Under the Radar: The Mental Health of Australian University Students

Australian and international research suggests university students are experiencing heightened psychological distress, in part due to academic and financial pressures, isolation, loneliness and poor self-care. University years also often coincide with the critical transitional period (between the ages of 17 and 25 years) when mental illness is most likely to onset. While the Australian Government’s higher education policies have driven increases in participation and equity, little attention has been given to supporting the ‘mental wealth’ of students and responding to experiences (and risk factors) of mental ill-health which can place them at risk of academic failure. Further, mental health and suicide prevention policies across all levels of government have focused on providing educational support within primary and secondary school settings and largely ignored the role of tertiary education. This is despite the significant numbers of Australian young people engaged in these settings. There remains contention about the extent of the problem and whether the core business of higher education delivery includes supporting a student’s mental health and wellbeing. Regardless, universities across Australia have been independently developing policies and programs to respond to mental health issues presenting on campus. As such, national leadership and guidance is needed to: a) improve data collection on the prevalence of mental ill-health among university students; b) articulate the reasonable expectations of universities in responding to a student’s mental health issues; c) describe opportunities for partnership between universities and community mental health services; and d) promote evidence-based, appropriate and acceptable programs and interventions.