Australian University Students Research Articles

Comparing the mental health of Australian university students with that of young people who are not in higher education

Abstract Compared with their non-student counterparts, young adults engaged in higher education are often reported to be at greater risk for mental health concerns. However, research directly comparing university student and non-student populations is limited. This study uses a community sample to investigate differences in the mental health and wellbeing of young Australians (17–25 years) engaged in university study (n = 828) compared with their age-matched non-studying peers (n = 880). Comparisons are made on mean levels of psychological distress, wellbeing, resilience, and loneliness, as well as the proportion of individuals meeting commonly used classifications for mental health and wellbeing. We then examine the role of employment on reported distress and wellbeing. While a substantial proportion of the sample reported high to very high distress, our study found no overall substantive difference in levels of distress or wellbeing between students and non-students. An examination of employment status revealed a more nuanced result. Full-time employment was associated with greater psychological distress in students, where otherwise students reported better wellbeing and lower distress than their non-student peers. These findings challenge the common discourse of tertiary students as having a greater risk of distress than the general community. However, attempting to combine full-time work with full-time study is challenging, and the pressures of such work can increase distress. Increased financial assistance for tertiary students is needed to ease work pressures, along with greater understanding of the flexibility needed to balance work and study commitments.

Australian university student perspectives on the factors influencing student wellbeing: a content and relational analysis

ABSTRACT It is important to ensure that university student wellbeing policies are informed by the lived experiences of local university students. Relatively few qualitative studies have explored Australian university students’ perspectives on which factors influence student wellbeing. The current study analysed 209 open-text responses provided by Australian university students to the question ‘What most affects your day-to-day wellbeing as a university student?’ We used inductive qualitative content analysis to assess the frequency with which students identified different factors. We also conducted a novel relational analysis to examine accounts of causal relationships between these factors. Academic workload (37%), social interactions (17%), academic stress (16%) and teaching quality (15%) were most frequently described as contributing to student wellbeing. Academic workload was identified as the ‘cause’ in 61% of all accounts of causal relationships between factors. Students consistently described academic workloads indirectly affecting their wellbeing by exacerbating other aspects of their lives, including academic stress, social isolation, and study/life balance. The current study provides novel insights into the ways that current Australian university students perceive the factors that shape their wellbeing. In particular, our findings suggest that the direct and indirect impact of academic workloads upon student wellbeing may be under-recognised.

Priorities for research on improving health behaviours for optimal mental health of Australian university students: A twin-panel Delphi study.

University students are at risk of poor health behaviours which negatively affect mental health and wellbeing. Informing the implementation of appropriate strategies to support Australian university students' health and wellbeing, requires quality evidence. This study aimed to identify research priorities for improving health behaviours to optimise mental health of Australian university students. A twin-panel Delphi method comprising 32 experts across two panels (Panel 1: n = 24, Panel 2; n = 8), with three rounds of data collection, was utilised. In round one panellists identified up to five research priorities. Identified priorities were grouped into themes and in Round 2 panellists ranked their panels priorities using a 4-point Likert scale (1 irrelevant, 2 peripheral, 3 important, 4 essential), and in Round 3 they ranked the importance of the priorities identified by the other panel. Panel 1 identified 35 research priorities in Round 1, and Panel 2 identified 11. Priorities were ranked based on the mean score, with strong, between-panel agreement in the rankings for Panel 1's priorities. (rs = .68, p < .001) but not Panel 2 (rs = .32, p = .34). A list of 25 priorities was retained. Priorities were derived from experts and provided a further call to action for research targeting suicide prevention, social determinants, co-design, behaviour change, and the effectiveness and accessibility of services. SO WHAT?: With further input from students, universities and other stakeholders, these research priorities can guide research to optimise health behaviours and mental health of Australian university students.

Factors influencing experiences of non-consensual sex: results from a mixed data cross-sectional online survey of Australian university students.

