Students’ Risk of Depression: Student Affairs Practitioners’ Perspectives at a South African University of Technology
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: In this paper, we use data generated through one-on-one interviews with 12 purposively sampled student affairs practitioners at a university of technology in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to explore their perspectives on the vulnerability of the institution’s students to depression. This study’s findings indicate that depression is a serious mental health disorder among students, as they experience challenges that affect them daily. The participants reported numerous personal, environmental and social factors that contribute to students’ depression. Analysis of the findings reveals that depression impedes students’ academic progress and social well-being, as the students struggle to cope with the challenges they face in their academic lives. There is a need for multiple stakeholders to collaborate in addressing this mental health issue. Students must be equipped with skills and resources that will help them to cope with challenges that affect their mental health. Risk factors for depression must be identified to enable the establishment of prevention measures for improving students’ mental health. The university of technology should develop policies that intentionally focus on mental health issues and how cases related to them are handled within the institution, so that students get the best support that they need.
Institution: Durban University of Technology
Language: English
Topic: Student Stress and Coping
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4411577056