Title : Ways to promote the inclusion of students with mental illness in Universities
Abstract:
Objectives: The inclusion of persons with severe mental illness (SMI) in universities has become a focus of policy initiatives and an opportunity to promote their recovery. However, there is limited knowledge about the actual experiences of students with SMI in social and academic inclusion. Social inclusion involves integrating students with SMI with other students, while academic inclusion pertains to their active participation in academic activities and studies.
Methods: A qualitative study was conducted with 80 students with SMI participating in Supported Education programs at major universities in Israel. The students responded to open-ended questions about the barriers and difficulties they faced in advancing their social and academic inclusion, their experiences of success, and what helped them overcome these challenges.
Results: The findings highlight obstacles to academic inclusion, mainly caused by the effects of mental illness, and barriers to social inclusion, which also arise from how students in universities view students with mental health issues. The emotional support provided by mentors in Supported Education programs played a crucial role in assisting students with these challenges. They particularly valued the personalized relationships and the safe environment these mentors offered. However, they also noted that support during individual meetings might not be enough to address external barriers like stigma.
Conclusions: The findings highlight the crucial role of individual support from mentors in addressing inclusion challenges. However, such support alone is not enough to ensure that studies of students with SMI will necessarily lead to feelings of social inclusion and integration. Therefore, the social and academic inclusion of students with SMI must be addressed at a broader systemic level, such as through a whole campus strategy to overcome these challenges.
