SUPPORTING

STUDENTS
WITH THEIR
M E N TA L H E A LT H
CO N T E N T S

I N T R O D U C T I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

M E T H O D O LO G Y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

S U R V E Y D ATA .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Faculty survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Student survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

S U P P O R T I N G S T U D E N T S ( A N D YO U R S E L F ) .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Role and responsibilities.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Things to look out for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Reducing stigma through an atmosphere of openness.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Little things make a big difference.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Self-care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Signposting and support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Crisis management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

C O N C LU S I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

R E F E R E N C E S .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

A P P E N D I X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

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❙ INTRODUCTION
The number of students reporting mental health problems has increased dramatically in recent years,
and the signs are that it will continue to rise further. This white paper examines the results of our recent
surveys on student mental health and asks how Faculty members can support their students, offering
advice on dealing with stigma, guiding students into good self-care practices and understanding the
best way of sign-posting students to professional help when needed.

For most students, their first steps into higher education will be some of the most challenging times
they have faced. Most will be dealing with new-found independence, along with the challenges of
balancing their academic work, new financial pressures, and building new social relationships. For
many, the pressures can deeply affect their mental health, and for others who are already dealing with
difficult mental health problems they can find themselves struggling. Very often, students are unwilling
to speak out, whether that is due to stigma, concerns about the consequences of asking for help, or
simply embarrassment.

The ‘Minding our Future’ report from Universities UK says ‘50% of mental health problems are
established by age 14 and 75% by age 24.’ It states, ‘The number of students disclosing a mental
health condition to their higher education institution is increasing,’ with numbers showing an
increase from 16,510 reported cases in 2010-11 to 57,305 reported cases in 2016-17. And it is important
to remember that many students will not report their issues to their university, so actual cases are likely
to be higher. A recent article in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology concludes that 35% of students in
the US are struggling with some form of mental illness.

As a Faculty member you may be the person they turn to for help. And, while there are limits to the
support you can, and should, offer it is essential that you are fully equipped to deal with these situations.
❙ ME THODOLOGY
In addition to our own desk research we conducted two surveys, one aimed at faculty members and
one at students. The faculty survey consisted of 17 questions themed around mental health rates
among students, perceptions of stigma and issues affecting their students’ mental health. Of those who
responded to our questionnaire, 7.2% of respondents were based in the UK, 73.4% were based in the
US and the remaining 19.3% were spread across countries around the world.

The student survey consisted of 33 questions. These questions looked at themes of mental health
diagnoses, pressures students felt affected their mental health and their thoughts around their
university’s support systems. We received 975 responses. 6.4% of respondents were based in the UK and
6.7% based in the US. Over 85% of responses came from students across Europe.

It is interesting to note the difference in geographical responses across the two surveys. While some
issues addressed are likely to be universal, there will be different levels of stigma and support in
different geographical areas, something that is difficult to compare with these results.
❙ S U R V E Y D ATA

‘Right on the first day there was a lecture about how we, the students, were
responsible for keeping the university as one of the best in the country, anything
that didn’t include studying was a waste of time and not up to the university
standards. The first thing the university should do to help students with mental
health problems should be to completely change that mindset.’

FA C U LT Y S U R V E Y

We asked respondents if they had seen an increase in their students experiencing mental health
difficulties in the past two years. The vast majority, 73.7% agreed with this statement. When asked about
the factors they believe have influenced this increase we saw the following results:

Financial pressures 13%

Social justice issues 10.5%

Issues around employment 6%

Too many pressures 5.6%

Social media 5%

Increased expectations 4.7%

Family issues 4.3%

Economy 4.3%

Lack of coping skills 4.3%

Loneliness 4.3%

79.3% of respondents believe that there has been an increase in pressures on students, both in what is
expected and what they expect of themselves in their studies, but also external pressures such as those
listed in the table above.

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 ‘Pressure to have perfect grades,
even when grades are not good
indicators of learning, as well as the
‘Parents expect their children to
anxiety of failure is unacceptable.’
do better than them in life, but
they cannot when they experience
extreme debt loads requiring all of
their time with no quality time for
recreation or relaxation.’
‘Students are putting more
pressure upon themselves to
succeed and react in one of
two ways – overachieve or
completely fall off the edge.’

