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University Students’ Classification of Factors Affecting Their Well-Being and Psychological Distress

Year 2023, , 20 - 32, 25.02.2023
https://doi.org/10.30520/tjsosci.1240176

Abstract

Background: Higher education has been undermined by a multitude of difficulties that have directly affected university students’ learning and quality of life in French-speaking West African universities. Among others, massification, student pauperization, high rate of unemployment, current living environments, university managerial systems, and university poor infrastructures alongside terrorism threats on education have affected students’ lifestyles, learning, achievements, mental health but also teaching, and learner-instructor interrelationship.
Purpose: The present study aimed to gauge university students’ classification of factors that have significant impacts on their current studies and well-being, and aimed to gauge whether the classified factors predict students’ psychological distress
Methodology: Participants included 348 male and female university students. Descriptive and regression analyses were utilized to assess significant factors that affect students’ learning and life quality.
Major findings: The findings suggested that economic challenges, perceived unemployment, and difficulties relating to the students’ areas of study were respectively the three main factors that affect students’ life quality and cause psychological distress. The latter are followed by potential sicknesses and social factors such as loneliness, and attitudes pertaining to instructors, family members, and friends.
General conclusion: The study revealed significant effects of economic challenges on students’ levels of depression and stress, and a significant effect of family members’ attitudes on students’ levels of anxiety. The researchers discussed the findings and made important recommendations.

Supporting Institution

Prince Sultan University

Project Number

None

Thanks

Thank you!

References

  • Awaah, F. (2019). Sexually Transmitted Grades and the Culture of Silence: Will Female Students Blow the Whistle. Selected Papers For, 55.
  • Becerra, M. B., Arias, D., Cha, L., & Becerra, B. J. (2020). Self-esteem among college students: the intersectionality of psychological distress, discrimination, and gender. Journal of Public Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JPMH-05-2020-0033/full/html?casa_token=_b72XgSHNJcAAAAA:gxShBmmmHJNrJT5UUxc0ou8gwc8LB7DjWmKcCha4UZ6MZ0VngZ60zwUa030F6YzZGGlfkMo_9WBDKi_v3CyOdgVj7GFDo8-1bipButznKuxgQZT31Yen
  • Besser, A, & Zeigler-Hill, V. (2014) Positive Personality Features and Stress among First- year University Students: Implications for Psychological Distress, Functional Impairment, and Self-esteem, Self and Identity, 13:1, 24-44.
  • Bhujade, V. M. (2017). Depression, anxiety and academic stress among college students: A brief review. Indian Journal of Health & Wellbeing, 8(7).
  • Çelik, N., Ceylan, B., Ünsal, A., & Çağan, Ö. (2019). Depression in health college students: relationship factors and sleep quality. Psychology, health & medicine, 24(5), 625-630.
  • Davis, H. A. (2001). The quality and impact of relationships between elementary school students and teachers. Contemporary educational psychology, 26(4), 431-453.
  • Dinu, B. (2015). Impact of Teacher-Student Communication on “High-Risk Dropout” Students. The International Institute for Science, Technology and Education (IISTE), 18(5), 88-100.
  • Bajracharya, D. (2015). Impact of Teacher-Student Communication on “High-Risk. Developing Country Studies, 15(18), 88-100.
  • Eisenberg, D., Gollust, S.E., Golberstein, E., Hefner, J.L. (2007). Prevalence and correlates of depression,anxiety, and suicidality among university students. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 77:534–42.
