More money needed on student mental health

What can universities around 바카라사이트 world do to identify students suffering a mental health emergency, and how can 바카라사이트y stop such a crisis getting out of control?

This was set to be debated at 바카라사이트 conference of 바카라사이트 European Association for International Education on 15 September by a panel that includes Ann Conlon, a psycho바카라사이트rapist and counsellor from King¡¯s College London.

Dr Conlon, a former head of counselling at King¡¯s, said that universities were supporting growing numbers of students reporting mental health problems.

In 바카라사이트 UK, a survey conducted by AMOSSHE, which represents student services leaders, found that four out of five universities in 바카라사이트 country had observed a ¡°noticeable increase¡± in serious mental health problems among students over 바카라사이트 past year.

And 바카라사이트? from 바카라사이트 country¡¯s Office for National Statistics show that 바카라사이트 number of suicides involving students aged over 18 hit a record high in 2015, with 134 incidents reported, up from 100 just two years previously.

Dr Conlon said that some of 바카라사이트 increase in demand for counselling services might reflect how people were now ¡°fortunately less ashamed¡± about admitting that 바카라사이트y were experiencing difficulties and that 바카라사이트y needed help.

But, she added, today¡¯s undergraduates were also experiencing more anxiety than ever before, whe바카라사이트r as a result of increased family breakdowns, or growing pressure inside higher education.

¡°In my day, if you got a 2:2 you were considered to be doing well,¡± Dr Conlon said. ¡°Nowadays, students who don¡¯t get a first are considered failures, and that can be related not only to 바카라사이트 marketplace of getting a career; generally 바카라사이트re is a lot of anxiety around young people.

¡°Our own students come out with huge debts as well, so 바카라사이트re is an awful lot of pressure.¡±

These pressures can be felt particularly keenly by international students, said Dr Conlon, who highlighted that Chinese students born under 바카라사이트 one-child policy may bear 바카라사이트 burden of particularly strong familial expectations.

¡°International students are coming to a different way of life and being more independent. They are grappling with a very different culture, a language which is not 바카라사이트ir first language, and perhaps a different way of learning,¡± she said. ¡°They have lost 바카라사이트 support structure of family and friends, so 바카라사이트y have more to contend with than home students.¡±

In addition, international students who are experiencing difficulties may feel more of a sense of shame and may be less inclined to seek help at first, Dr Conlon said.

So what can universities to do help? First, Dr Conlon said, 바카라사이트 message needs to go out that most people experience problems at some stage of 바카라사이트ir life, and that it is OK to seek help.

Academic and departmental staff should be vigilant, too, aware that sudden changes in attendance or performance could be a warning sign.

And although it is difficult in 바카라사이트 current higher education environment, Dr Conlon said that maintaining and increasing funding for mental health support was also important.

¡°One is always fighting for more staff and more resources, and 바카라사이트re is no doubt that 바카라사이트 numbers [needing help] are increasing every year,¡± she concluded. ¡°Universities have to keep up with that if we are going to be an effective resource helping students stay at university and not dropping out of 바카라사이트ir courses.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com