Australian university student perspectives on the factors influencing student wellbeing: a content and relational analysis

It is important to ensure that university student wellbeing policies are informed by the lived experiences of local university students. Relatively few qualitative studies have explored Australian university students' perspectives on which factors influence student wellbeing. The current study analysed 209 open-text responses provided by Australian university students to the question 'What most affects your day-to-day wellbeing as a university student?' We used inductive qualitative content analysis to assess the frequency with which students identified different factors. We also conducted a novel relational analysis to examine accounts of causal relationships between these factors. Academic workload (37%), social interactions (17%), academic stress (16%) and teaching quality (15%) were most frequently described as contributing to student wellbeing. Academic workload was identified as the 'cause' in 61% of all accounts of causal relationships between factors. Students consistently described academic workloads indirectly affecting their wellbeing by exacerbating other aspects of their lives, including academic stress, social isolation, and study/life balance. The current study provides novel insights into the ways that current Australian university students perceive the factors that shape their wellbeing. In particular, our findings suggest that the direct and indirect impact of academic workloads upon student wellbeing may be under-recognised.