Mental Health Issues Influencing Academic Performance amongst Students in Australia
It is in the nation’s best interest that youth complete as high a level of education as they are capable because dropping out of school can greatly diminish an individual’s chances in life and the ability to contribute to the community. Indeed, participation in tertiary education promotes national economy and innovation (Wierenga, Landstedt, & Wyn 2013, p. 3). The factors that compromise a young person’s ability to obtain a tertiary level education are socioeconomic disadvantage, rural location, and being an indigenous Australian (Wierenga, Landstedt & Wyn 2013, p. 4). Stafford, et al. (2007, Mental Health, para. 1) define mental health as the ability to interact with others and the environment in such a way as to promote wellbeing. The purpose of this paper is to review some of the literature on the factors that constrain or promote mental health amongst young adults in high school and university, and the relationship between these variables and academic success.
Stafford et al. (2007, Social and Emotional Learning, para 3) review of the literature on resilience, behaviour and academic outcomes amongst high school students in Australia, specifically the role of five competencies that proved to be linked to academic achievement: self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, relationship skills and responsible decision making. The authors concluded that the risk factors that undermine mental health and academic success are extreme shyness, fear and anxiety reaction, aggression and problematic home lives that include ineffective parenting styles, broken homes, socioeconomic disadvantages, and grief and loss. The protective factors of mental health are support from family and peers, identifying with the school and community, positive expectation of the self, optimism, autonomy and independence (Stafford 2007, Risk and Protective Factors, para. 2). Stafford et al. (2007, A Call to Action, para. 2) advocate the inclusion of wellbeing and resilience programs in schools that encompass both the students and the teachers.
In their review of the impact of part-time employment on high school students’ academic achievement, Patton and Smith point out that can have a beneficial effect of experience with a working environment, assumption of responsibility, and learning time management skills, all of which can have positive impact on employment success after school graduation (Patton & Smith 2009, 220). Conversely, working part-time can lead to distraction, fatigue and a less effective academic performance. As Patton and Smith point out, the net result is difficult to determine (Patton & Smith 2009, p. 220)
Wierenga, Landstedt and Wyn (2013) analysed qualitative and quantitative survey conducted with 875 university students in the years 2007 to 2012. The results of a self-reported mental health question indicated that mental health is on the decline in this population in Australia (Wierenga, Landstedt & Wyn 2013, p. 8). The study revealed that 80% of the university students are combining paid employment with attending university, 20% of the students have trouble affording food and 40% find it difficult to combine paid work and attendance at university (Wierenga, Landstedt & Wyn 2013, p. 6)
Some research has suggested that gender mediates the stressors experienced by young people in university. Douglass and Islam (2009) conducted a self-report survey amongst 181 first-year university students at a regional Australian university and found a difference between males and females. The self-report survey consisted of four categories: positive social interactions, negative social interactions, mental health issues, and academic problems (Douglass & Islam 2009, p. 1). The study results show that for female students negative experiences and mental health issues were positively associated with academic problems. For male students, positive social interactions were associated with fewer academic problems (Douglass & Islam, 2009, p. 1). Two-thirds of the students in the study reported having positive social interactions and over half reported positive experiences with their university instructors. However, the students also faced many stressors. Fifty percent of the students stated that they were very really stressed and over 50% stated that they had poor dietary habits and had weight gain issues. Just under one-third of the students had taken recreational drugs on campus and one-fourth had difficulty controlling the amount of alcohol they drank (Douglass & Islam 2009, p. 2). Further, 10% of the students reported a negative sexual experience (Douglass & Islam 2009, p. 2). The authors speculated that their findings could be useful for formulating different counselling strategies for male and female students (Douglass & Islam, 2009, p. 7).
Another study has found gender differences with symptoms of depression and anxiety amongst students at a private university in Australia. Two hundred male and female students completed depression and anxiety scales and the results showed that female students reported more mental health symptoms than the male students (Bitsika, Sharpley & Melhem 2010, p. 51). Specifically, female students cited more symptoms related to pain and fatigue, such as psychomotor agitation, problems with digesting and sleeping, pessimism and confusion (Bitsika, Sharpley & Melhem 2010, p. 51). Further analysis of the data showed that the female students reported more somatic symptoms that male students (Bitsika, Sharpley & Melhem 2010, p. 59). The authors recommend different counselling strategies for male and female students. For example, counsellors should inquire into the mental health issues behind the somatic symptoms. As for the male students, they might by denying physiological issues, and greater questioning of somatic symptoms could prove beneficial (Bitsika, Sharpley & Melhem 2010, p. 60).
A mixed qualitative and quantitative study conducted as part of a longitudinal study of Australian youth confirmed that fact that at about the age of 20 some Australians experienced financial stress, but over 50% of them described their financial management as “fairly easy” (Halliday-Wynes & Nguyen 2014, p. 13). At the same age, one-fourth of the university students in the study reported high to moderate levels of financial stress. The authors concluded that different measurements of financial stress revealed different results (Halliday-Wynes & Nguyen 2014, p. 15). Overall the study demonstrated that at age 20, Australians experienced stress in certain aspects of their financial management. Fifty-one of the participants who reported fair to serious financial problems underwent an additinal qualitative interview to further investigate financial stress amongst Australian youth. Academic success was measured by degree completion and not by specific marks on courses results (Halliday-Wynes & Nguyen 2014, p. 17). Only a small number of students dropped out of university for financial reasons. The study concluded that there did not appear to be a direct link between financial stress and completion of studies results (Halliday-Wynes & Nguyen 2014, p. 4).
In conclusion, the evidence suggests that difficulties begin in high school with low socioeconomic status and non-supportive family lives. Among high school students, personal attributes such as shyness and aggression contribute to academic disadvantaged, whereas the support of family and peers and a positive self- image are protective. Mental health appears to be on the decline amongst university students. However, the results as to whether or not financial stress is a stress factor among university students remain inconclusive.
References
Bitsika, V., Sharpley, C. F. & Melhem, T. C. 2010. Gender Differences in Factor Scores of Anxiety and Depression among Australian University Students: Implications for Counselling Interventions. Canadian Journal of Counselling, 44(1): pp. 51-64.
Douglass, L. & Islam, M. R.2009. Emotional wellbeing of first year university students: critical for determining future academic success. Non refereed paper. Available at:
< http://fyhe.com.au/past_papers/papers09/content/pdf/8A.pdf> [Accessed May 10, 2016].
Halliday-Wynes, S. & Nguyen, N. 2014. Does financial stress impact on young people in tertiary study? Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth. Research Report 68. Adelaide: NCVER.
Patton, W. A. & Smith, E. 2009. Part-time work of high school students and impact on educational outcomes. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 19(2): pp.216-
Stafford, K., Moore, C., Foggett, K., Kemp, E. & Hazell, T. 2007. Proving and improving: Exploring the links between resilience, behaviour and academic outcomes. Available at
< http://www.responseability.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/4880/Providing-and-Improving.pdf> [Accessed May 10, 2016].
Wierenga, A., Landstedt, E. & Wyn, J. 2013. Revisiting disadvantage in higher education, Melcourne: Youth Research Centre, Melbourne Graduate School of Education. Available at web.education.unimelb.edu.au/yrc//revisiting_disadvantage_in_higher_education.pdf>
[Accessed May 10, 2016].
