Student mental health: some answers and more questions

Figures & data

Table 1. Adapted WHO model of support for university students.

Level of support	Type of support	Examples	Severity of students’ mental health problems
Level 5	External specialist support	Specialist mental health services	Severe problems requiring specialist care
Level 4	University support services	Counselling Disability services	Students with more severe or diagnosable problems
		Computerised therapy
Level 3	Structured university support	Personal tutors	Students with varying levels of distress
		Study and wellbeing skills
		Peer support or Buddy system
Level 2	Informal university/personal	Friends	Students with varying levels of distress
	support	Social support via university societies with some offering talks on mental health issues
		Family
Level 1	Self-care – or readiness for	Budgeting and cooking skills	Students with varying levels of distress
	university	Friendship skills
		Coping with academic demands (e.g. time management, essay skills, sleep)
		Emotional coping skills