Abstract
The mental health of students is a cornerstone for achieving global goals of quality education & good health and well-being. These priorities are urgent calls to action for educators and policymakers to foster sustainable economic development. The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the vulnerabilities of educational and health systems worldwide, redefining how students are educated and prepared for the workforce. This challenge is pertinent in higher education, where faculty play a role in equipping students for professional environments while addressing their mental health needs—a determinant of future workforce resilience and productivity.
This study examines faculty perceptions of student mental health and their readiness for real-world practice. A total of 82 faculty members from a rural university in Pennsylvania participated. After informed consent was secured, faculty completed a survey comprised of open-ended & Likert-scale questions. Qualtrics software was employed for survey creation, deployment, and data analysis.
Findings reveal that over 90% of faculty recognize a correlation between student mental health & academic success. More than half of respondents perceive insufficient university resources to adequately support student mental health. Fewer than 31% of faculty believe students are prepared to transition to professional practice. Respondents identified ongoing mental health conversations, resiliency training, small class sizes, and counseling services as key strategies to address these challenges.
Consistent with findings from the National Education Association and the Healthy Minds Survey, faculty identified anxiety, stress, and depression as the most common student mental health concerns. Qualitative analysis echoed these themes, underscoring the need for stigma reduction and increased openness about mental health issues, as reflected in Active Minds statistics.
The results of this study are vital for educators, healthcare professionals, administrators, and policymakers. Addressing student mental health needs is not merely an academic issue but a global imperative. Investing in the mental health and professional readiness of students can bolster workforce sustainability, promote economic growth, and fulfill the global goals of quality education and well-being for all. As nurse educators, our role is pivotal in shaping a future workforce that is resilient, competent, and prepared to contribute to the health and prosperity of nations worldwide.
Notes
References:
1. Active Minds. (2024). About mental health statistics. Active Minds. https://www.activeminds.org/about-mental-health/statistics/
2. Abrams, Z. (2022, October 1). Student mental health is in crisis: Campuses are rethinking their approach. Monitor on Psychology. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/10/mental-health-campus-care
3. Flannery, E. (2023). The mental health crisis on college campuses. National Education Association. https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/mental-health-crisis-college-campuses
4. Healthy Minds Network. (n.d.). Healthy Minds Study among colleges and universities [Data set]. Healthy Minds Network, University of Michigan, University of California Los Angeles, Boston University, and Wayne State University. https://healthymindsnetwork.org/hms/
5. Healthy Minds Network. (2024). Healthy Minds Study: Faculty and staff national data report. https://healthymindsnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/HMS-2024-Faculty-Staff-National-Data-Report.pdf
6. Healthy Minds Network. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 on students: Healthy Minds NCHA COVID survey report. https://healthymindsnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Healthy_Minds_NCHA_COVID_Survey_Report_FINAL.pdf
7. National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environment. (2023). Student mental health worsens, but more are seeking help. https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/news/student-mental-health-worsens-ore-are-seeking-help
8. Pedrelli, P., Nyer, M., Yeung, A., Zang, Y., & Wilens, T. (2015). College students: Mental health problems and treatment considerations. Academic Psychiatry, 39(5), 503–511. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-014-0205-9
9. United Nations. (n.d.). Sustainable development goals. Department of Economic and Social Affairs. https://sdgs.un.org/goals
10. Wiley. (2024). Mental health issues on the rise among college students post-pandemic. https://johnwiley2020news.q4web.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2024/Mental-Health-Issues-on-the-Rise-Among-College-Students-Post-Pandemic/default.aspx
Sigma Membership
Theta Zeta
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Descriptive/Correlational
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Stress and Coping, Sustainable Development Goals, Global Health Issues, Ethics, Student Mental Health, Workforce
Recommended Citation
Maloney, Allison A. and Pontz, Meghan, "Faculty Perceptions of Student Mental Health and Real-World Readiness" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 143.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/143
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-12-01
Faculty Perceptions of Student Mental Health and Real-World Readiness
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
The mental health of students is a cornerstone for achieving global goals of quality education & good health and well-being. These priorities are urgent calls to action for educators and policymakers to foster sustainable economic development. The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the vulnerabilities of educational and health systems worldwide, redefining how students are educated and prepared for the workforce. This challenge is pertinent in higher education, where faculty play a role in equipping students for professional environments while addressing their mental health needs—a determinant of future workforce resilience and productivity.
This study examines faculty perceptions of student mental health and their readiness for real-world practice. A total of 82 faculty members from a rural university in Pennsylvania participated. After informed consent was secured, faculty completed a survey comprised of open-ended & Likert-scale questions. Qualtrics software was employed for survey creation, deployment, and data analysis.
Findings reveal that over 90% of faculty recognize a correlation between student mental health & academic success. More than half of respondents perceive insufficient university resources to adequately support student mental health. Fewer than 31% of faculty believe students are prepared to transition to professional practice. Respondents identified ongoing mental health conversations, resiliency training, small class sizes, and counseling services as key strategies to address these challenges.
Consistent with findings from the National Education Association and the Healthy Minds Survey, faculty identified anxiety, stress, and depression as the most common student mental health concerns. Qualitative analysis echoed these themes, underscoring the need for stigma reduction and increased openness about mental health issues, as reflected in Active Minds statistics.
The results of this study are vital for educators, healthcare professionals, administrators, and policymakers. Addressing student mental health needs is not merely an academic issue but a global imperative. Investing in the mental health and professional readiness of students can bolster workforce sustainability, promote economic growth, and fulfill the global goals of quality education and well-being for all. As nurse educators, our role is pivotal in shaping a future workforce that is resilient, competent, and prepared to contribute to the health and prosperity of nations worldwide.
Description
Research at a rural university supported that student mental health needs impact professional role development, and academic success. Correlation between student mental health and academic performance with preparation for workforce transition are highlighted through the study. These insights can inform cross-sectional leadership to improve sustainability of the workforce and academia settings while addressing the UN sustainability goals.