Alyson L Dodd1, Michael Priestley2, Katie Tyrrell3, Sebastien Cygan4, Catherine Newell5, Nicola C Byrom6. 1. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK. 2. School of Education, Durham University, Durham, UK. 3. Suffolk Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Suffolk, UK. 4. School of Computing, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK. 5. School of Languages and Cultures, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. 6. Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences, Kings College London, London, UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Well-being is a multifaceted construct, and measuring well-being, both within particular groups and at a national level, is a priority for policy and practice. This national agenda on measuring well-being is mirrored in the Higher Education sector. This is the first conceptual review of how well-being is measured among university students in the UK. AIMS: The aims of the review were to identify (i) the definitions or conceptualisations of well-being guiding the selection of well-being indicators for research within this population and (ii) measures of well-being used in university students in the UK. METHODS: A scoping review method was used. RESULTS: Twenty-eight validated indicators used to measure well-being in UK students were identified. While many were direct measures of (primarily mental or psychological) well-being, indirect "proxy" indicators, including measures of mental health symptoms, were identified. CONCLUSIONS: This review has highlighted that there are inconsistencies in defining and measuring university student well-being, and the measures that have been used in this population are focused on subjective experience. These findings are in line with reviews of well-being measures in the general population. Implications for further research are discussed.
BACKGROUND: Well-being is a multifaceted construct, and measuring well-being, both within particular groups and at a national level, is a priority for policy and practice. This national agenda on measuring well-being is mirrored in the Higher Education sector. This is the first conceptual review of how well-being is measured among university students in the UK. AIMS: The aims of the review were to identify (i) the definitions or conceptualisations of well-being guiding the selection of well-being indicators for research within this population and (ii) measures of well-being used in university students in the UK. METHODS: A scoping review method was used. RESULTS: Twenty-eight validated indicators used to measure well-being in UK students were identified. While many were direct measures of (primarily mental or psychological) well-being, indirect "proxy" indicators, including measures of mental health symptoms, were identified. CONCLUSIONS: This review has highlighted that there are inconsistencies in defining and measuring university student well-being, and the measures that have been used in this population are focused on subjective experience. These findings are in line with reviews of well-being measures in the general population. Implications for further research are discussed.
Entities:
Keywords:
Well-being; higher education; measurement; scoping review; university student
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