Counsellor-in-Residence - Evaluation of a Residence-Based Initiative to Promote Student Mental Health

Q: What is the Counsellor-in-Residence (CIR) initiative intended to do?

CIR is designed to promote student mental health by providing residence-based counselling services and mental health programming at the University of Calgary.

Q: How were students’ mental health literacy and resiliency measured?

Students completed three waves of data collection using the Mental Health Literacy Scale and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-25.

Oct 15, 2026

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Counsellor-in-Residence (CIR) at the University of Calgary is evaluated as a residence-based initiative to promote student well-being and address mental health needs. Across three waves of data collection during the academic year, students completed measures of mental health literacy and resiliency. Males reported lower mental health literacy than females, and international students reported lower mental health literacy than domestic students. No resilience differences emerged between groups. Findings indicate additional access barriers for male and international students, with implications for targeted residence-based programming.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Factors that Contribute to Mental Illness in Post-Secondary Students

CSSHE SCÉES Canadian Journal of Higher Education Revue canadienne d’enseignement supérieur Volume 48, No. 2, 2018, pages 55-73 Counsellor-in-Residence: Evaluation of a Residence-Based Initiative to Promote Student Mental Health Tiffany A. Beks, Sharon L. Cairns, Serena L. Smygwaty, Olga A. L. Miranda Osorio, and Sheldon J. Hill University of Calgary Abstract Many universities have implemented campus-based initiatives addressing students’ mental health with the goal of promoting well-being. One such initiative is the newly developed Counsellor-in-Residence (CIR) program at the University of Calgary, which targets students’ mental health by providing residence-based counselling services and mental health programming. In this process evaluation, students completed three waves of data collection conducted over the academic year. Each wave measured students’ mental health literacy, using the Mental Health Literacy Scale (O’Connor & Casey, 2015), and resiliency, using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-25 (Connor & Davidson, 2003) . Males reported lower mental health literacy than females (p < .001), and international students reported lower mental health literacy than domestic students (p < .001) . No differences in resilience levels were found between groups. These findings suggest that male and international students experience additional barriers to accessing campus-based mental health services. Implications for residence-based mental health programming that target male and international students are discussed. Résumé Certaines universités ont mis en place des initiatives pour répondre aux besoins de santé mentale et de bien-être de leurs étudiants. Le Counsellor-inResidence (CIR) de l’Université de Calgary, par exemple, offre des services de conseils en résidenceetdes programmes desanté mentale. Pour évaluerleCIR, CJHE / RCES Volume 48, No. 2, 2018 Counsellor-in-Residence / T. A. Beks, S. L. Cairns, S. L. Smygwaty, O. A. L. M. Osorio, & S. J. Hill 56 des étudiants ont participé à 3 séries de collecte de données qui mesuraientleurs connaissances face à la santé mentale ainsi que leur niveau de résilience. A partir de la Mental Health Literacy Scale (O’Connor & Casey, 2015) et la Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-25 (Connor & Davidson, 2003), les hommeset les étudiants internationaux ont reçu des résultats inférieurs pour le MHLS comparativement aux filles (p <0,001). et aux étudiants canadiens (p <0,001) . Aucune différence au niveau de la résilience n’a été observée entre les groupes. Cet article discutera des répercussions sur les programmes de santé mentaleen résidence pour les hommes et les étudiants internationaux. Introduction Health A number of new experiences and challenges often accompany the transition to postsecondary education, such as leaving home for the first time, entering a more competitive academic environment, adapting to a new city or culture, and forming new relationships. As students progress through their university careers, they also undergo significant changes in identity formation, worldviews, and decision-making power (Arnett, 2000) . For most students, the time spent at post-secondary institutions is embodied by new friendships, fond memories, and a sense of accomplishment. For other students, however, the time spent at post-secondary institutions is characterized by feelings of stress, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation (American College Health Association [ACHA], 2013; Heck et al., 2014) . Students attending post-secondary institutions may be at greater risk for poor mental health than the general population (Blanco et al., 2008) . While there are many factors that increase the risk for developing mental health challenges, age appears to be a key contributor. Research indicates that nearly 50% of major mental illnesses present by adolescence and about 75% present by age 24 (Potvin-Boucher, Szumilas, Sheikh, & Kutcher, 2010). Furthermore, the average age o

FAQs

What is the Counsellor-in-Residence (CIR) initiative intended to do?

CIR is designed to promote student mental health by providing residence-based counselling services and mental health programming at the University of Calgary.

How were students’ mental health literacy and resiliency measured?

Students completed three waves of data collection using the Mental Health Literacy Scale and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-25.

What differences were found between groups in mental health literacy and resilience?

Males reported lower mental health literacy than females, and international students reported lower mental health literacy than domestic students. No differences in resiliency levels were found between groups.

Oct 15, 2026

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