We asked what support respondents’ universities offer their students. The responses were:

Student counselling 94%

Disability support and advice 75%

Student resolution advice 31%

Finance and debt advice 40%

‘The institution provides many services for students and was very proactive in
getting telehealth services activated. The institution is also very open with its
explanation of how they are adjusting to the changes in climate and address
students’ needs as much as they can.’

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STUDENT SURVEY

We asked students about the factors they feel affect their mental health and wellbeing. The responses
were as follows:

Relationships/social life 81.2%

Academic performance 74.7%

Loneliness 67.5%

Financial worries 57.5%

University workload 54.1%

Social media 35.7%

Balancing jobs and coursework 30.7%

Other 19.5%

Students were asked about current and previous mental health experiences. 31.5% of students who
responded to the survey stated that they had received a mental health diagnosis in the past. 80.2% had
already experienced problems with their mental health before beginning their university studies. This
figure increased to 84.3% when asked if they had experienced mental health problems since beginning
their studies. While these high figures are concerning, it is worth keeping in mind that it is possible that
students suffering mental health problems are more likely to respond to a survey on mental health.
We asked students, if they felt comfortable, to tell us what mental health issues they had experienced
before and during their studies.

ISSUE BEFORE DURING

Stress 92.4% 94.2%
Anxiety 90.5% 93.2%
Low-mood 82.8% 82.0%
Depression 67% 62.9%
Self-harm 41.5% 26.6%
Suicidal thoughts 57.5% 40.1%

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Digging deeper into their experiences we asked students if they had ever received a formal diagnosis of
a mental health condition. 31.5% of students answered yes. We then asked, if they felt comfortable, to
tell us what that diagnosis was. The results were:

Depression 28%

Anxiety 26%

Other 13.5%

Social Anxiety 5.5%

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder 4.8%

Anorexia 4%

PTSD 3.8%

ADD/ADHD 3.8%

Panic Disorder 3.6%

Borderline Personality Disorder 3.6%

Students were also asked about their experiences of accessing the support available at their institution.
Only 46.2% of students said they were aware of the mental health support on offer at their university.
Of those, 30.8% had accessed these services. We asked those students who had accessed the services if
they had found them helpful. 57.9% of respondents said yes.

We asked the students who had accessed their institutions mental health services rate how easy or
difficult it was to do so:

Difficult 8.13%

A little difficult 19.51%

38.4% of respondents felt
Somewhat easy 40.65% that they did not receive the
Easy 23.58% support they needed from
their institution’s mental
Very Easy 8.13% health support services.

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 Students were asked why they had chosen not to access these services. 19.7% said it was because
they did not know how to access them, while 46.9% said that they hadn’t because they did not want
the university to know that they are having problems with their mental health. Many provided more
detailed reasons why they had not reached out to these services:

‘I am scared because I’ve never ‘I was scared to ask for

reached out for help for my help and to admit to ‘Too anxious
mental health so I don’t know myself it’s that bad.’ to reach out.’
what that would look like.’

‘I am pressured to suppress these

‘I’m not sure. Maybe I’m afraid problems by my parents who think
that I won’t be taken seriously
that needing help makes me weak’
or that there are others who
need the support more.’

Finally, we asked students about their interactions with their lecturers/tutors. Only 12.9% felt able to
discuss their mental health problems with their lecturers, but of those 81.9% felt that their lecturers/
tutors were supportive.

‘Some of them were, some were not.

‘Some of them understood, some One or two of my lecturers contacted me and
were supportive, some didn’t care wanted to talk to me about my mental health.
That made me feel seen, and helped me feel
and picked on me in class, and
better to go to their classes because I knew I
some offered some kind of help.’
could confide in them and be honest.’

‘They simply thought that I was ‘I was crying uncontrollably wherever

trying to excuse my bad grades.’ I went from October 2019 to February 2020.
People noticed. My family ignored it! True
friends and my professors cheered me up by
‘They don’t really care about mental health listening actively or distracting me as needed
issues. They just think that it’s your problem and they even shared their own life stories with
and you have to solve it by yourself.’ me which I appreciated a lot.’

