Mental distress during adolescence and participation in higher education
Poster
Paper/Presentation Title | Mental distress during adolescence and participation in higher education |
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Presentation Type | Poster |
Authors | Balloo, Kieran (Author), Hosein, Anesa (Author), Byrom, Nicola (Author) and Essau, Cecilia A. (Author) |
Journal or Proceedings Title | Proceedings of the 44th Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Annual Conference (HERDSA 2022) |
Year | 2022 |
Place of Publication | Australia |
Web Address (URL) of Paper | https://conference.herdsa.org.au/2022/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/HERDSA-2022-poster-abstract-book-1.pdf |
Conference/Event | 44th Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Annual Conference (HERDSA 2022) |
Event Details | 44th Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Annual Conference (HERDSA 2022) Parent Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Annual Conference Delivery In person Event Date 27 to end of 30 Jun 2022 Event Location Melbourne, Australia |
Abstract | Background/context. Recent evidence indicates that adolescents experiencing mental distress might be more likely to go on to attend university than those with no symptoms of distress (Lewis et al., 2021). One explanation for this is that future university students might experience greater academic pressures than their peers, which results in heightened mental distress (Lewis et al., 2021; Luthar et al., 2020). However, the mechanisms behind such pressures are unclear. The initiative/practice. In this study, we anticipated that mental distress (consisting of anxiety/depressive symptoms, social dysfunction, and loss of confidence) experienced by future university students might be specifically due to the high-stakes qualifications needed for university admission. Drawing on social comparison theory (Festinger, 1954), we theorised that future university students might make upward social comparisons with peers who they anticipate will perform better than them, and that this causes mental distress. Methods of evaluative data collection and analysis. We conducted logistic regression analyses of longitudinal panel survey data from a population-representative cohort of approximately 8000 young people. Evidence of outcomes and effectiveness. Our analyses confirmed that high-stakes qualifications appeared to be the underlying mechanism causing mental distress. Adolescents with greater mental distress were more likely to attend university in general, as well as attend a more academically selective university. Mental distress symptoms were also greater for those who planned to apply for university, but did not actually attend. By age 25, symptoms were, on the most part, no longer elevated for those who attended, or had planned to attend, university. We argue for a need to target interventions at times when adolescents undertake high-stakes qualifications at school and university. |
Keywords | mental distress; university; academic pressure |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 520304. Health psychology |
390303. Higher education | |
Public Notes | File reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher/author. |
Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
Byline Affiliations | UniSQ College (Pathways) |
University of Surrey, United Kingdom | |
King's College London, United Kingdom | |
University of Roehampton, United Kingdom | |
Funding source | Grant ID ES/T002255/1 |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q774y/mental-distress-during-adolescence-and-participation-in-higher-education
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