Mental Wellbeing of Indonesian Students: Mean Comparison with UK Students and Relationships with Self-Compassion and Academic Engagement

Abstract

The number of Indonesian students in higher education has been increasing rapidly. However, many Indonesian university students report experiencing mental distress. Research on student wellbeing found that self-compassion (i.e., being kind towards oneself in challenging times) and academic engagement (i.e., a commitment and purposeful effort toward study) are essential to students’ mental wellbeing. With the present study, we aimed to assess the mental wellbeing of Indonesian students. A convenience sample of 156 Indonesian students completed self-report measures on mental wellbeing, self-compassion and academic engagement (consisting of vigour, dedication and absorption). To contextualise their mental wellbeing, data from Indonesian students were compared with those from 145 UK students using Welch t-tests. Correlation, regression and mediation analyses were then performed to examine the relationships among these variables. Indonesian students had higher levels of self-compassion and absorption and a lower level of dedication than UK students. Self-compassion and academic engagement explained 36% of variance in mental wellbeing. Self-compassion and vigour were identified as significant predictors of mental wellbeing, whereas self-compassion was the strongest predictor. Lastly, vigour did not mediate the pathway from self-compassion to mental wellbeing. Interventions to support self-compassion and academic engagement, especially vigour, in Indonesian students are recommended to support their mental wellbeing.

Mental Well-Being of Czech University Students: Academic Motivation, Self-Compassion, and Self-Criticism

“…The positive association of mental well-being and intrinsic motivation in Czech students supports SDT as an explanatory theoretical model. Extending previous findings in Asia and Africa [ 46 , 58 ], the present study showed the applicability of SDT to non-WEIRD cultures that are located in Europe.…”

“…What is not yet established, however, is how self-reassurance and intrinsic motivation interact to influence mental well-being. As findings in university students of different cultures indicate self-compassion to have positive association with intrinsic motivation [ 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 ], it is hypothesised in this study that intrinsic motivation may mediate the relationship between self-compassion and mental well-being in Czech students. Because interventions to increase self-compassion in students have provided evidence of enduring mental well-being effects up to six months following intervention [ 49 ], self-compassion has promise as an ability that can be developed for Czech students.…”

Academic Motivation of Indonesian University Students: Relationship with Self-Compassion and Resilience

“…Several studies have shown the mental wellbeing of Indonesian higher education students is lower than those in other countries. Of Indonesian HE students, between 37–53% have reported high stress symptoms, with 51% feeling anxiety and 25% experiencing depression [ 6 ]. In Indonesia, there is both a lack of HE mental health services and an underutilisation of the existing services [ 7 , 8 ].…”

Hubungan Self-Compassion Dengan Tingkat Stress Dalam Menghadapi Osce Pada Siswa-Siswi Keperawatan Kelas Akhir Di SMK Kesehatan Logos

“…Hal ini menjadikan tingkat stress pada usia remaja menjadi lebih tinggi berdasarkan (Kotera et al, 2022) yang menyatakan bahwa seiring dengan peningkatan jumlah siswa-siswi atau mahasiswa di akademik Indonesia, semakin tinggi juga jumlah siswa yang memiliki kesehatan mental yang buruk. Kesehatan mental pada remaja banyak jenisnya tetapi masalah pada remaja salah satu yang sering terjadi adalah stress yang tidak terkontrol.…”