual partners in the past 12 months, and among the sexually active, 73.7% had inconsistently used a condom in the past three months with their primary sexual partner, 3.2% had ever been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and 0.6% had been diagnosed with HIV. In multivariate logistic regression poorer mental health and child abuse (physical and sexual) were associated with HIV risk behaviour, and child abuse (physical and sexual) was associated with STI and HIV positive diagnoses.