Exploring mental health and well-being among university faculty members : A qualitative study (Thorofare, New Jersey : Slack Incorporated, 2022)
The current exploratory qualitative study describes how environmental factors, social interactions, personal experiences, and stigma affect mental health and help-seeking. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine university faculty members who self-identified as having mental-illness-related concerns. Using Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems framework and thematic analysis. four domains were determined ;(1) macrosystem (i.e., influences of academic culture); (2) mesosystem (i.e) influences of faculty leadership and interpersonal dynamics); (3) microsystem (i.e., influences of individual mental health experiences); and (4) exosystem (i.e., influences of stigma across structural, interpersonal, and intrapersonal levels). These domains included barriers to and facilitators of mental health and help-seeking. Findings suggest that competitiveness and individualism may perpetuate stereotypes that mental illnesses are inherent weaknesses, and that seeking help is a barrier to academic success. Recommendations for future research are provided.