Background The high prevalence of non-consensual sex, including physical force, verbal threats, intimidation, and/or verbal coercion and rape among university students, has prompted urgent calls for action from governments, statutory, and university bodies. This research aims to identify key factors students see as contributing to non-consensual sex with a view to developing effective strategies to address these issues. Methods An online cross-sectional survey was administered to 4291 university students attending universities in south-east Queensland, Australia. Participants were recruited via email, print media, and face-to-face invitations. The survey contained closed and open-ended questions on a range of sexual health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours, including non-consensual sexual experiences. A subset of students (n =199) who responded 'yes' to engaging in sexual acts against their consent were the primary participants for this paper. Descriptive statistical analysis and thematic analysis, employing the theory of planned behaviour, were conducted using the quantitative and qualitative data regarding non-consensual sex, respectively. Results Immediate and longer-term fear and partner eagerness were the most commonly identified influences on non-consensual sex. An inability to give consent due to lack of consciousness or intoxication were also frequently cited factors contributing to non-consensual sex. Conclusions Interventions acknowledging and addressing sociocultural factors are needed. Sexuality and relationship education encompassing effective communication, relationship boundaries, and safe use of alcohol and drugs could substantially reduce the incidence of non-consensual sex. Importantly, such education should be non-judgmental and place greater responsibility on perpetrators than victim-survivors.

‘We’ share but ‘They’ cheat: student qualitative perspectives on cheating in higher education

This paper addresses the marked absence of student voices in contemporary research on academic integrity, and in doing so challenges a number of persistent ideas about cheating in higher education. We report the qualitative findings from a large-scale survey of Australian university students (n = 14,086), in which 4,915 students responded to one open-text item: ‘Is there anything else you want to tell us about cheating in higher education?’. Responses indicated that the survey’s focus on ‘contract cheating’ was misdirected, reporting that other forms of cheating are far more prevalent and accepted as behavioural and ethical norms. Most critically, responses articulated a ‘we’ group (domestic students) and a ‘they’ group (international students) and their behaviours – while similar – were judged differently. The ‘we’ group described their participation in a social economy of assessment, through which students share assignments and work together to ‘help each other’. The ‘they’ group, in contrast, were described as outsourcing assignments and relying on others to ‘probably cheat’. Evidence of othering and double standards reflected a racist discourse, and indicated a potential relationship between the social and academic exclusion of international students in Australia and commercial contract cheating, the scandalisation of which we aim to challenge in this paper.

Challenging dominant perspectives of digital literacy in Western higher education

The 21st-century work environment, for which universities prepare graduates, demands multi-dimensional and interdisciplinary competencies infused with digital literacy skills essential for sustainable employability (Baruch &amp; Sullivan, 2022; Gürbüz, Bakker, Demerouti et al., 2023). Our increasingly digitalised society reinforces the need for learners to acquire digital competencies as part of their education (Gutiérrez-Ángel, Sánchez-García, Mercader-Rubio et al., 2022). Digital literacy, defined as the ability to access, manage, understand, integrate, communicate, evaluate, and create information safely and appropriately through digital technologies, is still an evolving concept (UNESCO, 2018). With the mandate to produce graduates capable of performing to expected standards in ever-changing work environments, higher education institutions continuously define the digital competencies of their graduates and how to develop them. This involves ongoing discussions about what students should learn to be digitally competent (curriculum), how they should be taught and supported (pedagogy), and the associated progression in learning (assessment) (Ilomäki, Lakkala, Kallunki et al., 2023). However, Western perspectives on learning and teaching in higher education often dominate these discussions. Given that most students in Australian universities come from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds, there is a need to address this gap in the literature by considering alternative perspectives on curriculum, pedagogy, and assessments for digital literacy in higher education. This study presents findings from a critical integrative review of the literature (Whittemore &amp; Knafl, 2005). The aim is to identify alternative perspectives in defining the digital competencies critical in preparing students for diverse socio-cultural work environments. To achieve this, a well-known meta-framework of digital literacy (Tran, Jung, Unangst et al., 2023; Martínez, Sádaba and Serrano-Puche, 2021) will be used to map digital competencies identified in global literature, exploring and challenging the concept of a digitally competent university graduate in today’s diverse world. The integrative review will also identify teaching and learning approaches (pedagogies) for developing students’ digital competencies from socio-cultural perspectives, as discussed in the literature (Mahn and John-Steiner, 2012). Peer-reviewed articles, reports, and e-book chapters will be searched in global literature, with inclusion criteria focusing on keywords such as digital literacies, digital competencies, socio-cultural learning theory, teaching pedagogies, curriculum design, and learner support. Databases will include ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Science. Relevant data will be extracted using an Excel sheet, and thematic and interpretive analyses will be employed to synthesise the data critically. The findings will provide insights into how socio-cultural differences influence the valued aspects of digital literacy and how they are taught or assessed in higher education. This research will also offer critical insights into how teachers can inclusively support diverse students, considering unique ways to recognise prior educational experiences, learning preferences, and needs. The final output will be a conceptual framework for teaching and learning digital literacy in Western high education from socio-cultural perspectives. Ultimately, this research aims to provide a much-needed international perspective on what it means to be a digitally competent graduate in Australia and globally.

