Abstract

Addressing mental health concerns and promoting well-being is imperative for university students to function optimally and to succeed academically. The demand for mental health care is exceeding the capacity of traditional counseling center resources at universities, suggesting the need for innovative interventions that can serve a broader scope of students. There is emerging evidence suggesting that mental health can be addressed, and well-being improved through psychoeducation and applied skills taught in classroom settings. Objectives: To examine a Mental Health and Well-Being course at a large, private religious university and its relationship to studentsâ€™ well-being. This will be measured by assessing two well-being constructs: thriving and satisfaction with life. Method: Student volunteers were recruited from three sections of a Mental Health and Well-Being course and a control group from the general student body. Students were assessed on two measures of well-being, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Thriving Quotient, at the beginning of the semester, mid-semester, end of semester and one month after the conclusion of the semester. Results: A Split-Plot ANOVA was used to assess the interaction between group membership (treatment v control) and time. The interaction between time and treatment was not significant. However, well-being (Thriving Quotient) did increase as a mean effect overtime for all participants. Discussion: Being enrolled in the Mental Health and Well-Being class did not significantly predict improved well-being compared to students not enrolled in the class. However, there was a general improvement in student well-being among both the treatment and control group, suggesting other situational or environmental factors may have been playing a significant role. Further research on potential interventions for university student well-being, including those that could be offered in the classroom setting could be valuable using a larger sample of students and measuring other variables as well.

Degree

PhD

College and Department

David O. McKay School of Education; Counseling Psychology and Special Education

Rights

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