Under the radar: The mental health of Australian university students (Orygen, 2017)

The mental health of Australian university students Under the radar

© Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health 2017 This publication is copyright. Apart from use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 and subsequent amendments, no part may be reproduced, stored or transmitted by any means without prior written permission of Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health. ISBN 978-1-920718-43-5 Suggested citation Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health. Under the radar. The mental health of Australian university students. Melbourne: Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, 2017. Disclaimer This information is provided for general educational and information purposes only. It is current as at the date of publication and is intended to be relevant for all Australian states and territories (unless stated otherwise) and may not be applicable in other jurisdictions. Any diagnosis and/or treatment decisions in respect of an individual patient should be made based on your professional investigations and opinions in the context of the clinical circumstances of the patient. To the extent permitted by law, Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your use of or reliance on this information. You rely on your own professional skill and judgement in conducting your own health care practice. Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health does not endorse or recommend any products, treatments or services referred to in this information.. Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health Locked Bag 10 Parkville Vic 3052 Australia www.orygen.org.au

The mental health of Australian university students Under the radar

Contents Executive Summary 6 Section 1. The mental health of Australian university students 10 1.1 Profile of university students 10 1.2 Prevalence of mental ill-health 10 1.3 Risk factors for mental ill-health among higher education students 13 1.4 Help-seeking and disclosure 15 1.5 Impact of mental ill-health and psychological distress in higher education 17 Section 2. Policy Context 21 2.1 Higher education policy 21 2.2 Mental health within higher education policy 23 2.3 Mental health policy 25 Section 3. Approaches to supporting student mental health within universities 28 3.1 University policies and strategies 28 3.2 University mental health promotion and prevention 31 3.3 Psychological and support services on campus 35 3.4 University and community mental health partnerships 38 3.5 Use of technology 40 3.6 Peer interventions and student leadership 43 Section 4. Implications 47 4.1 Higher education policy and programs 47 4.2 Mental health policy and programs 48 4.3 Universities 49 4.4 Research 50 Section 5. Future Directions 52 References 55

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health would like to thank those individuals and organisations who were consulted and contributed to the development of this report. The Australian and New Zealand Student Services Association – Heads of Counselling Services (HoCS): with particular thanks to Jeremy Cass, Manager, RMIT Counselling Service and convenor of the April 2016 ANZSSA HoCS Symposium. Ruth Caleb Head of Counselling, Brunel University, UK and Chair of Mental Wellbeing in Higher Education (MWBHE) Working Group, Universities UK/Guild Higher Education Minto Felix Mental Health Champions Coordinator, Counselling and Mental Health Programs, Monash University Amelia Gulliver Postdoctoral Research Fellow, National Institute for Mental Health Research, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University. Natasha Jones Orygen Live It Speak It program and headspace hY NRG member Dr Jonathan Munro Head Counselling & Psychological Support Services, Adjunct Professor, School of Health & Human Sciences, Southern Cross University. Orygen Youth Advisory Council and Orygen Youth Research Council Nat Bartsch Student, Masters of Public Policy, RMIT Nick Prendergast and Rene Hahn Beyondblue Education Programs Team Nicola Reavley, PhD NHMRC Career Development Fellow and Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne RMIT Senior Counsellors Team Helen Stallman Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy. University of South Australia Ben Veness Churchill Fellow and former President Australian Medical Students Association Michelle Walters PhD candidate, Youth Research Centre, University of Melbourne 5 UNDER THE RADAR THE MENTAL HEALTH OF AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Executive summary According to the most recent higher education statistics, there were approximately 1.4 million students studying in Australian universities in 2015. Census data indicates that approximately three in five students are aged between 15 and 24 years and we know at least one in four of these young people will experience mental ill-health in any one year. It is also possible that the very nature of the university experience could increase the risk of psychological distress among this population. For some students this experience includes: financial stress, lack of sleep, poor diet, balancing work and study responsibilities, living away from family and pressure to excel in the context of an increasingly competitive job market. It's a combination of risk factors which can result in, or exacerbate, mental ill-health among university students. There are significant gaps in Australian research and data on the prevalence and nature of mental ill-health among university students. What research exists suggests that university students are more likely to experience mild-moderate psychological distress than their non-student peers while some studies have suggested much higher levels of distress among this group. Students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, low socio-economic backgrounds, rural areas and international students (groups whose participation in higher education has increased in the past two decades) appear to experience even greater risk. There is evidence to suggest many students do not disclose or seek support for their mental health within university settings. This is often due to perceived (and actual) stigma about mental ill-health and a lack of understanding among some academic or administration staff about the seriousness of these conditions and effective ways to respond. Many students are concerned that disclosing mental ill-health will jeopardise their reputation, their results and their job prospects. Students who do seek help from university support services can often find themselves on waiting lists and/or with only a very limited number of sessions available to them as these services struggle to respond within their existing resources. University counselling services have reported increased demand and an increase in severity and complexity of presentations. The majority believe they are unable to meet expected/core service delivery with their current staffing profile. While Australia provides world class higher education and is an international leader in the response to youth mental health, the mental health of university students (and tertiary students more broadly) has largely been absent at a government policy level, impacting on the cap