The national student survey of GenerativeAI use among Australian university students

Entrusting GenerativeAI (GenAI) to complete tasks that require critical engagement with content can have wide-spread implications to the integrity of student learning outcomes. This paper presents the preliminary findings of a mixed-methods survey of Australian university students (n=399) on their use of GenAI in their studies. Preliminary findings suggest student GenAI use in universities is common, with approximately one third of students using GenAI and 53% engaging with ChatGPT alone. In open-ended responses, stigma and judgement towards students utilising GenAI to complete their assignments is evident. Stigma may entrench a culture of secrecy around integrating GenAI into the student workflow, which may work against any initiatives to increase citation or transparency in the sanctioned use of GenAI. Students also discussed implications for employability, skill development, and the originality of their work, with 80% of students concerned that GenAI is devaluing their degrees. These findings require universities to critically engage with either: building a culture of engagement with, or increasing surveillance against the use of GenAI in student assessments (reflecting the GenAI stance of each university).

Combining self-reported and clickstream data to understand university students’ learning experiences and outcomes in flipped classrooms

This study examined the relationships between students’ self-reported perceptions of learning environment, students’ course marks, learning strategy and online study duration measured by clickstream data in an undergraduate flipped classroom course amongst a cohort of Australian first-year university students. The clickstream data identified two groups of students using two distinct learning strategies focusing either on completing the assessments in the course or on the learning activities preparing for the face-to-face learning. Students’ perceptions of learning environment were measured by a self-reported questionnaire. Using cluster analysis, students were grouped as either having positive or negative perceptions. Of the students who adopted a learning strategy focusing on assessments, a significantly higher proportion of them hold negative perceptions of learning environment. In contrast, amongst students who used a learning strategy focusing on completing the preparation activities, a significantly lower proportion of them had negative perceptions. Furthermore, students who hold negative perceptions were also found to study less hours than their classmates who had positive perceptions. The multiple regression analyses showed that self-reported perceptions could explain only 4.8% of variance in students’ course marks, whereas learning strategy and online study duration measured by clickstream data predicted around 17.2% of variance in students’ course marks.

Differences in university experiences, support seeking, and mental well-being in Australian university students according to bereavement status

In Australia, nearly half of university students report high levels of distress during their studies. Bereavement increases a student’s risk of mood changes, eating disorders, suicide, poorer academic achievement, and attrition. We used an online, quantitative, cross-sectional survey to investigate the prevalence of bereaved students in Australian universities and differences between bereaved and non-bereaved university students’ mental well-being, university connectedness, current grade average, and support experiences. Findings indicated 22.3% of students experienced bereavement in the previous 24 months. Bereaved students had higher ratings of perceived social support than non-bereaved peers. There were no significant differences in mental well-being, grade averages, and university connectedness once sex, living arrangements, enrolment type (full/part-time), and religious affiliation were controlled. Bereaved students who continued their studies showed resilience and a preference for social support. Findings present a rationale for universities to harness resources to support bereaved students throughout their studies to promote engagement and retention.

