Mental Health and Well-Being Support for Thai University Graduates: A Qualitative Exploration of Pathways to Develop a Resilient Workforce

Abstract

Providing appropriate resources to ensure university students’ mental health and well-being is critical for their future role in the workforce, especially when faced with a disruptive crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative research was designed with twofold purposes in the context of Thai higher education. Firstly, to explore the impacts on university graduates’ psychosocial well-being and the support universities provided during the pandemic. Secondly, to examine gaps and develop recommendations for higher educational institutes to support students’ mental health and well-being regularly and in times of crisis. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with 23 participants, giving voice to key stakeholders: graduate students (n = 10), faculty members (n = 9), and working professionals (n = 4). Using inductive analysis, data was analyzed into two main categories and six themes. The first category reflected three themes: psychosocial challenges of students, impacts on mental health, and the support provided by universities. Themes in the second category described multi-level approaches for supporting university students. These findings substantiate the linkages between mental health support and developing a resilient workforce for the future and suggest pathways for strengthening these by collaborative participation of stakeholders in higher education. © 2023, Journal of Population and Social Studies. All Rights Reserved.