Student Mental Health: Life in a Pandemic

Student Mental Health: Life in a Pandemic​

Wave III findings (January 2022)

In August 2021, we published our report ‘University Mental Health: Life in a Pandemic, which shared our learnings and reflections from the first 18 months of the Covid-19 pandemic, including the findings of the primary research we conducted in April/May 2021. Since then, we have conducted two further waves of research; one in September 202, 1and another more recently in January 2022. In each wave, we have sought to better understand students’ experiences, concerns and expectations, so that we can best support them during this challenging time. 
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Our latest wave of research captures how students were feeling at the beginning of the new calendar year (2022), having completed at least one university term. The online survey, conducted by Alterline, was completed by 1000 university students. We found:
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  • 38% of respondents felt that being at university in Autumn term had a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing.
  • 64% of respondents felt that the Covid-19 pandemic had a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing during Autumn term.
  • Academic performance continues to be students’ biggest concern, and students are also worried about managing their time and keeping up with study commitments.
  • 43% of respondents said they need support to manage their own wellbeing.
  • 52% of respondents said they often felt lonely or isolated during Autumn term. 
  • 1 in 5 students disagreed with the statement “My university is taking steps to improve student mental health”.

These findings further demonstrate the need for universities to ensure that student mental health is prioritised. University communities can and should be spaces where students feel supported to thrive.
This research was funded by Office for Students and Higher Education Funding Council for Wales as part of Student Space.
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Student Minds is a Charity registered in England and Wales, 1142783
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