The concepts of sustainability value and the application of big data in enhancing the ability of sustainability marketing

PurposeWe seek to contribute to the literature by comparing and analyzing the relationship between Australian and Taiwanese students regarding environmental value attitude, action intention and green marketing intention. Specifically, by comparing the green marketing intention of hospitality and tourism (H&amp;T) students in the East with that in the West.Design/methodology/approachA well-designed curriculum examines student thinking and behavior (learn). This study compares and analyzes the value and attitude and the application of big data to green marketing among Taiwanese and Australian university students using the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses in a sample of 633 H&amp;T students in Taiwan (389) and Australia (244).FindingsThis study also shows how the national differences between Australia and Taiwan have interference effects on the relationship between value attitudes and action intentions and between action intentions and the green marketing intention. We also combined the application of big data and related variables and estimated the mediating effect of related variables to evaluate the impact on action intentions and green marketing of big data applications.Practical implicationsThere are significant differences in the sustainable behavior and intentions of H&amp;T higher education students that reflect the educational differences between the East and the West. These different results may be due to a lack of natural resources and the relatively smaller size of Taiwan. With the strengthening of environmental action intention (AI) and green marketing intention (GMI), Taiwanese hospitality and management (H&amp;M) students' sense of crisis increases, and their performance in GMI is slightly higher than that in Australia.Originality/valueThese findings indicate that it is necessary to consider students' ecological concepts, environmental knowledge, environmental value attitude and environmental action intention to improve their intentions to engage in green marketing under the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework. We also found that environmental knowledge has a mediating effect on the relationship between ecological concepts and environmental value attitude.

Positive perceptions and purchase of sustainable foods is associated with higher diet quality in Australian university students

Purpose This study aims to understand university students' perception and engagement with sustainable food practices and the relationship with diet quality. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey assessed Australian university students' sustainable food perceptions and purchasing behaviours, diet quality using the validated Australian Recommended Food Score and attitudes towards on campus sustainable food options. Findings Of respondents (n = 197; 63% female), over half (58%) perceived it was important to purchase sustainable foods. These students were eight times more likely report purchasing sustainable foods (OR: 8.1; 95%CI 4.2–15.7; SE: 0.3; p &lt; 0.001) and had significantly higher diet quality (Beta coefficient: 2.9; 95% Confidence Intervals 0.4–5.4; Standard Error: 1.3; p = 0.024). Students who reported frequently purchasing all types of sustainable foods, except organic foods, had significantly higher diet quality. Few students perceived there were sufficient sustainable food choices on campus (19%), but most supported the development of an edible campus (80%). Originality/value The results highlight the potential impact of promoting sustainable food options and creating a supportive campus food environment towards improving students’ diet quality.

Australian University Students' Experience of Animal-Assisted Education: An Exploratory Study.

University students experience poorer mental health outcomes when compared to the general population. Poor mental health has been associated with reduced wellbeing and low academic performance, resulting in higher rates of withdrawal. Animal-assisted education is an intervention found to result in a reduction in anxiety and an increased learning engagement among primary and secondary students. However, minimal research has been conducted regarding the inclusion of therapy dogs in the learning environments of students in tertiary education. This study explored the influence of animal-assisted education on the experience of university students. A total of 56 university students engaged with animal-assisted education over a 13-week period and completed an online survey comprised of open- and closed-response questions. The findings showed that all perceived benefits of the therapy dog, including improved mood and reduction of anxiety, increased motivation and engagement in learning activities, as well as an improved social engagement with peers and the educator. Preliminary findings demonstrated that the inclusion of animal-assisted education into the teaching of university students may assist in supporting their mental health and overall learning experience. Research is needed to explore the most effective ways to incorporate animal-assisted education into university settings for both students and therapy dogs.