  • Forkosh-Baruch, A., Hershkovitz, A., & Ang, R. P. (2015). Teacher-student relationship and SNS-mediated communication: Perceptions of both role-players. Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Skills and Lifelong Learning, 11, 273-289.
  • Hersi, L., Tesfay, K., Gesesew, H., Krahl, W., Ereg, D., & Tesfaye, M. (2017). Mental distress and associated factors among undergraduate students at the University of Hargeisa, Somaliland: a cross-sectional study. International journal of mental health systems, 11(1), 1-8.
  • IBM Corp. (2021). IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 28.0; IBM Corp.: Armonk, NY, USA.
  • Khan, A., Khan, S., Zia-Ul-Islam, S., & Khan, M. (2017). Communication Skills of a Teacher and Its Role in the Development of the Students' Academic Success. Journal of Education and Practice, 8(1), 18-21.
  • Lundquist, C., Spalding, R. J., & Landrum, R. E. (2002). College student's thoughts about leaving the university: The impact of faculty attitudes and behaviors. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 4(2), 123-133.
  • Mahdavi, P., Valibeygi, A., Moradi, M., & Sadeghi, S. (2021). Relationship between achievement motivation, mental health and academic success in university students. International Quarterly of Community Health Education, 0272684X211025932.
  • Mikolajczyk, R.T, Brzoska P, Maier C, Ottova V, Meier S, Dudziak U, et al. (2008). Factors associated with self-rated health status in university students: a cross-sectional study in three European countries. BMC Public Health. 8:215.
  • Morley, L. (2011). Sex, grades and power in higher education in Ghana and Tanzania. Cambridge Journal of Education, 41(1), 101-115.
  • Sachdeva, S. (2018). Assessment of depression, anxiety, and stress among medical students enrolled in a medical college of New Delhi, India. Taneja N, Sachdeva S, Dwivedi N. Assessment of depression, anxiety, and stress among medical students enrolled in a medical college of New Delhi, India. Indian J Soc Psychiatry, 34, 157-62.
  • Shamsuddin, K., Fadzil, F., Ismail, W. S. W., Shah, S. A., Omar, K., Muhammad, N. A., ... & Mahadevan, R. (2013). Correlates of depression, anxiety and stress among Malaysian university students. Asian journal of psychiatry, 6(4), 318-323.
  • Sharp, J., Theiler, S. (2018). A Review of Psychological Distress Among University Students: Pervasiveness, Implications and Potential Points of Intervention. Int J Adv Counselling 40, 193–212.
  • Silva, D. A. D., & Marcolan, J. F. (2015). Unemployment and psychological distress in nurses. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 68, 775-782.
  • Stein, K. F. (2014). Experiences of College Students with Psychological Disabilities: The Impact of Perceptions of Faculty Characteristics on Academic Achievement. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 26(1), 55-65.
  • Stewart, T., & Suldo, S. (2011). Relationships between social support sources and early adolescents' mental health: The moderating effect of student achievement level. Psychology in the Schools, 48(10), 1016-1033.
  • Tesfaye, A. (2009). Prevalence and correlates of mental distress among regular undergraduates students of Hawassa University: a cross sectional survey. East Afr J Public Health. 6:85–94.
  • Thompson, M. N., Her, P., Fetter, A. K., & Perez‐Chavez, J. (2019). College student psychological distress: Relationship to self‐esteem and career decision self‐efficacy beliefs. The Career Development Quarterly, 67(4), 282-297.
  • Verger, P., Guagliardo V., Gilbert, F., Rouillon, F., Kovess-Masfety, V. (2010). Psychiatric disordersin students in six French universities: 12-month prevalence, comorbidity, impairment and help-seeking. Soc Psychiatr Psychiatr Epidemiol. 45:189–99.
  • Wilson, K.T., Bohnert, A.E., Ambrose, A., Davis, D.Y., Jones, D.M., Magee, M.J. (2014). Social, behavioral, and sleep characteristics associated with depression symptoms among undergraduate students at a women’s college: a cross-sectional depression survey, 2012. BMC Womens Health.14:8.
Year 2023, , 20 - 32, 25.02.2023
https://doi.org/10.30520/tjsosci.1240176

