ERIC Number: EJ1179971
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018
Pages: 6
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0363-4523
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Available Date: N/A
Responding to Mental Health Issues in the College Classroom. Wicked Problems Forum: Mental Health Stigma
Goldman, Zachary W.
Communication Education, v67 n3 p399-404 2018
Concerns about the mental health of students have been documented at every level of formal education (cf., Castillo & Schwartz, 2013; Durlak & Wells, 1997; Soet & Sevig, 2006). Addressing the entirety of these concerns is beyond the scope of this forum, thus the author's comments are geared primarily toward higher education; however, much of what follows may certainly extend to other traditional (e.g., K-12 classrooms) and nontraditional settings of instruction (e.g., organizations). Colleges and universities are integral in understanding mental health concerns as the affordances provided within this setting are unique to students across the lifespan (i.e., traditional and nontraditional age students). Hunt and Eisenberg (2010) explained, college "represents the only time in many people's lives when a single integrated setting encompasses their main activities--both career-related and social--as well as health services and other support services" (p. 3). Put differently, higher education offers a unique setting from which to understand mental health issues while developing and evaluating best practices that can address this public health concern (Hunt & Eisenberg, 2010). The author puts forth three ideas for readers to consider regarding students' mental health and the stigmas associated with the topic: (1) He discusses how instructors can play a crucial role in the creation and maintenance of stigmas in the classroom and how they can alter the narrative surrounding this topic to help students manage and discuss mental health issues within the context of the learning environment; (2) He highlights the utility of self-regulation as an overarching approach capable of addressing, to some extent, mental health concerns and students' internalized stigmas regarding their own academic abilities; and (3) He provides future directions for readers of "Communication Education" to further our collective understanding of mental health issues, stigma creation and communication in the classroom.
Descriptors: Mental Health, Mental Disorders, Best Practices, Social Bias, College Students, Health Services, Higher Education, Public Health, Teacher Role, Metacognition, Academic Ability, Student Attitudes, Futures (of Society), Communication (Thought Transfer), Barriers, Parent Attitudes, Labeling (of Persons), Special Education, Neurology
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A