Studying and wellbeing: Students of the University of Helsinki offered ways to develop their stress management skills
Posted date: 13 Nov 2020
A course developed by Henna Asikainen and Nina Katajavuori, senior lecturers in university pedagogy working on Viikki Campus, University of Helsinki, helps students practise the promotion of their wellbeing, stress management and study skills. The aim is to make the course available to all University of Helsinki students, and to doctoral students and staff later on.
Research has shown that as many as half of higher education students have experienced exhaustion, inadequacy and cynisism in their studies. New students struggle with the changes brought about by beginning their studies and the heavy demands of studying at university.
As an initial reaction, they may avoid situations that cause anxiety or procrastinate. However, distressing situations occur all the time, and studies do not progress if you are unable to get things done.
Henna Asikainen and Nina Katajavuori, senior lecturers in university pedagogy on Viikki Campus of University of Helsinki, have already been offering an online course for a couple of years in which students can, through various exercises, identify things that are important to them, learn to work in spite of stressful thoughts and, in this way, increase their wellbeing. The course is based on the development of psychological flexibility.
“Studies have demonstrated that psychological flexibility has a strong connection with wellbeing. In our research, we have also identified a strong link with the progress of studies, which is why we came to the conclusion that this must be promoted in one way or another,” says Henna Asikainen.
Psychological flexibility means that people are able to differentiate between their negative thoughts and their self. They are able to base their actions on their personal values and goals in spite of being anxious and stressed in certain situations.
With the help of the digital leap in education funding granted to the project, Henna Asikainen and Nina Katajavuori aim to establish the course as an online offering available to all students of the University of Helsinki. Another goal is to add new material in order to provide a more comprehensive perspective on wellbeing.
“We already have notable professors of education involved, such as Minna Huotilainen, Katariina Salmela-Aro and Mari Tervaniemi. We could also add to the course information on the significance of sleep, exercise and nutrition for wellbeing, among other things. Still, the course focuses on psychological flexibility and related support,” Katajavuori outlines.
The development of the course is associated with WELLS, a more extensive research project. Last autumn, a case-control design was utilised in the organisation of the course, and research activities have also been carried out with the help of technical solutions.
Research has shown that as many as half of higher education students have experienced exhaustion, inadequacy and cynisism in their studies. New students struggle with the changes brought about by beginning their studies and the heavy demands of studying at university.
As an initial reaction, they may avoid situations that cause anxiety or procrastinate. However, distressing situations occur all the time, and studies do not progress if you are unable to get things done.
Henna Asikainen and Nina Katajavuori, senior lecturers in university pedagogy on Viikki Campus of University of Helsinki, have already been offering an online course for a couple of years in which students can, through various exercises, identify things that are important to them, learn to work in spite of stressful thoughts and, in this way, increase their wellbeing. The course is based on the development of psychological flexibility.
“Studies have demonstrated that psychological flexibility has a strong connection with wellbeing. In our research, we have also identified a strong link with the progress of studies, which is why we came to the conclusion that this must be promoted in one way or another,” says Henna Asikainen.
Psychological flexibility means that people are able to differentiate between their negative thoughts and their self. They are able to base their actions on their personal values and goals in spite of being anxious and stressed in certain situations.
With the help of the digital leap in education funding granted to the project, Henna Asikainen and Nina Katajavuori aim to establish the course as an online offering available to all students of the University of Helsinki. Another goal is to add new material in order to provide a more comprehensive perspective on wellbeing.
“We already have notable professors of education involved, such as Minna Huotilainen, Katariina Salmela-Aro and Mari Tervaniemi. We could also add to the course information on the significance of sleep, exercise and nutrition for wellbeing, among other things. Still, the course focuses on psychological flexibility and related support,” Katajavuori outlines.
The development of the course is associated with WELLS, a more extensive research project. Last autumn, a case-control design was utilised in the organisation of the course, and research activities have also been carried out with the help of technical solutions.
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