Mental health of students in higher education

College Report CR166will have to cope with all of this without the informal support of family andfriends. It is very easy for a reclusive or underperforming student to becomesocially isolated and for problems to drag on and grow worse over periods ofmonths before any help is obtained.Another group that may have difficulties in adjusting to student life arethose with autism-spectrum disorders. Such students often find it difficult tobe in settings such as large lecture theatres and may do better in subjectsor modules with smaller numbers of students. Subjects that require moreindependent study and less group work also present fewer problems, so itis well worth advising prospective students to investigate such issues byspeaking with admissions tutors before making final decisions about applyingfor courses. Private sector accommodation can prove more restful thanhalls of residence which tend to be noisy. Some students find that they aredistracted and distressed by the noise and movement of others around themand require a digital voice recorder or note taker to compensate for poorconcentration. A student with an autism-spectrum disorder will often benefitfrom an individual room for examinations. Specialist equipment and supportor mentoring can be paid for by the DSA. The National Autistic Society issometimes able to provide this to help students to settle in to universityand to negotiate relationships and social situations. Prospective studentsshould contact disability services at their university to enquire about supportthat is available. A disability officer or mental health advisor should beable to offer an assessment of learning and teaching needs and then makerecommendations and arrange adjustments to help the student. It is oftenhelpful to liaise with academic staff so that they understand the difficultiesthat the student may experience.It is important to make a careful assessment of the prospectivestudent’s capacities to cope with the demands of higher education. Thisshould include assessment of factors such as motivation and concentrationand ability to relate to others. It is important to ascertain the degree towhich the person has insight into his/her illness. If maintenance medicationis required, it is essential that the prospective student has enoughinsight to make arrangements to obtain this and to adhere to treatmentrecommendations.The following summarises the issues that should be considered if apatient is contemplating higher education.1 Has the patient taken into account the likely stresses he/she is likelyto face at university, particularly in the first year? These stresses mightarise from:having to relocate to a new city at some distance from homethe challenges of having to meet a new group of peersthe modularisation of courses with changing student groups andpressuresthe strict timetables for courses and assignments, the requirementsto work with others and the anxieties around examinationsfinancial implications of entering higher education.Other things to consider:Is the programme one that suits your patient’s skills and abilities?If it is not, what are their chances of success? If they were to fail,how would this affect their well-being?58 http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk