The experiences of students with mental health difficulties at an Australian regional university: overcoming barriers to successful educational and employment outcomes
Paper
Paper/Presentation Title | The experiences of students with mental health difficulties at an Australian regional university: overcoming barriers to successful educational and employment outcomes |
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Presentation Type | Paper |
Authors | Brownlow, Charlotte (Author), du Preez, Jan (Author), Ganguly, Rahul (Author) and Graham, Coralie (Author) |
Journal or Proceedings Title | Proceedings of the 7th Australian Rural and Remote Mental Health Symposium |
Number of Pages | 2 |
Year | 2015 |
Web Address (URL) of Paper | http://www.cdu.edu.au/northern-institute/australian-rural-and-remote-mental-health-symposium |
Conference/Event | 7th Australian Rural and Remote Mental Health Symposium |
Event Details | 7th Australian Rural and Remote Mental Health Symposium Parent Australian Rural and Remote Mental Health Symposium Event Date 26 to end of 28 Oct 2015 Event Location Creswick, Australia |
Abstract | Educational achievement is consistently linked to better employment outcomes for individuals, but navigating through higher education can be particularly challenging for regional, rural, and remote students. Some individuals face additional difficulties linked to personal disability, and a particularly vulnerable group are those individuals with an identified mental health issue. Flexibility in study options can enable many students to access higher education, with distance education, a choice for many living regionally, providing both opportunities and challenges for study. The research presented here is part of a project funded by the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE), which explored the lived experiences of individuals with a disability at a regional Australian university. The overall focus for the research was to understand individual resilience and what enables some students with mental health problems to be successful in their educational achievement. The present research draws on findings from semi-structured interviews with nine individuals identifying with mental health difficulties. Subsequent analysis followed Braun and Clarke’s (2006) approach to thematic analysis. The key themes identified were those of disclosure and the decision to register or not with disability services; interactions with ‘faculty’; and strategies for positive educational engagement. We concluded that a major challenge in the higher education sector relates to building disability support services that are responsive to the needs of students with a psychological disability. The findings from this study advance knowledge in understanding what strategies a successful student with a mental health issue draws upon in order to succeed, and what implications this may have for the shaping of student support services. |
Keywords | educational achievement; mental health issues; students; Australia |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 390303. Higher education |
520399. Clinical and health psychology not elsewhere classified | |
Public Notes | No evidence of copyright restrictions preventing deposit. Abstract only. |
Byline Affiliations | School of Psychology and Counselling |
School of Linguistics, Adult and Specialist Education | |
School of Nursing and Midwifery | |
Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q3221/the-experiences-of-students-with-mental-health-difficulties-at-an-australian-regional-university-overcoming-barriers-to-successful-educational-and-employment-outcomes
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