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❙ SUPPORTING STUDENTS
(AND YOURSELF)

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

It is important to remember that there are limits to what you can do and the support you can, and
should, offer to students who talk to you about problems with their mental health. Some of these limits
will be set by the university and others will be legal limitations around confidentiality, etc. There are
also limitations in what you can be expected to do. Faculty members are not trained counsellors and
psychiatrists so while it can be hard to avoid giving advice or getting too involved with a struggling
student it is important not to cross into areas where you have little to no training. Find out exactly what
your university expects of you and the processes it has in place to support students with mental health
issues. It is important not to offer help that is beyond your role and to be clear with the student about
your boundaries.

‘It is important that academics are not expected (and do not presume) to take
on the role of mental health professionals, but we need to know how to respond
appropriately to distress, what to do in an emergency, and how to act as a bridge
between our students and more specialist support services.’

All universities should ensure that every faculty member is given clear guidance about their role in
relation to student mental health and should clarify exactly what responsibilities faculty members
hold around duty of care and where overall responsibilities lie for student wellbeing. As a report from
Student Minds states:

‘Universities must recognise the unavoidable role academics are now playing
in responding to student mental health, create open spaces for discussion and
learning and provide ongoing support and accessible training.’

There is a need for the university as a whole and for faculty members to understand the university’s
expectation for this part of the role. You may be the first person that a student comes to for help and
you need to be able to understand what support you can offer and how to help that student find the
wider support and resources for them. It is also useful for staff to receive training on how to handle
these often difficult conversations.

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T H I N G S TO LO O K O U T F O R

How much do you know about what signs to look out for? How would you know if your student is
struggling with mental health difficulties? It is true that you can’t always tell, especially for people who
have lived with mental health conditions for some time. But it’s important to recognize when a student
is experiencing more than run-of-the-mill stress or just ‘having a bad day’. Here is a list of indicators to
look out for:
• Have there been noticeable changes in a student’s appearance or hygiene levels? Are they
dishevelled where they used to be tidy and well-presented?
• Have you seen evidence of increased usage of alcohol or drugs?
• Do other people seem concerned about the student or their behaviour?
• Has there been a drop in the student’s quality of work?
• Does the student’s mood seem different to usual? Don’t forget, it isn’t just negative moods to
look out for. A shift to an unusually or an overly positive attitude can mask what is going on
inside.
• Has the student told you in the past that there is a problem?

There are also signs to look out for in conversation with a student, things that may not be of too much
concern on their own but which may be of concern, especially when displayed suddenly, in contrast to
their usual personality, or shown with other signs. These could include:
• Changes in appearance, mood, sleep or appetite
• Missed deadlines or reduced attendance
• Difficulty concentrating
• Depression, anxiety or panic attacks

Keep an eye out for these signs in conversation and in class and speak to any students you are
concerned about. It need not be an in depth conversation, just a check-in to see if they are ok. From
there, if needed you can point them toward resources and services offered by the university and
external organisations.

R E D U C I N G S T I G M A T H R O U G H A N AT M O S P H E R E O F O P E N N E S S

Our surveys found that 68% of faculty members and 76% of students believe that there is still a stigma
around mental health issues. While many thought that things have improved over recent years,
there were still many students stating a reluctance to report for fear of how people would react. We
asked students why they thought there was a stigma around mental health. These are some of their
responses:

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 ‘Sure, we talk a tiny bit about stress
‘Because some people don’t and that we should learn to breathe but
see mental health problems as apart from that? It’s your problem and
serious like physical health.’ your problem alone. You are expected to
deal with it by yourself and if you can’t,
you’re seen as somewhat weaker.’
‘Nobody wants to admit they aren’t
perfect or have it be known to others that
they aren’t perfect. I needed therapy as a ‘People act as if you are
teen and my mother cried because people crazy or not capable of living
would judge our family for having a child normal life because of it.’
who wasn’t correct.’

