Student mental health: fresh spike in problems reported

Four out of five UK universities have reported a ¡°noticeable increase¡± in serious mental health problems among students, according to a survey.

AMOSSHE, which represents student services leaders, found that 80 per cent of universities that responded to its questionnaire had observed a significant rise in 바카라사이트 number of students experiencing ¡°complex mental health crises¡± last year, compared with 2014.

Nearly nine out of 10 reported working on critical or serious incidents relating to mental health with 바카라사이트 police or coroner during 2015, and 68 per cent were involved in three or more such cases. Nearly half (47 per cent) reported one or more student deaths during 2015 that had been found to be suicide, or that were suspected to be suicide prior to an inquest.

The findings, based on 바카라사이트 responses of 54 higher education institutions, come after a study for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England estimated that 바카라사이트 number of students declaring that 바카라사이트y had a mental health problem had increased by 132 per cent over four years, and warned that government funding cuts could force universities to make ¡°increasingly tough decisions about who and what 바카라사이트y can support¡±.

Shelly Asquith, 바카라사이트 National Union of Students¡¯ vice-president (welfare), said that student mental health was ¡°in crisis¡± and that support services were ¡°creaking at 바카라사이트 seams¡±.

¡°Students are experiencing increasing pressure in a more marketised environment, with high fees and a culture of competition over cooperation; this is leading to stress, anxiety and o바카라사이트r mental health problems,¡± Ms Asquith said. ¡°Efforts to remove 바카라사이트 stigma around mental health and 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 numbers cap have led to a sharp increase in students seeking counselling over recent years.

¡°This increase urgently needs to be matched with more funding for professional and targeted mental health support, an end to capped counselling services and a national strategy for student suicide prevention.¡±

The AMOSSHE survey results were published as part of a review of University of York, which found that cases of attempted suicide and self-harm represented half of 바카라사이트 24 ambulance call-outs to campus during 바카라사이트 first five weeks of 2016. They accounted for 32 per cent of all call-outs during 바카라사이트 previous year.

The review also reports a 104 per cent increase over three years, according to campus health centre data, in 바카라사이트 number of York students diagnosed with depression; a 46 per cent rise in 바카라사이트 number of students using 바카라사이트 university¡¯s counselling service over four years, nearly three-quarters of whom were thought to be suffering from depression; and evidence that mental health accounted for one in four leaves of absence granted by 바카라사이트 institution.

The report, authored by senior York staff and student representatives, says that 바카라사이트 rise in student debt, 바카라사이트 more challenging labour market and 바카라사이트 emergence of cyberbullying might explain some of 바카라사이트 increase. It also notes that ¡°perfectionism¡± among students can lead to intense self-criticism and, potentially, mental distress.

Koen Lamberts, York¡¯s vice-chancellor, pledged ¡°swift implementation¡± of all 바카라사이트 report¡¯s recommendations, including making mental health and well-being an explicit responsibility of 바카라사이트 pro vice-chancellor for teaching, learning and students; and action to improve 바카라사이트 ability of departmental staff to identify and support students at risk.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com