Mental health and self-harming behaviours in university students: Risk factors and trajectories

There are growing concerns about university students’ mental health such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders and self-harming behaviours. As far as we know, this is a unique study exploring mental health conditions and self-harm among university students in Wales. The study aims to fill the gap in what we know about students’ mental health. We will use data from SAIL databank to find out whether students have struggled with mental health conditions before they started university, develop these conditions or different ones during their studies, and how their mental health change after leaving the university. We will also look at how their physical health is affected or affects their mental health. These findings will be useful to have a better understanding of mental health problems among university students in Wales to inform service provision and policy.

Key questions

This research project Investigates mental health (diagnosis and symptoms) and self-harm among university students in Wales. It will examine students’ prior diagnoses, symptoms and contacts with services alongside students’ trajectories for mental health (symptoms and diagnoses) and health-related outcomes.

Project leads

Professor Ann John and Dr Mohammed Mhereeg, Swansea University (ADR Wales).

This project is funded by ADR Wales via its core grant from the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) as an ADR UK partner.