Only 35.8% of students felt able to openly discuss their mental health with friends and family. These are
some of the comments we received from students and faculty members:

‘I can talk to the people around me

about my mental health most of the time
‘My family never made it
because I trust them, and they tell me
uncomfortable or made it like
about their issues as well. Sometimes it’s
hard opening up because I fear getting it’s wrong or not normal. It’s
rejected or being left alone.’ ok to feel whatever you feel.’

‘I’ve spent a long time building up the ‘Even though it seems better, ‘I feel uncomfortable with
courage to be more open about my I still feel like students put my family, especially my
mental health with my family. It was off seeking the help they need parents because they judge
hard to get them to understand but once hoping things will get better.’ me and say that the things
they did, it was a lot better.’ I feel are stupid.’

‘My family doesn’t think that things

‘The stigma on campus is not as great as it is in the
like anxiety are real, my friends don’t
general environment, but I feel that many students
understand why I’m feeling that way and
struggle with the stigma until they meet others who
try to invalidate my feelings by saying that
seek help and difficulties are normalized.’
other people have worse problems.’

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 ‘The stigma surrounding mental health
issues is fading, however, there are still
many students who are afraid and/or ‘Having depression myself, some of my
embarrassed to need a counsellor.’ colleagues are uneasy about discussing
such issues. Students, being younger and
more vulnerable, have to work hard to find
‘Students have told me they someone they can trust and confide in.’
are reluctant to seek help and
ask for what they think is
special treatment.’

There is, no doubt, a need for open discussion among both students and faculty, to make sure that the
stigma of talking about mental health needs to be removed. Universities, and the wider society, need to
create a culture and environment of inclusiveness and care. But it isn’t an easy thing to do to something
that is so ingrained. Many people feel the stigma so deeply that they are ashamed of their issues and
shame is a hard thing to move past. It can be very difficult to admit that you need help when you aren’t
sure that you will get a positive, caring response.

There are simple things that can be done to reduce the stigma. Display resources for mental health
prominently on department notice boards, clear signposts to university mental health resources as well
as external organisations. Normalise looking for help and support. Why not mention these resources at
the start of each course and again during stressful periods such as exam season?

We heard from respondents whose universities offer workshops on dealing with exam stress, self-
care, workload management, etc. which not only gives students the opportunity to think these issues
through but also normalises the issues, allowing students to find a space that is open to the things they
are feeling.

LIT TLE THINGS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

‘During an exam I had a panic attack and my professor asked me to be quiet

because I was disturbing the other students. That professor should have been more
sympathetic with my situation.’

Of one the things that stood out from the responses to our student mental health survey was that
many students feel as though they aren’t worth the time to be listened to, to take up counselling
sessions, or that anyone would care if they admitted to struggling with their mental health. Many feared
their concerns would be dismissed if they did speak up and ask for help.

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Others had gotten negative responses when they had brought their issues up with faculty members.
We asked students what their lecturers/tutors could have done to make them feel more supported.
These were some of their answers:

‘Brought it up in class to verbally

assure students that it’s a topic they
‘Stop stigmatising men with
can be approached about. Also
depression and anorexia.’
getting training in how to have
those kinds of conversations.’
‘Ask direct questions that make them
seem that they want to help and are
‘Listen and help and not just
willing to negotiate i.e. “How can I help
your situation?”, “Would an extension
dismiss it as a phase or that
help? The most I can give is x.”’ I’m just making it all up.’

‘Ask me how my day was ‘If they saw me being obviously down it would’ve
going if they saw me down. been nice if they’d ask me if I’m fine, it would be enough
That little gesture would’ve to make me feel a bit better. Anyways, the bare minimum
been enough.’ would be understanding that I won’t be at my best during
class when my mental health is lacking.’

‘Talked about mental health issues as a part of

joining uni and stepping into a different phase in life.
Saying that it is normal to feel scared and anxious
and assuring that there are people you can talk to.’

One of the clearest things in these answers is that students just want to be seen, and have their
problems acknowledged, not dismissed as unimportant. Spending time to actively listen and show
students that you are taking them seriously can go a long way. Some students stated that they would
talk about things if someone asked but would keep their problems to themselves until that happened.

