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Dissertation
Exploring students' experiences with mental health services in a United States university
University of West Florida Libraries
Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida
2025
Abstract
Mental health issues are increasing in prevalence among college and university students. Accordingly, colleges and universities are recording a rise in counseling center use. However, many students do not get adequate services and support due to limited resources and high service demand. Therefore, this interpretive phenomenological study aims to explore how students with mental health issues’ experiences using mental health services promote their well-being in a selected 4-year university in the southeastern United States. Seligman’s (2011) well-being theory and its elements (i.e., positive emotion, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishments) frame the study. I adopted a snowball sampling strategy and semistructured individual face-to-face and virtual interviews. Current university students with mental health issues who had patronized the selected institution’s counseling and psychological services participated. I used NVivo 14 for Windows as the data analysis software. The findings indicated that students gained essential skills that fostered positive emotions; enhanced engagement; improved interpersonal relationships and communication; grew personally, rediscovered self-worth, shifted belief systems, and self-reliance; increased self-recognition and achievement, overcame anxiety and expanded opportunities, and developed hope. I concluded that mental health services enhance the mental health and well-being of college and university students with mental health issues. The findings illuminate the role of Seligman’s (2011) well-being theory in explaining mental health services’ role in addressing university students’ mental health needs. Mental health professionals may draw inferences from the findings to design and provide adequate campus mental health services. Future researchers may replicate this study in diverse geographical contexts.
Details
- Title
- Exploring students' experiences with mental health services in a United States university
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Contributors
- Hongwei Yang (Advisor)Aneta Walker (Committee Member)
- Publisher
- University of West Florida Libraries
- Format
- pdf
- Number of pages
- 280
- Copyright
- Unpublished work © Dorcas Ivy Oduro
- Identifiers
- 99381469453906600
- Academic Unit
- School of Education
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- University of West Florida; Doctor of Education (EDD)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida