Dodd, Alyson L, Priestley, Michael, Tyrrell, Katie, Cygan, Sebastien, Newell, Catherine and Byrom, Nicola (2021) University student well-being in the United Kingdom: a scoping review of its conceptualisation and measurement. Journal of Mental Health. ISSN 0963-8237

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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.

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