A demonstration of understanding and openness in these situations can often be all that is needed
to help a student who is struggling. If you are concerned about a student, ask them how they are.
They may not be willing to talk, or even feel able to give an honest answer but the action of asking the
question can make a student feel noticed and cared for. During these conversations be sympathetic
and understanding of what you are being told. Try to avoid negative language and reactions and repeat
their words back to them, ensuring that you understand. If there is anything practical you can do to
help, maybe an extension to a deadline, then work with them to come to a compromise.

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There is a need to develop a climate of trust where students feel confident about disclosing a mental
health condition and are reassured that there is no stigma attached to a request for help. Before your
course starts you may want to consider contacting students confidentially to ask if they have mental
health problems that need to be taken into consideration. Opening the conversation up in this way
tells students that you are open to their concerns and that they can feel confident in disclosing any
mental health issues.

SELF-CARE

For busy students finding time to look after themselves can feel like just one more thing to add to an
already too long to-do list. But self-care is essential, not just for students but for you too.

While much self-care needs to be self-led and guided by students’ own interests there are things
universities can do to support their students in taking care of themselves. It is likely that the student
counselling centre, if your university has one, is already encouraging students through regular emails.
Why not encourage your students to read the emails and try some of the tips they include? A personal
recommendation from someone they know and trust will go further than an email from a department
they’ve had little to no contact with.

In one-to-one or group conversations with students encourage them to invest time in their own
wellbeing and self-care. Remind them that by spending time on themselves they will be more relaxed,
less stressed, and a better state of mind will likely feed into them achieving better results in coursework
and exams.

Some respondents to our surveys told us that their universities had created safe spaces for their
students, quiet areas where students could go to unwind and find a moment of calm. Does your
institution have these spaces? If not, it could be worth suggesting them as a way of helping students.

Doing what you can to ensure your students are caring for themselves is great, but it is equally
important that you look after yourself too. In a busy, often stressful job, it is essential you look after your
own mental health. Finding time for self-care isn’t always easy but for the sake of your mental health, try
and find time each day for you.

SIGNPOSTING AND SUPPORT

Do you know what processes your university has in place for supporting students who are experiencing
problems with their mental health? Do you know how students access counselling services? These are
things it is important for you to know, to be able to quickly and easily point students in the direction of
the help they need, but to also give you peace of mind that you have been able to help them.

As our survey showed, many students either don’t know how to access their university’s mental health
support services or are even unaware that they exist. As they will potentially turn to you for help it
is essential that you know where to signpost them. You could also display posters or leaflets about

14
this support, as well as external agencies on departmental noticeboards or intranet pages so the
information is easy for students to find.

Some students may be reluctant to reach out to these services as many are wary of issues around
confidentiality and availability, as well as being reluctant to appear vulnerable to university agencies.
Reassure them that there are measures in place to ensure their confidentiality but find out from your
support services of any local external charities or agencies that may be able to help if a student would
prefer to talk to someone outside the university. External agencies can also play a role in supporting
students when the university’s service has long waiting lists. It is important to remember that
confidentiality cannot be guaranteed if a student indicates a potential risk of harm to themselves or to
others, including suicidal thoughts.

Think about whether to highlight student mental health services once or twice to your class during
each term. This will not only ensure that students are aware of the help available should they need it,
but this will also help with normalizing and destigmatizing mental health.

In the responses to our survey, many students highlighted an interest in peer support groups, places
where they could meet with fellow students experiencing mental health difficulties and discuss
methods of self-care and tips for dealing with their problems. Some faculty members also spoke of how
their institution offers workshops for students on subjects such as how to handle stress and how to
work with depression.

We asked students what mental health services they felt their institutions should offer:

‘Universities should at least have a counsellor

and a psychologist, preferably more than one of
each. And if they can’t help with your problems,
they should have resources to transfer you
‘End the taboos and speak freely on
somewhere you can get the help that’s needed.’
mental health. Speaking freely would
lead to less judgement and spread
more knowledge about this issue
could help a lot of people.’
‘Free therapy sessions for anyone in need would certainly
help, but also just providing students someone to talk to with more
experience that can understand what they are going through and
maybe help them figure something out together.’

