Student Mental Health and Well-Being in Higher Education

Abstract

Student mental health and well-being have emerged as among the most urgent concerns confronting higher education institutions in the twenty-first century. Escalating rates of anxiety, depression, and psychological distress among university students have prompted calls for systemic, evidence-informed institutional responses. This theoretical and literature review synthesizes peer-reviewed research published between 2005 and 2025 to examine the multidimensional determinants of student mental health, the theoretical frameworks that inform institutional responses, and the evidence base for campus-based mental health interventions. Drawing on key frameworks including the biopsychosocial model, Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, the review critically evaluates the interplay of individual, relational, institutional, and societal factors that shape student psychological well-being. Key themes addressed include the prevalence and nature of mental health challenges among university students, the role of academic stress, social connectedness, financial hardship, and identity-related stressors, as well as the efficacy of counseling services, early intervention programs, and whole-university approaches to mental health promotion. The review concludes that isolated, clinically oriented responses are insufficient and that sustainable improvements in student well-being require coordinated, prevention-oriented, and structurally attentive institutional strategies.