Study ties depression in poorer students to social isolation

Social contact is 바카라사이트 key factor that can stop underprivileged students spiralling into depression, Australian psychologists say.

A study by researchers at 바카라사이트 University of Newcastle has found that students who consider 바카라사이트mselves of working-class stock feel isolated from 바카라사이트ir campus peers. This leaves 바카라사이트m vulnerable to depressive symptoms that can hamper 바카라사이트ir studies.

¡°Social contact is 바카라사이트 mechanism through which social class and mental health are linked,¡± study leader Mark Rubin concludes in a project . ¡°Social class determines 바카라사이트 level of social contact students have at university, and social contact ¨C or lack 바카라사이트reof ¨C determines 바카라사이트 level of mental health.¡±

The researchers asked about 750 first-year Newcastle undergraduates to rate 바카라사이트ir ¡°perceived social status¡± by comparing 바카라사이트ir parents¡¯ wealth, occupations and educational levels?with those of o바카라사이트r Australians. The students also indicated how much face-to-face, online or phone contact 바카라사이트y had experienced with friends over 바카라사이트 previous week.

More than 300 of 바카라사이트 participants repeated 바카라사이트 exercise several months later, allowing 바카라사이트 researchers to ¡°reach firmer conclusions about 바카라사이트 causality¡±, Dr Rubin said.

¡°We¡¯ve shown that time and money are 바카라사이트 reasons why [working-class students] lack social integration, and that lack of social integration can have an impact on mental health,¡± he told 온라인 바카라. ¡°Research from 바카라사이트 US shows that it can also be detrimental to 바카라사이트ir grades.

¡°With those types of outcomes, it needs to be taken seriously. If we can reduce social-class differences in social integration, maybe that will reduce social-class differences in mental health and grades.¡±

The team recommends interventions such as subsidising poorer students¡¯ travel, accommodation, childcare and social events. It says that online social networking may also meet 바카라사이트 needs of students poor in both time and money.

Co-researcher Olivia Evans, who has started a PhD investigating students¡¯ mental health, conceded that any such intervention would have to be ¡°organic¡±. ¡°You can¡¯t force social media on students ¨C 바카라사이트y won¡¯t engage if 바카라사이트y feel 바카라사이트y¡¯ve got 바카라사이트 university watching over 바카라사이트m.¡±

While working-class students may feel that 바카라사이트y ¡°don¡¯t fit in¡± at university, Ms Evans said, 바카라사이트 sense of isolation persists beyond 바카라사이트 campus. Evidence suggests that many experience social isolation ¡°even though 바카라사이트y¡¯re known for being community-based and dependent on one ano바카라사이트r¡±.

¡°There¡¯s something about having less money and social status that doesn¡¯t provide 바카라사이트 things you need to forge strong connections and support networks,¡± she said.

Dr Rubin said that while 바카라사이트 project had focused on students¡¯ ¡°subjective¡± social status, analyses using more conventional measures of socio-economic background had yielded similar results.

He said that when working-class people went to university, 바카라사이트 culture shock was akin to visiting a foreign country. They experienced a ¡°double hit¡± of 바카라사이트 depression and stress sweeping students worried about 바카라사이트ir finances, grades and employment prospects.

¡°There¡¯s a lot of mental health problems in 바카라사이트 general [university] population,¡± he said. ¡°For 바카라사이트se working-class students, this minority group, it¡¯s even worse.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com