University of South Australia
With Australia’s National Assessment Program (NAPLAN) beginning today, new research from the University of South Australia highlights a critical but often overlooked factor in student success – wellbeing.
In a world first* study of more than 215,000 students, UniSA researchers found that while standardised tests measure academic skills, different dimensions of wellbeing - emotional wellbeing, engagement, and learning readiness - can play a crucial role in performance.
Specifically, the study found that learning readiness - which includes foundational skills such as perseverance, confidence, and engagement - was not just a desirable outcome, but a catalyst for academic success.
UniSA researcher Dr Rebecca Marrone says there is an intricate relationship between student wellbeing and academic achievement.
“Wellbeing is increasingly recognised as a crucial factor that can shape students’ academic success and overall development. Yet, it is often overlooked because education systems tend to focus on standardised academic achievement,” Dr Marrone says.
“In this research we show how wellbeing factors, particularly learning readiness, can influence students’ learning and academic performance, especially when under test conditions.
“When we talk about learning readiness, we mean how prepared a child is to learn, not just academically, but also in their ability to stay focused, to overcome challenges, and believe in their ability to succeed. It’s about having good learning habits, and a motivation to learn, which together can help them perform better at school.”
This study draws on data from the South Australian Wellbeing and Engagement Collection (WEC) to assess the impact of student wellbeing and engagement of students in Years 4-10, and their academic achievement in NAPLAN and PAT tests between 2016-2019.
UniSA’s Benjamin Lam says the results show that schools need to shift towards a model that values both student wellbeing and academic achievement as integral components of a holistic education.
“Student learning is complex, and it is affected by a range of contextual and individual differences,” Lam says.
“When students are mentally and emotionally healthy, they’re more likely to be engaged and motivated and perform better academically. But the relationship is certainly not linear, and we can’t infer that low-achieving students have low levels of wellbeing, or high-achieving students have high levels of wellbeing.
“This means that schools must look beyond test scores and take a more personal, holistic approach to supporting students’ confidence, perseverance and learning readiness.
“They can do this by adopting learner profiles that incorporate wellbeing and engagement metrics alongside traditional grades, so that schools can better understand and respond to each student’s needs.
“Now, as students prepare for their pending NAPLAN tests, this research serves as a reminder that education is about more than just scores - it’s about building confidence, resilience, and readiness to learn.”
Department for Education Chief Executive Martin Westwell says that learning and thriving go hand-in-hand, and both must be supported by schools.
“Academic achievement and learning readiness are intrinsically interconnected, and that is recognised through our Strategy for Public Education,” Westwell says.
“We not only have to build the academic knowledge of each student, but also build their confidence, resilience, and engagement to ensure they thrive both at school and in life beyond that.
“This research highlights that it is critical to have a well-rounded picture of young people to help them succeed at school.”
Minister for Education, Training and Skills, Blair Boyer says South Australia is focused on supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools.
“If a student is struggling with their mental health, we know they will be less able to focus on school, they lose connection with their friends and they start to disengage from study,” Boyer says.
“This research from UniSA – the first of its kind in the world – confirms that South Australia’s focus on mental health and wellbeing in public education, supports academic achievement.
“That’s why we have invested $50 million to recruit 100 mental health and learning support specialists who are based on-site at schools – the largest investment of its kind. By addressing concerns at the coalface, we have the best chance of supporting our students to achieve academically.”
Notes to editors:
*This study is believed to be the world’s most extensive dataset linking wellbeing and academic outcomes in primary and secondary education.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Journal
Journal of Learning Analytics
DOI
10.18608/jla.2024.8357
Method of Research
Data/statistical analysis
Subject of Research
People
Article Title
The Relationship between Wellbeing and Academic Achievement: A Comprehensive Cross-Sectional Analysis of System Wide Data From 2016-2019
HBCU students show better mental health outcomes despite support gaps, new report finds
The findings reveal a complex picture of student well-being at historically Black colleges and universities
University of Michigan School of Public Health
ANN ARBOR—Black students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) experience better mental health outcomes in several key areas compared to their peers at other institutions, while also facing distinct challenges that require attention, say University of Michigan School of Public Health researchers involved in a new report published this week.
Titled "Community, Culture, and Care: A Cross-Institutional Analysis of Mental Health Among HBCU and PBI Students," the report was developed in partnership with the United Negro College Fund Institute for Capacity Building, the Steve Fund, and the Healthy Minds Network.
Since 2007, the Healthy Minds Network, based at the University of Michigan, has administered the Healthy Minds Study—an annual survey of college student mental health. More than 850,000 college students across 600-plus colleges and universities have participated. Researchers from the University of California-Los Angeles, Wayne State University, and Boston University partner with the University of Michigan on the annual survey.
To provide additional insight into the Black college student experience, the team collaborated to develop and administer a supplemented version of the Healthy Minds Study with a new module specifically assessing themes, constructs, risk factors, and protective factors.
“It is essential to elevate the unique experiences, strengths, and challenges of HBCU students in conversations about mental health and wellbeing,” said Akilah Patterson, a PhD student in the Department of Health Behavior & Health Equity at the University of Michigan School of Public Health and the lead researcher for the report. “At this pivotal moment in college student wellbeing, the voices of Black students should not only be heard, but also supported and acted upon. This research paves the way for more action.”
Examining responses from 2,504 students across 16 HBCUs and two PBIs revealed significant differences in mental health metrics compared to national averages:
- 45% of HBCU/PBI students reported flourishing mentally, compared to 36% of college students nationally
- 83% reported a sense of belonging in their campus community, versus 73% nationally
- HBCU/PBI students showed significantly lower rates of anxiety, eating disorders, and substance use compared to national averages
In addition to national averages, the report details comparative data on Black students at small, predominantly white institutions. The HBCU/PBI sample of students generally reported higher rates of mental health and well-being when compared to this group as well.
Despite these notably positive outcomes in several areas, crucial gaps and pressing challenges emerged from the data.
Financial concerns topped the list of stressors, with more than half of students reporting their financial situation as "always" or "often" stressful. The impact proved significant: 78% of financially stressed students experienced mental health problems, compared to just 26% of those who were financially secure. More than a quarter of students reporting high levels of financial stress also reported suicidal ideation in the past year.
A crucial gap in mental health support was also identified, with 54% of HBCU students reporting unmet mental health needs—significantly higher than the national average of 41%.
Based on these findings, several opportunities for colleges and universities to enhance student support include:
- Addressing the high rate of unmet mental health needs
- Developing strategies to alleviate financial stress
- Expanding on-campus mental health resources
- Strengthening connections between students and faculty support
According to Justin Heinze, co-principal investigator of the Healthy Minds Network and an associate professor of Health Behavior & Health Equity at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, student voices from HBCUs and other PBIs have been historically underrepresented in mental health research. "Findings from this study do point to important differences from our national sample which tells me we can't implement a 'one size fits all' approach to addressing college student mental health," he said.
In addition to Patterson, the authors of the new report are Healthy Minds Study team members Erin Voichoski and Juliana Fucinari of the University of Michigan; and Victoria Smith from the United Negro College Fund Institute for Capacity Building. Voichoski, Fucinari, and Smith were integral in the data analysis process, report writing, and qualitative data collection.
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