15
CRISIS MANAGEMENT

While it is rare, a student may reach a crisis point, telling you in person or via email that they have
reached a point of extreme emotional distress. They may mention suicidal thoughts and the intention
to act upon them, or in some cases mention an intention to harm others.

At this point you need to act immediately. Your university will most likely have guidelines in place for
how to deal with these circumstances, but it is essential that you ensure that the person receives help.
Call emergency services and stay with the person until help arrives. Encourage them to talk by asking
open-ended questions and by actively listening. Speak calmly and in measured tones, making sure that
you use positive language in your responses to what they say.

Once emergency services have arrived, find someone to talk to yourself, whether that is family, a
friend or a colleague. Helping someone through a mental health crisis is a difficult and often traumatic
experience so make sure that you practice self-care too.

Does your university offer training for staff in how to deal with crisis situations? It may not be something
you ever encounter in your career but if it does arise you need to be prepared, so suggest some training
be put in place.

TRAINING

Our survey to faculty members asked what training, if any, their university provided to help staff better
support students with mental health issues. These were their responses:

None 42%

Very little 19.5%

Multiple workshops 16.6%

Information on resources 7%

Awareness/referral training 6%

Suicide/crisis training 4.2%

Mental Health First Aider training 2.4%

Counselling training 1.7%

16
 ‘Mine has a strong awareness of mental health issues and good counsellors, but
it would be wise to put an emphasis on mental health and the effects higher
education can have on it in introductory processes, especially for freshmen.’

82% of respondents believed that their institution should provide more training in this area. There were
many suggestions as to what this training should cover. Here are a few examples:
• Training to identify and know how to speak with students who are struggling
• Provide staff with guides to specific situations
• How to deal with issues arising in class and in office hours
• Recognizing signs and symptoms
• Understanding all available help and facilities within the university
• Training to understand when specialist support may be needed
• How to identify a crisis situation when immediate action is required

Does your university offer any training in these, or other areas? It is important for staff to feel fully able
to support a student who comes to them with mental health issues, both so that student can get
the help they need but also so that each faculty member can be confident in how they handle the
conversation.

17
❙ CONCLUSION
With mental health problems among students rising rapidly, faculty members will increasingly find
themselves faced with difficult conversations and a need to support more and more students. It is
essential that they are fully equipped to deal with these situations but also fully supported by their
university to be able to help students and to look after themselves, getting support for their own
mental health and after care following difficult, often emotional conversations.

Hopefully, this white paper will have given you some food for thought for how you approach these
conversations, but will also help you to do what you can to normalize conversations around mental
health at your university and to reduce the stigma that stops so many people from finding the help
they need.

DISCLAIMER

The content of this white paper is provided for general information only. It is not intended to, and does
not amount to advice which you should rely on. It is not in any way an alternative to specific advice.

You must therefore obtain the relevant professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from,
any action based on the information in this white paper.

If you have questions about any medical matter, you should consult a doctor or other professional
healthcare provider without delay. If you think you, or someone you know, is experiencing any
medical condition immediate medical attention should be sought from a doctor or other professional
healthcare provider.

18
❙ REFERENCES
2018, Minding Our Future: Starting a Conversation About the Support of Student Mental Health, retrieved
from www.universitiesuk.ac.uk

Auerbach, R.P., Alonso, J., Cuijpers, P., Ebert, D.D., Hasking, P., Nock, M.K., Stein, D.J., Zaslavsky,A.M.,
Kessler, R.C., Mortier, P., Bruffaerts, R., Benjet, C., Demyttenaere, K., Green, J.G., Murray, E., Pinker-Amaker,
S., Simpson, N.A., Vilagut, G., WHO WMH-ICS Collaborators, 2018, “WHO World Mental Health Surveys
International College Student Project: Prevalence and Distribution of Mental Disorders”, Journal of
Abnormal Psychology, Volume 127, No. &, 723-638

Hughes, G., Panjwari, M., Tulcidas, P., Byron, N., 2018, Student Mental Health: The Role and Experiences of
Academics, retrieved from www.studentminds.org.uk

19
❙ APPENDIX

FA C U LT Y S U R V E Y

1. What support does your institution offer students experiencing difficulties with their mental health?
(Select all that apply)

• Student counselling

• Disability support and advice

• Student resolution advice

• Finance and debt advice

• Other (please specify below)

2. Have you seen any change in students experiencing difficulties with their mental health in the past
two years?

• Yes, it has increased

• Yes, it has decreased

• No, it has stayed the same

3. (if yes) In your opinion, what do you think are the causes of this change in students experiencing
difficulties with their mental health?

