Mental health practitioners’ experiences providing mental healthcare services to students in a higher education institution: A qualitative study

Abstract

Background: Mental healthcare service provision is challenging and becomes more complex when users are students. Students are more vulnerable to experiencing mental health challenges. Therefore, higher education institutions (HEIs) must offer effective mental healthcare services to meet the mental health needs of students.
Aim: To understand the experiences of mental health practitioners (MHPs) who work for a HEI providing mental healthcare services.
Setting: The study was conducted in South Africa within the context of higher education.
Methods: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design, incorporating the Appreciative Inquiry 5D Model, was used. This method allowed for the exploration and description of the experiences of MHPs working in a higher education setting who are tasked with providing mental healthcare services to students.
Results: Five themes emerged from the analysis of data: (1) mental healthcare services are viewed as a source of holistic support, (2) mental healthcare provision is experienced as fulfilling and challenging, (3) mental healthcare services should be student-centred and engaging, (4) services should be available, accessible and responsive to address students’ needs, (5) mental healthcare services should integrate monitoring and evaluation strategies.
Conclusion: Resource challenges and the rising demand for mental healthcare services by students remain an enormous burden on the already-burdened healthcare system. Higher education institutions must commit to funding these services, and then MHPs will be able to provide effective mental healthcare services to the students.
Contribution: Strategies to guide the facilitation of students’ mental health were developed.