Students' Mental Health (Literacy)

Project background

Students’ mental health is playing an increasingly important role in everyday university life, as the average age group of students exhibits relatively high rates of mental illness. Mental health literacy is increasingly becoming a focus of research. It is believed that low mental health literacy impairs the recognition of symptoms of mental illness as well as the seeking of professional help. Furthermore, fears of stigmatization and self-stigmatization make it difficult to talk about one’s own mental health symptoms. It is therefore important to assess the level of awareness and knowledge of mental illness among students and to evaluate how these can be promoted.

Project objective

The goal of the project is to determine the cross-sectional characteristics of university students with regard to mental health, mental health literacy, and their perception of the university’s resources. In addition, the second data collection point—two years later—will be used to examine whether the UNI4MIND prevention project has an impact on mental health, mental health literacy, and students’ perceptions of the university’s resources.

Project procedure

Two online questionnaire surveys are conducted every two years. The data collected enable an analysis of current conditions and trends related to mental health and mental health literacy.

Innovation

Colleges and universities are important settings for promoting students’ mental health literacy. The UNI4MIND project by Mental Health Crowd (Mental Health: Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences) is a two-year, low-threshold prevention initiative aimed at improving mental health literacy at universities. The project includes the implementation of Mental Health Guides (trained students providing peer support), a Mental Health Café as a space for open dialogue, and a kick-off week featuring workshops, film screenings, and discussion sessions.