Navigating Academic Transition
Unveiling Mental Health Challenges in the Shift from High School to University.
Role
Primary Research, Findings Analysis, Prototyping, Usability Testing, Paper Writing
Team
Noverah Khan, Syeda Rida, Kanza Aijaz, Dr. Suleman Shahid
Tools
Figma, Miro
Timeline
6 Months
Mental Health of Students
The academic transition from high school to university often intensifies mental health challenges for students with pre-existing unresolved issues, as the significant life change brings new difficulties compounded by emotional baggage from high school.
The delay in accessing therapy due to institutional changes exacerbates these stressors.
If left unaddressed, the heightened emotional difficulties during this period can persist into adulthood, underscoring the importance of timely mental health support for students navigating this critical phase.
The Global South
Extensive research has been done in the Global North encompassing various aspects regarding the well-being of high school and college students, as well as the challenges faced during the academic transition.
However, gaps exist within the Global South regarding the mental health issues of the students transitioning from high school to college.
Thus, by setting the contextual backdrop in South Asia, taking into account the unique cultural and environmental factors, our study aims to identify academic and lifestyle-related challenges faced by high school students in Pakistan, which are carried forward as they transition to university along with new ones arising during the transition period.
User Research
We conducted semi-structured interviews with 40 students, aged 14-18 (20 were studying in high school and 20 in university) in Lahore, Pakistan, and found the following factors affecting student mental health:
Physical Health (diet, sleep & exercise)
Social Life & Upward Social Comparison
Gender & Sexual Expression
Uncertainty Regarding Mental Health & Stigmatization of Therapy
Social, Familial & Institutional Support
Abuse: Bullying & Harassment
Community Hygiene
We also conducted focus groups with 12 therapists (6 working at high schools and 6 at universities) within Lahore, Pakistan and got the following insights:
From High School Mental Health Counsellors:
No proper handover mechanism or case transfer procedure in case a counselor leaves.
School’s policy about informing parents about their children’s therapy dissuades children.
Most responses regarding mental health concerns were consistent with those of the students - except for (1) Sexual Orientation [which was not brought up by students during therapy sessions], and (2) Romantic Student Relations.
From University Therapists:
Delay in addressing mental health concerns of freshmen.
Misconception among students that one session will resolve the issue.
Overall responses regarding mental health concerns were consistent with those of the students - except for (1) Peer Rejection, and (2) Exposure to Drugs.
Design Solution
Based on our research findings, we designed a mental health application for students called WellConn which provides a set of features to assist the mental well-being of students, especially those seeking therapy:
Teletherapy or in-person session registration with filters e.g. gender
Therapist-Connect Feature
Mental well-being history storage + progress tracking
Bi-weekly plans (physical and mental health exercises + diet charts)
Resource Portal (with therapist approved resources)
Peer-Buddy Feature (institution-appointed student mentors)
Publication
Noverah, NK, Khan, Rida Fatima, RFS, Syeda, Kanza, KA, Aijaz, and Suleman, SS, Shahid. 2024. Navigating Academic Transition: Unveiling Mental Health Challenges in the Shift from High School to University. In Interaction Design and Children (IDC ’24), June 17–20, 2024, Delft, Netherlands. ACM, New York, NY, USA, 12 pages. https://doi.org/10.1145/3628516.3655820