View in EDS

Disingenuous 'Box-Ticking': Undergraduate Students' Attitudes towards University Mental Health Awareness Efforts

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Disingenuous 'Box-Ticking': Undergraduate Students' Attitudes towards University Mental Health Awareness Efforts
Language: English
Authors: Sorcha Finan, Lucy Foulkes (ORCID 0000-0002-8122-4270)
Source: British Educational Research Journal. 2026 52(2):1293-1312.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 20
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Student Attitudes, College Programs, Mental Health Programs, Foreign Countries, Mental Disorders, Health Promotion, Access to Health Care, School Health Services, Program Effectiveness
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
DOI: 10.1002/berj.70042
ISSN: 0141-1926
1469-3518
Abstract: Mental health problems are common among UK undergraduate students. In response, many universities have put considerable effort into raising awareness about student mental health problems and avenues of support (e.g., via workshops, posters, email newsletters and social media posts). Nonetheless, reported rates of mental health problems in students have continued to rise. Despite the ubiquity of awareness efforts, there has been limited research assessing students' attitudes towards and experience of these initiatives. To address this, in this study, N = 15 undergraduate students (aged 18 to 24) from 13 UK universities were interviewed in depth to explore their attitudes towards the mental health awareness efforts of their respective universities. N = 11 reported personal experience of mental health problems. Using reflexive thematic analysis, three themes were generated: (1) university life contradicts university mental health awareness efforts; (2) university mental health awareness efforts are perceived as disingenuous and inadequate; and (3) students don't want awareness--they want accessible help and supportive communities. These themes highlight the frustration students feel towards what they see as misguided efforts from their universities, and the structural problems at university that make living a mentally healthy life difficult. Simultaneously, the findings highlight the elements of mental health support that students value. The findings of this study have important implications for the design and implementation of universities' efforts to improve and support student mental health, while also adding constructively to the wider societal conversation critiquing the impact of mental health awareness efforts.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1502841
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1502841
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Disingenuous 'Box-Ticking': Undergraduate Students' Attitudes towards University Mental Health Awareness Efforts
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sorcha+Finan%22">Sorcha Finan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lucy+Foulkes%22">Lucy Foulkes</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8122-4270">0000-0002-8122-4270</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22British+Educational+Research+Journal%22"><i>British Educational Research Journal</i></searchLink>. 2026 52(2):1293-1312.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 20
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research<br />Tests/Questionnaires
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+Students%22">Undergraduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Programs%22">College Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+Health+Programs%22">Mental Health Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+Disorders%22">Mental Disorders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+Promotion%22">Health Promotion</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+Health+Care%22">Access to Health Care</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Health+Services%22">School Health Services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Effectiveness%22">Program Effectiveness</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom%22">United Kingdom</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1002/berj.70042
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0141-1926<br />1469-3518
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Mental health problems are common among UK undergraduate students. In response, many universities have put considerable effort into raising awareness about student mental health problems and avenues of support (e.g., via workshops, posters, email newsletters and social media posts). Nonetheless, reported rates of mental health problems in students have continued to rise. Despite the ubiquity of awareness efforts, there has been limited research assessing students' attitudes towards and experience of these initiatives. To address this, in this study, N = 15 undergraduate students (aged 18 to 24) from 13 UK universities were interviewed in depth to explore their attitudes towards the mental health awareness efforts of their respective universities. N = 11 reported personal experience of mental health problems. Using reflexive thematic analysis, three themes were generated: (1) university life contradicts university mental health awareness efforts; (2) university mental health awareness efforts are perceived as disingenuous and inadequate; and (3) students don't want awareness--they want accessible help and supportive communities. These themes highlight the frustration students feel towards what they see as misguided efforts from their universities, and the structural problems at university that make living a mentally healthy life difficult. Simultaneously, the findings highlight the elements of mental health support that students value. The findings of this study have important implications for the design and implementation of universities' efforts to improve and support student mental health, while also adding constructively to the wider societal conversation critiquing the impact of mental health awareness efforts.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1502841
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1502841
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1002/berj.70042
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 20
        StartPage: 1293
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mental Health Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mental Disorders
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health Promotion
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Access to Health Care
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Health Services
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United Kingdom
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Disingenuous 'Box-Ticking': Undergraduate Students' Attitudes towards University Mental Health Awareness Efforts
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Sorcha Finan
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Lucy Foulkes
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 04
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0141-1926
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1469-3518
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 52
            – Type: issue
              Value: 2
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: British Educational Research Journal
              Type: main
ResultId 1