In recent decades, there has been an increase in the number of young people who are failing to thrive, and a number of Danish and international studies suggest that young people in higher education are in a high-risk group for developing mental distress.

A 2019 study from the Danish Ministry of Education and Research shows, for example, that one in five Danish students always or generally experiences high levels of stress associated with studying. This was the starting point for a three-year research project entitled 'Study life and psychosocial problems: Young people's identity processes and communities in higher education'. The project was led by associate professors Trine Wulf-Andersen and Lene Larsen from the Department of People and Technology at Roskilde University (RUC) and Lone Krogh and Annie Aarup Jensen from the Department of Culture and Learning at Aalborg University (AAU). They have brought together the results of the project in a new book, 'Students’ Experiences of Psychosocial Problems in Higher Education: Battling and Belonging', which aims to generate new knowledge and develop initiatives to support students' well-being.

The students speak

In the book, the researchers focus on the increasing number of students in Danish higher education with psychosocial difficulties such as stress, anxiety and depression – disorders they either already had before embarking on a higher education programme or which they developed during their studies. In this connection, the researchers carried out an in-depth qualitative study in which they followed 47 students at seven universities and vocational colleges over a two-year period. In the book, the researchers let the students speak and shed light on their perspectives on studying and having psychological difficulties at the same time.

“Our study indicates that, in particular, it is the perception on the part of society, educational institutions and individual students of what it means to be a good student that is contributing to students with psychosocial difficulties experiencing increased pressure in the education system and finding it hard to gain a foothold in higher education,” explains Trine Wulf-Andersen, who headed the research project.

Increased pace putting pressure on students

One of the factors the students point to as a challenge is thus the time pressure that exists in higher education today. The financial management of the public sector and a number of national educational reforms have meant that pace, structures and efficiency are acting as push factors. This particularly affects students who endeavour to keep up during periods of physical or mental illness and then have to regain a foothold in their studies.

The study also shows that the educational institutions' increased focus on employability is challenging students. But, at the same time, the students are also themselves worried about becoming unemployed after completing their education, and in this regard they do not consider it to be enough to just get good grades.

“Almost all the students in the study have jobs alongside their studies to support themselves, but also to optimise their CV so that they are in a stronger position in relation to the future labour market. This puts additional pressure on the young people to perform, even though they are also struggling with psychological issues, and leads to a feeling of shame, which is a feeling with which students with psychosocial difficulties often struggle,” says Lone Krogh.

Inclusive learning environments with communities and a clear framework

In addition to highlighting the challenges that students with psychosocial difficulties experience in higher education, the researchers also offer suggestions in the current book on what might improve the situation for students.

“It’s important to resolve the problem of time pressure in the education system, but that alone won’t change the situation. An essential step is to also create more and more inclusive professional and social communities,” emphasises Annie Aarup Jensen, and Lene Larsen adds:

“Inclusive learning environments will, among other things, require transparency and an awareness of opening up the communities for students who, for example, return after leave or periodically need a reduced pace, and who can challenge existing notions of how to be a good student. 

Facts

• The book 'Students’ Experiences of Psychosocial Problems in Higher Education: Battling and Belonging' is authored by Trine Wulf-Andersen, Lene Larsen, Annie Aarup Jensen, Lone Krogh, Aske Stigemo and Mathias Hulgård Kristiansen. Read more here.
• The book presents the results of the research project 'Study life and psychosocial problems: Young people's identity processes and communities in higher education', which was run from 2018 to 2021 and received a grant of DKK 5.1 million from the Velux Foundation.

For further information, contact

Lone Krogh: tel. +45 28 95 91 42 or e-mail: lkr@ikl.aau.dk 
Annie Aarup Jensen: tel.: +45 99 40 99 53 or e-mail: aaj@ikl.aau.dk