Publication: Mental health in Australian (North Queensland) tertiary students

Hawkins, Russell, Newitt, Hayley, Piat, Marissa, and Pfeiffer, Nicole (2017) Mental health in Australian (North Queensland) tertiary students. International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change, 3 (3). pp. 105-123.

https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/51567/

Abstract
This paper summarises three studies undertaken by James Cook University psychology students investigating mental health in tertiary students. Study one found that students (N=547) reported greater levels of psychological distress than found for the general population and that scores for depression and anxiety were significantly higher among school leaver students than mature age students. The second study of 372 students found that 34.4% reported clinical levels of anxiety, 55.1% reported clinical levels of depression and there were no major differences between rural and urban students. The third study considered whether exposure to educational videos and a facilitated discussion might positively affect student attitudes towards people experiencing depression. Improved knowledge scores followed video exposure, but attitudes towards depression remained stubbornly unchanged, stereotypical and negative. Difficulties obtaining ethics approval are described as symptomatic of the stigma and institutional reluctance to face up to mental health issues that inhibits progress in the field.