Investigating determinants and prevalence of mental health issues in university students: UAE perspective

Abstract

A questionnaire survey of university students’ mental health problems was conducted on 250 respondents aged 19-26 years. The study scale relates to four dimensions of mental health problems as reported by university students, such as They include Disorganisation of functional sense, Inability to Trust, Impulsivity or Lack of self-control, and Susceptibility to anxiety. Interpretation of the total SPCL is also presented and the authors recommend that SC z-scores greater than one should be entered in the GERIF study and be used to consider a severe problem while scores that equal two standard deviations be considered a very severe problem. According to the results obtained here, 31% of the partakers can be referred to the condition defined as “severe,” whereas 16% of the partakers can be referred to the condition defined as “very severe. ” Regarding the individual dimensions, 17% of respondents, which represent the sample of the present study, fall under the very severe category of Sense of Being Dysfunctional; the second is Loss of Confidence with 16%, followed by Lack of Self Regulation 14% and Anxiety Proneness 12%. These observations are in parallel with the findings of other studies on the mental health of students. The consideration of individual variables such as sample characteristics, the measure used, culture as well as the context in the provision of rates are also expounded with relativity to student counselling service in prevention and intervention.