Maritime Students’ Perception of Mental Wellness

Abstract

Students at the tertiary institutions are commonly faced with numerous phases of transition and challenges. University life may present young students with multiple stress factors linked to transitional effects from high school to a new environment. Literature has proven numerous symptoms indicating common mental and psychological health problems such as stress, anxiety and depression experienced by tertiary students. One’s psychological state may influence his/her perception about life. Adolescent wellness comprising that of the university students is a research area that is gaining an increased focus on. Being adolescents, these students are bound to undergo a critical stage of psychological and biological transformations which are normally influenced by the continuation or adoption of health-related behaviours. Nevertheless, a thorough analysis of the present literature reveals the dearth of coverage on adolescents’ perspectives on the definition of wellness. This research is thus aimed at investigating the perception of a group of maritime bachelor’s degree students in the northern part of Malaysia regarding their mental health and well-being as university students. A survey questionnaire was distributed to 90 undergraduates at a maritime university in northern Malaysia. By exploring the undergraduates’ understanding of the concepts of mental health and mental well-being, they can be guided to seek assistance for handling difficulties related to their well-being.