Co-rumination and psychological well-being of Chinese and Australian college students: a comparative study

Co-rumination and psychological well-being of Chinese and Australian college students: a comparative study

Beyond generic support: Contextual influences on careers of gender and sexuality diverse groups in higher education

AbstractDespite the emerging attention to career development for gender and/or sexuality diverse (GSD) students, the literature is largely limited to generic support, missing a specific focus on either careers or being GSD. Such a generic view about contextual influences makes it difficult to guide the design and implementation of concrete, feasible practices for supporting GSD students' careers. Extending the existing body of work, this study employed qualitative methods to explore more specific, nuanced contextual factors within the university setting that influence GSD students' career development. We conducted semi‐structured interviews with 25 Australian university students who self‐identified as GSD. Our findings report seven major themes that could explain the influence of university contexts on the career development and experiences of GSD students. These themes include generic mentoring not always being useful, the negative effects of framing diversity as a “risk,” small things that can foster a sense of safety, the importance of designated areas and resources, the importance of advice on safe workplaces and being authentic at work, the importance of the visibility of key people, and the need for intersectional support. In addition to unpacking the influence of unique contextual features, these findings contribute to the extension of existing career frameworks such as the career self‐management model into GSD contexts. Our results also shed light on detailed, implementable practical solutions for universities, career counselors, and psychologists to support the career development of GSD students.

The rapid rise of generative AI and its implications for academic integrity: Students’ perceptions and use of chatbots for assistance with assessments

The rapid adoption of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT by students has the potential to disrupt the higher education sector, with concerns being raised by academics about potential threats to academic integrity. This paper contributes to the pressing discussion about responses to AI tools by examining students' perceptions and the use of generative AI to assist them with assessments. Based on a survey among 337 Australian university students, this study found that more than a third of students have used a chatbot for assistance with an assessment, and do not necessarily perceive this as a breach of academic integrity. The study further investigated to what extent different psychosocial factors such as learning motivations, distress or resilience are associated with students’ use of AI chatbots in order to ascertain environmental conditions or risk factors driving their use. Findings suggest that the higher education sector faces the challenge of not only defining clear policies and guidelines about ethical and academically honest ways to use and integrate generative AI tools into university education and assessments, but also to rethink the design of assessment pieces.

Exploring the role of dysfunctional attitudes and unhelpful thoughts in the relationship between personality traits and psychological distress in Australian University students

The impact of dysfunctional attitudes and unhelpful thinking upon clients presenting with personality-related psychological distress is an important clinical area of investigation as it informs psychological interventions. Despite this, there is limited research in this area. Thus, this study had two main aims: (1) examine the interrelationships between maladaptive personality traits, dysfunctional attitudes, unhelpful thinking, and psychological distress; and (2) explore the potential mediating roles of dysfunctional attitudes and unhelpful thinking on the relationship between maladaptive personality traits and psychological distress. A convenience sample of 728 undergraduate psychology students (mean age: 31.57 years; 76% female) completed an online questionnaire for course credit. The results supported the first hypothesis that after controlling for gender and age, there would be significant positive correlations among maladaptive personality traits, dysfunctional attitudes, and psychological distress. A structural equation model with an excellent fit (CMIN/df = 2.23, p = .063, TLI = 0.98, CFI = 0.99, SRMR, = 0.01, and RMSEA = 0.04) provided partial support for the second hypothesis in that dysfunctional attitudes and unhelpful thoughts mediated the relationship between maladaptive personality traits and psychological distress. Specifically, negative affectivity and detachment’s relationship with psychological distress were partially mediated via dysfunction attitudes and unhelpful thoughts, and dysfunctional attitudes respectively. These findings suggest that while dysfunctional attitudes and unhelpful thinking contribute to the relationship between personality traits and psychological distress, identification of other factors are required to improve theoretical understanding and subsequently psychological interventions.

