Negotiating mental health in higher education: A constructivist grounded theory of self-identified female students' experiences at a Canadian University.

BACKGROUND

University students globally experience rising mental health challenges, yet little research has explored how female students themselves conceptualize mental health, particularly within the Canadian post-secondary context. Understanding these conceptualizations is essential for designing gender-sensitive mental health interventions in higher education.

AIM: This study aimed to explore how female university students conceptualize mental health and to generate a theoretical model explaining their perceptions and experiences.

METHODS

A constructivist grounded theory approach guided this qualitative study. Twenty-two self-identified female university students aged 18-30 years, attending a public university in Canada, participated in semi-structured interviews. Data collection and analysis occurred concurrently using initial, focused, and theoretical coding, guided by constant comparative analysis. Memo writing and reflexive engagement supported theory development until theoretical saturation was achieved.

RESULTS

Analysis yielded an integrated theoretical model describing female students' conceptualization of mental health as a dynamic process shaped by personal identity, social relationships, academic pressures, and cultural expectations. Three interrelated categories emerged: (1) mental health as emotional balance, (2) mental health as academic and social adjustment, and (3) mental health as self-worth and resilience. These categories were linked through a core process of continuous negotiation between internal emotional states and external demands.

CONCLUSION

Female university students conceptualize mental health as an ongoing balance between emotional well-being, academic performance, and social belonging. The generated theory highlights the need for gender-sensitive mental health strategies that acknowledge sociocultural and academic stressors. These findings provide a foundation for developing interventions and informing mental health policy in higher education.