Single-factor interventions to promote resilience in tertiary education students: A systematic review.

Abstract

The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate practices that improve psychological resilience in tertiary education students. The current systematic review uses poly-strengths theory (Hamby et al., 2018) to compare stress management research from multiple psychological disciplines to determine the factors that improve mental health outcomes and improve resilience among tertiary education students. The results found that paying attention to the present moment had the largest reported effect size for reducing anxiety symptoms and that engaging in personally meaningful and enjoyable activities led to large reductions in negative affect. Positive relations with others, exercise, humor, and acceptance of difficult circumstances were also effective for relieving negative symptoms. It was also found that 15 of the reviewed studies reported only one mental health outcome measure. The majority of reviewed intervention studies did not include measures of positive functioning, making it difficult to determine which intervention types have the largest effects on promoting positive mental health. It is recommended that future intervention studies contain a larger range of mental health outcome measures to better inform preventative mental health practices. The study concludes that of the reviewed interventions, engaging in enjoyable and personally meaningful activities, focusing attention on the present moment, exercise, positive social interactions, humor, and acceptance in difficult circumstances have the largest effects on improving resilience in tertiary education students.

Predictors of resilience of university students to educational stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study in Germany.

“…Critically, transferring the findings of resilience research into the evidence-based development of interventions and implementation in the university context would be a worthy endeavor to prepare future student generations for stressful periods during their studies (cf. Tuck et al, 2022). It must be pointed out that these interventions may be implemented on a structural level to better counteract resilience-hindering factors such as competition and performance pressure.…”

“…According to the Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting Universities and Colleges (2015), universities are a relevant setting for health promotion. This is also acknowledged in a recent review on resilience interventions in tertiary education students (Tuck et al, 2022). Students play an important role in the future of our society as leaders and decision-makers (Dietz et al, 2020), and the promotion of their mental health could benefit society.…”