4. Have you seen any change in the amount of pressures that students have to deal with now
compared with in the past?

• Yes, pressures experienced by students have increased

• Yes, pressured experienced by students have decreased

• No, it has stayed the same

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5. What is the reason for your answer?

6. Do you think your institution offers enough support for students experiencing mental health issues?

Yes / No / Don’t know

Please explain your reasoning

7. Do you feel there is a stigma around mental health that stops students from reporting their mental
health difficulties?

Yes / No / Don’t know

8. What training do you receive in supporting students experiencing mental health difficulties?

9. Do you feel your institution could provide more training to faculty members to help them support
these students?

Yes / No

10. In which country is your institution based?

11. Which of the below best describes your job title?

• Research Assistant

• Assistant/Associate Lecturer

• Lecturer

• Senior Lecturer/Reader

• Associate Professor

• Professor

• Head of Department/Dean

21
STUDENT SURVEY

1. What factors do you feel affect your mental health and well-being? Tick all that apply

• Financial worries

• Relationships/social life

• Balancing employment and university work

• Loneliness

• Academic performance

• University workload

• Social media

• Other (please comment)

2. Do you feel there is a stigma around mental health?

Yes / No

If yes, please comment further

3. Do you feel able to discuss your mental health with friends and family?

Yes/No

If yes, please comment further

4. How often do you feel anxious? 1-10 scale where 1 is never and 10 is constantly

5. How often do you feel lonely? 1-10 scale where 1 is never and 10 is constantly

6. Have you ever received a mental health diagnosis?

Yes / No

22
7. If yes, and you feel comfortable, please tell us what your diagnosis is

8. Did you experience mental health problems before you began your university studies?

Yes / No

9. If yes, please tell us what mental health issues you have experienced?

• Stress

• Anxiety

• Low-mood

• Depression

• Self-harm

• Suicidal thoughts

• Other (please specify)

10. Have you experienced mental health problems since you began your university studies?

Yes / No

11. If yes, please tell us what mental health issues you have experienced?

• Stress

• Anxiety

• Low-mood

• Depression

• Panic attacks

• Self-harm

• Suicidal thoughts

• Other (please specify)

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12. Are you aware of the support offered by your university for students experiencing problems with
their mental health?

Yes / No

13. Have you accessed these services?

Yes / No

14. If yes, have you found them helpful? Apply logic

Yes / No

15. If no, why not? (select all that apply)

• I haven’t needed them

• I don’t know how to access these services

• I feel I have enough support from elsewhere

• I don’t want anyone at the university to know that I am having mental health problems

• Other (please specify)

16. How easy is it to access your university support services?

17. Do you feel you got the support you needed from your university support services?

Yes / No

18. What support do you feel your university should offer students experiencing problems with their
mental health?

19. If you have experienced issues with your mental health, did you feel able to discuss it with your
lecturers/tutors?

Yes / No

24
20. If yes, were they supportive?

Yes / No

Any other comments?

21. If no, what could they have done to make you feel more supported?

22. Have you ever engaged in substance abuse to cope with negative mental health?

Yes / No

23. If yes, how often do you do this?

• Every day

• 1-2 times a week

• 3-4 times a week

• A few times a month

• Less often

24. What is your age?

• 17-18

• 19-21

• 22-25

• 26-30

• 30+

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25. What is your gender?

• Male

• Female

• Other

• Prefer not to say

26. In which country are you attending university?

27. Please define your student status?

• Studying in home country

• Studying abroad for part of my course

• Studying abroad for all of my course

28. What is your year of study?

• 1st

• 2nd

• 3rd

• 4th

• 5th

• Post-graduate

26
 A Taylor & Francis White Paper
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– sharing trends and themes that broaden the discussion and inspire new ideas.

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