Abstract

Project Number

None

References

  • Awaah, F. (2019). Sexually Transmitted Grades and the Culture of Silence: Will Female Students Blow the Whistle. Selected Papers For, 55.
  • Becerra, M. B., Arias, D., Cha, L., & Becerra, B. J. (2020). Self-esteem among college students: the intersectionality of psychological distress, discrimination, and gender. Journal of Public Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JPMH-05-2020-0033/full/html?casa_token=_b72XgSHNJcAAAAA:gxShBmmmHJNrJT5UUxc0ou8gwc8LB7DjWmKcCha4UZ6MZ0VngZ60zwUa030F6YzZGGlfkMo_9WBDKi_v3CyOdgVj7GFDo8-1bipButznKuxgQZT31Yen
  • Besser, A, & Zeigler-Hill, V. (2014) Positive Personality Features and Stress among First- year University Students: Implications for Psychological Distress, Functional Impairment, and Self-esteem, Self and Identity, 13:1, 24-44.
  • Bhujade, V. M. (2017). Depression, anxiety and academic stress among college students: A brief review. Indian Journal of Health & Wellbeing, 8(7).
  • Çelik, N., Ceylan, B., Ünsal, A., & Çağan, Ö. (2019). Depression in health college students: relationship factors and sleep quality. Psychology, health & medicine, 24(5), 625-630.
  • Davis, H. A. (2001). The quality and impact of relationships between elementary school students and teachers. Contemporary educational psychology, 26(4), 431-453.
  • Dinu, B. (2015). Impact of Teacher-Student Communication on “High-Risk Dropout” Students. The International Institute for Science, Technology and Education (IISTE), 18(5), 88-100.
  • Bajracharya, D. (2015). Impact of Teacher-Student Communication on “High-Risk. Developing Country Studies, 15(18), 88-100.
  • Eisenberg, D., Gollust, S.E., Golberstein, E., Hefner, J.L. (2007). Prevalence and correlates of depression,anxiety, and suicidality among university students. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 77:534–42.
  • Forkosh-Baruch, A., Hershkovitz, A., & Ang, R. P. (2015). Teacher-student relationship and SNS-mediated communication: Perceptions of both role-players. Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Skills and Lifelong Learning, 11, 273-289.
  • Hersi, L., Tesfay, K., Gesesew, H., Krahl, W., Ereg, D., & Tesfaye, M. (2017). Mental distress and associated factors among undergraduate students at the University of Hargeisa, Somaliland: a cross-sectional study. International journal of mental health systems, 11(1), 1-8.
  • IBM Corp. (2021). IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 28.0; IBM Corp.: Armonk, NY, USA.
  • Khan, A., Khan, S., Zia-Ul-Islam, S., & Khan, M. (2017). Communication Skills of a Teacher and Its Role in the Development of the Students' Academic Success. Journal of Education and Practice, 8(1), 18-21.
  • Lundquist, C., Spalding, R. J., & Landrum, R. E. (2002). College student's thoughts about leaving the university: The impact of faculty attitudes and behaviors. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 4(2), 123-133.
  • Mahdavi, P., Valibeygi, A., Moradi, M., & Sadeghi, S. (2021). Relationship between achievement motivation, mental health and academic success in university students. International Quarterly of Community Health Education, 0272684X211025932.
  • Mikolajczyk, R.T, Brzoska P, Maier C, Ottova V, Meier S, Dudziak U, et al. (2008). Factors associated with self-rated health status in university students: a cross-sectional study in three European countries. BMC Public Health. 8:215.
  • Morley, L. (2011). Sex, grades and power in higher education in Ghana and Tanzania. Cambridge Journal of Education, 41(1), 101-115.
  • Sachdeva, S. (2018). Assessment of depression, anxiety, and stress among medical students enrolled in a medical college of New Delhi, India. Taneja N, Sachdeva S, Dwivedi N. Assessment of depression, anxiety, and stress among medical students enrolled in a medical college of New Delhi, India. Indian J Soc Psychiatry, 34, 157-62.
  • Shamsuddin, K., Fadzil, F., Ismail, W. S. W., Shah, S. A., Omar, K., Muhammad, N. A., ... & Mahadevan, R. (2013). Correlates of depression, anxiety and stress among Malaysian university students. Asian journal of psychiatry, 6(4), 318-323.
  • Sharp, J., Theiler, S. (2018). A Review of Psychological Distress Among University Students: Pervasiveness, Implications and Potential Points of Intervention. Int J Adv Counselling 40, 193–212.
  • Silva, D. A. D., & Marcolan, J. F. (2015). Unemployment and psychological distress in nurses. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 68, 775-782.
  • Stein, K. F. (2014). Experiences of College Students with Psychological Disabilities: The Impact of Perceptions of Faculty Characteristics on Academic Achievement. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 26(1), 55-65.
  • Stewart, T., & Suldo, S. (2011). Relationships between social support sources and early adolescents' mental health: The moderating effect of student achievement level. Psychology in the Schools, 48(10), 1016-1033.
  • Tesfaye, A. (2009). Prevalence and correlates of mental distress among regular undergraduates students of Hawassa University: a cross sectional survey. East Afr J Public Health. 6:85–94.
  • Thompson, M. N., Her, P., Fetter, A. K., & Perez‐Chavez, J. (2019). College student psychological distress: Relationship to self‐esteem and career decision self‐efficacy beliefs. The Career Development Quarterly, 67(4), 282-297.
  • Verger, P., Guagliardo V., Gilbert, F., Rouillon, F., Kovess-Masfety, V. (2010). Psychiatric disordersin students in six French universities: 12-month prevalence, comorbidity, impairment and help-seeking. Soc Psychiatr Psychiatr Epidemiol. 45:189–99.
  • Wilson, K.T., Bohnert, A.E., Ambrose, A., Davis, D.Y., Jones, D.M., Magee, M.J. (2014). Social, behavioral, and sleep characteristics associated with depression symptoms among undergraduate students at a women’s college: a cross-sectional depression survey, 2012. BMC Womens Health.14:8.
There are 27 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Konabe Bene 0000-0001-9608-9772

Sofia Adan 0000-0001-8748-2580

Maïmounata Marie Beatrice Kere This is me 0000-0003-4018-736X

Project Number None
Publication Date February 25, 2023
Published in Issue Year 2023

Cite

APA Bene, K., Adan, S., & Kere, M. M. B. (2023). University Students’ Classification of Factors Affecting Their Well-Being and Psychological Distress. The Journal of Social Science, 7(13), 20-32. https://doi.org/10.30520/tjsosci.1240176