We aim to explore the interrelationship between students’ well-being, their experiences of study-related burnout, psychological flexibility and achievement and progression during bachelor’s level study and further, how this interrelationship develops as study progresses. We aim to recognize the potential groups of students who are likely to have problems at university and who are at higher risk of study-related burnout. The objective is also to develop an integrated intervention for university students to support students' stress tolerance and well-being as well as life-long learning skills, and explore its effects on student well-being, study processes and study achievement.
Our study is conducted using a mixed method approach which combines both quantitative and qualitative research methods as well as biophysical measurements. Our study began with a pilot course in the fall semester of 2017 and has continued in the spring of 2018. Our intervention began this fall, so our research started on a small scale already at the end of 2017 and our project is currently designed to last until 2023.
We launched this project because we were very concerned about how students are not feeling well and that they are on the verge of exhaustion. There is a need to develop something to help students with this issue. Secondly, it is impossible to develop expertise (high quality studying) if you are not feeling well. Universities that aim to provide experts for the needs of working life, and to solve the complex problems and issues of the future, demand good skills AND well-being. And most of all, a way to be able to deal with stress and pressure (and perhaps with the feelings of inadequacy, given that there are many big future challenges and problems). This is why we wanted to start developing something, that can be a solution to these issues, and we believe that this is one way to solve this problem.