Exploring mental health in higher education
Exploring mental health in higher education
University students increasingly experience mental health problems such as burnout, anxiety, and psychological distress. These challenges can negatively affect students’ well-being, academic engagement, and study success. This thesis of Piermarco Consiglio investigates how mental health in higher education can be better assessed, understood, and supported.
The research is guided by two theoretical frameworks: the Job Demands–Resources model and Self-Determination Theory. Together, these frameworks help explain how study demands, personal characteristics, and the satisfaction of basic psychological needs—autonomy, competence, and relatedness—influence students’ mental health and academic functioning.
The thesis includes five empirical studies. First, the Burnout Assessment Tool was validated for both Dutch and international university students, providing a reliable instrument to detect burnout symptoms. Next, different burnout risk profiles among students were identified, showing that students differ substantially in how burnout symptoms and psychological need satisfaction are experienced. A longitudinal study further revealed two pathways influencing academic achievement: a positive pathway in which self-compassion promotes engagement and performance, and a negative pathway in which self-criticism leads to emotional exhaustion and poorer outcomes. Another study showed that resilience is an important factor for university lecturers’ well-being. Finally, a systematic review identified interventions that support student mental health by fostering autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
Together, these findings highlight key mechanisms underlying mental health in higher education and offer practical directions for universities to promote well-being and academic success among both students and educators.