Coding Decoded: Exploring Course Achievement and Gender Disparities in an Online Flipped Classroom Programming Course

In introductory programming courses (IPCs), students encounter various difficulties that are related to low achievement and high dropout and failure rates. Technology-rich approaches that promote self-directed learning while facilitating competency development and knowledge construction through social collaboration may offer advantages in this context. The current study assesses such an instructional approach by (1) identifying antecedents and process variables related to course achievement in an online flipped classroom IPC and (2) testing for gender differences regarding antecedents, process variables, and course achievement. In the winter semester of 2020/21, a sample of 144 Austrian university students participated in a survey with measurements at different points in time. Multiple linear regression was carried out to explore factors related to course achievement. The results indicate that gender, achievement-avoidance goals, academic self-concept, engagement in asynchronous learning, and course satisfaction were positively related to achievement. In contrast, work avoidance was identified as a barrier to achievement. Additionally, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was employed to test gender differences. MANOVA revealed significant gender differences regarding learning goals, mathematical self-concept, work avoidance, and engagement in synchronous learning. There were no gender differences regarding course satisfaction or achievement. The study has implications for designing innovative programming courses that could foster course satisfaction and achievement and thus reduce dropout and failure rates.

Comparative Analysis of Scientific Communication Skills between Korean and Australian University Students

Comparative Analysis of Scientific Communication Skills between Korean and Australian University Students

Exploring reasons for high levels of food insecurity and low fruit and vegetable consumption among university students post-COVID-19

High rates of food insecurity and low consumption of fruit and vegetables among university students have been observed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and intensified during the pandemic. This study aimed to investigate food insecurity among university students and its associations with sociodemographic factors, fruit and vegetable consumption behaviours, and preferred campus programs to address these issues. A convenience sample of 237 Australian university students completed a cross-sectional online survey from October to December 2022. Food insecurity was assessed using the 10-item US Adult Food Security Module, applying the Canadian classification scheme. Sociodemographic variables, fruit and vegetable consumption behaviours, and perceptions of fruit and vegetable access and their affordability were included in the survey. Students were also asked to select the most suitable program(s) and provide reasons for their choice using open-ended questions. Approximately half of respondents (46.4%) were identified as food insecure. The proportion of students meeting the recommended intake of vegetables as specified in the Australian Dietary Guidelines was very low (5.1%) compared with fruit (46.2%). Low fruit consumption was significantly associated with food insecurity (OR = 1.81; 95%CI 1.03, 3.18, p = 0.038). Factors such as the perceived lower accessibility and higher price of fruit and vegetables were significantly associated with higher odds of food insecurity. In terms of potential programs, a free fruit and vegetable campaign was the most popular program, with affordability and physical access being the most frequently cited reasons. These findings suggest that food insecurity is associated with low fruit and vegetable consumption in university students. Therefore, transforming campus food environments and developing food policies at the university level must be considered to address food and nutrition security in university students.

Trends in Health-Risk Behaviors and Psychological Distress among Australian First-Year University Students.

University students are recognized as a high-risk population group who experience greater rates of poor health outcomes and mental ill-health. Commencing university is recognized as a major life transition, where students experience new financial, academic, environmental, and social pressures that can cause changes in their normal behaviors. This study explored trends in health-risk behaviors and psychological distress in commencing university students over four survey years. First-year undergraduate students, aged 17-24, from an Australian university were included. A secondary analysis was performed on data collected via cross-sectional surveys on four occasions (2016, 2017, 2019, 2020). Crude logistic regression models were utilized to investigate the association between meeting guidelines and survey year. Odds ratios for the pairwise comparison between each year are reported. In this analysis, 1300 (2016), 484 (2017), 456 (2019), and 571 (2020) students were included. Analyses showed two clear trends: students' probability of being at high/very high risk of psychological distress (35-55%) and consuming breakfast daily (44-55%) consistently worsened over the four survey years. These findings suggest that the odds of psychological distress and daily breakfast consumption worsened over time, whilst the proportion of students engaging in some health-risk behaviors was high, highlighting the importance of early intervention during the transition to university.