Poor mental health amongst students correlates with school subjects

Research conducted by universities in Ireland suggests students mental health can deteriorate depending on the subjects they choose to study.

Ulster University (UU) and the Atlantic Technological University (ATU) in Ireland have produced a report detailing students begin university with pre-existing mental health problems, but these are enhanced by specific subjects.

Findings are based on data collected from over 1,800 first-year students. Undergraduates completed detailed questionnaires about a range of mental health disorders including, panic disorders, bipolar and ADHD.

Experts discovered students who chose to study psychology or law had experienced previous negative early life traumas. The report found psychology caused more students to go through increased rates of panic disorder and law students had the highest alcohol misuse rates.

However, students who chose to study nursing were the least likely to suffer from any mental problems.

As well as researchers working from UU and UTU, experts from the Western Health and Social Care Trust also took part in producing the findings which can be found in the Plos One scientific online journal.

In addition to students mental health depleting based on their chosen subjects, some university students have also reported their mental health getting worse after having to study remotely.

A study led by Aleksander Aristovnik, Professor of Economics and Public Management at the University of Ljubljana, found students that had to study online were more likely to take a leave of absence and felt more socially isolated, which increased their risk of anxiety and depression.

According to a BBC investigation, released today, almost a third of university courses are still blending face-to-face teaching with online learning, three years after the pandemic.

With 160 universities surveyed, 50 of them show 28% of their courses are being taught in a hybrid way, compared with 4.1% before the pandemic.

Speaking to the BBC, first-year economics student, Freddie Tyzack, said: ‘It’s not good value for money at all. It’s just like watching a YouTube video.

‘It doesn’t get you in a good routine, a good rhythm or a good learning mindset.’

Freddie also claimed that before beginning his course, the university said the majority of his teaching would be in person with the occasional online lecture, however since starting Freddie has experienced a split of both remote and in-person learning.

However, former President at Liverpool John Moores University Students’ Union, said universities should be as clear as possible about how teaching will be delivered before students apply, but claimed institutions are ‘trying’ to get the blend of face-to-face and online teaching right.

Photo by Kimberly Farmer