Details

Category
Sub Category

Research: Are Students Really More Stressed? Re-thinking Mental Health in Young Australians

Young adults in higher education are often assumed to face greater mental health risks than their non-student peers, yet direct comparisons are limited. This research examined the mental health and wellbeing of 1,708 young Australians aged 17–25, including 828 university students and 880 non-students. It compared levels of psychological distress, wellbeing, resilience, and loneliness, and explored how employment affects these outcomes.

While a substantial proportion of all participants reported “high” to “very high” distress, the study found no overall difference in levels of distress or wellbeing between students and non-students. However, when employment was factored in, a more nuanced pattern emerged. Full-time work was associated with greater psychological distress among students, whereas those not working full-time generally reported better wellbeing and lower distress than their non-student peers.

These findings challenge the assumption that university students are inherently more at risk, highlighting the need for flexible study options, financial support, and policies that help students manage work and academic demands.

Citation: Crisp, D., Albrecht, S., & Rickwood, D. Comparing the mental health of Australian university students with that of young people who are not in higher education. Higher Education. 2025. (link)

More Articles in Mental Health

UniSport Successfully Hosts Healthy Campus Community of Practice Session On Student Mental Health and Wellbeing 

Forty-seven university representatives from across Australia and New Zealand came together online on Tuesday 28 July for the latest UniSport Healthy Campus Community of Practice, which explored practical ways to advance mental health and wellbeing through the FISU Healthy Campus program.   Mental health and wellbeing continue to be a key focus for universities globally, with […]

Research: The Push-Up Challenge Delivers More Than Fitness

Physical activity initiatives offer universities an opportunity to improve student wellbeing while encouraging conversations about mental health. The University of Melbourne evaluated The Push-Up Challenge, a national program combining a month-long physical activity challenge with daily mental health education, self-care messages and help-seeking information. Tracking more than 29,000 participants, the study found improvements in wellbeing, […]

FISU Healthy Campus Program Signatories

Keep up to date

Interested in Healthy Campus Content? Sign up to our exclusive mailer.

Join the community

Stay up to date with Healthy Campus news from Australia and around the world.
UniSport acknowledges and pays respect to all traditional custodians of the lands of which we run, jump and throw throughout Australia. We pay respect to elders both past, present and emerging.
Copyright © 2026 UniSport. All Rights Reserved.