1 Student mental health: resources and environmental stressors influencing the emotional health of UCLAN students Sue Hacking Department of Nursing West Midlands Mental Health Educators Network – June 2007 Coventry University

2 The survey aims To evidence perceptions of increasing need for resources to meet the needs of students with mental health difficulties reported by Arts staff. Design Survey of students in the Department for Arts and Fashion and another contrasting department to assess the relative prevalence and level of mental health needs and students’ perceptions of academic pressure Survey of staff to assess perceptions of student mental health and pressure on staff and students

3 The questionnaire measures Clinical Outcomes for Routine Evaluation (CORE system group 1998 University of Leeds) –34 items grouped into four scales subjective wellbeing life functioning risk/harm problems/symptoms –Clinically significant ‘caseness’. Social and Academic Inclusion Scale (Adaptation of Social Inclusion Measure, Secker, Hacking 2007) –15 items grouped into 2 scales social involvement Coping with social pressure

4 Responses Students’ questionnaire: –125 (25%) Arts Students (female 93%, male 7%) –133 (44%) Nursing students (female 80%, male 10%) –Mostly White British (90%) and years. Staff questionnaire: –14 Arts staff (28%) –22 Nursing staff (44%) –Female 72%, male 27%, mostly White British and over 30years.

5 Difficulties described by students (last 2 years) DifficultyArtsNursingAll Hallucinatory experiences or thought intrusions 4 (3%)6 (5%)10 (4%) Mood and anxiety disorders24 (20%)36(28%)60(24%) Alcohol in quantity6 (5%)7 (5%)13 (5%) Illegal drugs3 (2%)1 (6%)4 (2%) Self harm4 (3%)3 (2%)7 (3%) Eating disorder30 (25%)44 (34%)74 (29%) Difficulty coping with ordinary life18 (15%)26 (20%)44 (18%) Low level problems53 (44%)65 (50%)118 (47%) Other distressing problems*16 (13%)26 (20%)42 (17%) Total number of students indicating problems over the last 2 years 87 (72%)108 (83%)195(78%)

6 Serious mental health issues within the last few months and current long term mental health problems Serious mental health issueArtsNursingall Last few months21 (17%)29 (22%)50 (20%) Long term problem4 (3%)9 (7%)13 (5%)

7 Serious mental health issues CORE scores (caseness)

8 Which complaint is most likely to fall into the significant range?

9 What contributes most to significant scores - students

10 Social and academic inclusion Students with clinically significant mental health difficulties scored significantly lower on social and academic inclusion (p<0.000) –22% less on the social involvement scale –18% less on coping with academic pressure –20% less overall

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12 Conclusions A significant number of students experience emotional problems, minor and major. –70-80% reported some kind of problem over the last 2 years –26% reported a severe mental health problem Students were willing to identify and disclose difficulties. –20% reported a serious mental health issue in the last 6 months and 5% reported a current long term problem requiring management –13% presented with severe mental health problems identified by validated instrument –Students with serious mental health problems were less included in the life of the university academically and socially. Staff concerns for an effective referral system may reflect a lack of information and support –Nursing staff were less concerned