SINGAPORE: A mental health survey of undergraduates from five autonomous universities in Singapore found that three in four respondents want increased support for their academics.
This could include the introduction of grace days, or allowable delays beyond a specified deadline for all assignments.
The survey, conducted by the inter-university network, saw 470 respondents across the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Singapore Management University (SMU) and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).
The inter-university network released the results of the survey in the UCare Mental Health Report on Tuesday (Jun 21), alongside recommendations to better support the mental health and well-being of undergraduates.
Insights from the survey will be shared with the autonomous universities to “guide the policy direction and derive recommendations” for the participating universities and Singapore as a whole, the report read.
The survey also found that 49 per cent of undergraduates surveyed prefer to address mental health issues on their own, even though there is “a high awareness” of the avenues of support in their universities.
About one in five respondents said they feared those around them would judge them if they used the professional avenues of help provided in universities and student-led initiatives, the report added.
“While undergraduates were fearful of being stigmatised and judged for seeking mental health support, nearly every respondent was willing to lend a hand to someone who needed support or was in distress,” said the inter-university network in a press release on Tuesday.
“This finding identifies a potential area for stakeholders within the mental health space to invest educational efforts in empowering youths to create a culture of care and self-compassion in their communities.”
The report also recommended that academic boards could allow students “greater autonomy” in planning their academic pathways each semester.
This would allow students to manage their assignment loads and deadlines by choosing modules that “match their bandwidth”, said the inter-university network.
The survey found that undergraduates feel that there is a “deep-seated and unhealthy obsession” with grades, because employers maintain that academic grades are still the primary indicator used to screen candidates for hire, the report read.
“Students may feel that they have to perform well academically to get their ‘foot through the door’. This has inevitably led to the amplification of students’ stresses during the course of their education,” said the inter-university network in the report.
“Unfortunately, such stress leads to the joy of learning often diminishing within this highly competitive environment, and students primarily focus on chasing grades and outdoing their peers instead of enjoying the process of learning,” it added, calling for a review of the curriculum, grading systems and mental health resources.
“This hectic pace of education, coupled with the reduced joy of learning has led to the rise of multiple mental stressors within the education climate.”
Faculty educators should also be trained to identify “risky behaviours” and signs of mental stress, said the network in the press release.
About one in three respondents said there was a lack of information on student-led initiatives and workshops on self-care and mental wellness on campus, the press release read.
The reported noted that more efforts in publishing and planning student-led initiatives could alleviate the oversubscribed counselling services offered in universities.
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This could include the introduction of grace days, or allowable delays beyond a specified deadline for all assignments.
The survey, conducted by the inter-university network, saw 470 respondents across the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Singapore Management University (SMU) and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).
The inter-university network released the results of the survey in the UCare Mental Health Report on Tuesday (Jun 21), alongside recommendations to better support the mental health and well-being of undergraduates.
Insights from the survey will be shared with the autonomous universities to “guide the policy direction and derive recommendations” for the participating universities and Singapore as a whole, the report read.
The survey also found that 49 per cent of undergraduates surveyed prefer to address mental health issues on their own, even though there is “a high awareness” of the avenues of support in their universities.
About one in five respondents said they feared those around them would judge them if they used the professional avenues of help provided in universities and student-led initiatives, the report added.
“While undergraduates were fearful of being stigmatised and judged for seeking mental health support, nearly every respondent was willing to lend a hand to someone who needed support or was in distress,” said the inter-university network in a press release on Tuesday.
“This finding identifies a potential area for stakeholders within the mental health space to invest educational efforts in empowering youths to create a culture of care and self-compassion in their communities.”
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The report also recommended that academic boards could allow students “greater autonomy” in planning their academic pathways each semester.
This would allow students to manage their assignment loads and deadlines by choosing modules that “match their bandwidth”, said the inter-university network.
The survey found that undergraduates feel that there is a “deep-seated and unhealthy obsession” with grades, because employers maintain that academic grades are still the primary indicator used to screen candidates for hire, the report read.
“Students may feel that they have to perform well academically to get their ‘foot through the door’. This has inevitably led to the amplification of students’ stresses during the course of their education,” said the inter-university network in the report.
“Unfortunately, such stress leads to the joy of learning often diminishing within this highly competitive environment, and students primarily focus on chasing grades and outdoing their peers instead of enjoying the process of learning,” it added, calling for a review of the curriculum, grading systems and mental health resources.
“This hectic pace of education, coupled with the reduced joy of learning has led to the rise of multiple mental stressors within the education climate.”
Faculty educators should also be trained to identify “risky behaviours” and signs of mental stress, said the network in the press release.
About one in three respondents said there was a lack of information on student-led initiatives and workshops on self-care and mental wellness on campus, the press release read.
The reported noted that more efforts in publishing and planning student-led initiatives could alleviate the oversubscribed counselling services offered in universities.
Continue reading...