Measuring, monitoring and managing the psychological well-being of first year university students

• Published in: British journal of guidance & counselling Vol. 34; no. 4; pp. 505 - 517
• Main Authors: Cooke, Richard, Bewick, Bridgette M., Barkham, Michael, Bradley, Margaret, Audin, Kerry
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Taylor & Francis Group 01-11-2006; Routledge; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adjustment; Anxiety; College Freshmen; College students; Counseling Services; Counselling; Depression; Depression (Psychology); Foreign Countries; Higher Education; Mental health; Psychological wellbeing; Psychology; Questionnaires; Student Adjustment; Student Needs; Undergraduate students; United Kingdom; Well Being; United Kingdom; United Kingdom > UK
• ISSN: 0306-9885; 1469-3534
• DOI: 10.1080/03069880600942624

This paper profiles the psychological well-being of students in their initial year of university. There were three aims: to measure the impact of arrival at university on the psychological well-being of first year students, to monitor (i.e. profile) the shape of psychological well-being across the first year, and to investigate how students manage their well-being in relation to the use of university counselling services. Data were collected on four occasions, with 84% of all first year students at a UK university (4,699 students) completing the questionnaire on at least one occasion. Psychological well-being was assessed using the GP-CORE, a general population form of the CORE-OM. Results show that greater strain is placed on well-being once students start university compared to levels preceding entry. This strain rises and falls across the year but does not return to pre-university levels. Items tapping depression and anxiety suggest that the first year of university is a time of heightened anxiety but not a particularly depressive time. The findings are discussed in relation to students' experience of higher education and how to match student needs with university counselling service provision.