Shoco Wellness

It is the mission of the UA to help students succeed and flourish in their pursuit of higher education. Therefore, it is critical that the UA supports the mental health and wellbeing of its students.

To this end, a study was initiated in 2018 to offer a baseline of the current state of student mental health and wellbeing at the UA and how this impacts academic performance. In addition, the study looked at students’ perception about the UA providing services for student mental health and wellbeing. This baseline is a milestone in the university’s strategy for supporting student success. Yearly follow up studies will be measured against this baseline.

Read the results of the UA Mental Health and Wellbeing Student Survey conducted in December 2018. Read the research brief 2018

The UA is an academic environment

that promotes flourishing

for all students and staff

Flourishing is a concept promoted by the discipline of positive psychology and results from actively nourishing and maintaining five aspects of the PERMA model of Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishments. The PERMA model was developed by Dr. Martin Seligman, University of Pennsylvania.

The UA Mental Health and Wellbeing Model is based on a combination of positive psychology, the Preventive Stress Management Model and the Continuum Model of Abnormality.

The UA Mental Health and Wellbeing Model categorizes mental health along a continuum of psychological states to represent four different zones.

Flourishing is a psychological state defined as experiencing no significant distress nor significant impairment in body, mind and spirit. The Green Zone is characterized by being able to cope with normal stresses of life, being able to work productively and fruitfully and being able to contribute to community.

Languishing is the psychological state defined as experiencing mild and transient distress or alterations in functioning that disappear soon after sources of stress are gone. This zone is characterized by feelings of being overwhelmed or overloaded and the ability to function sub optimally.

Distress state (Orange Zone), in this state distress is more severe, persistent and there are alterations in functioning. This is the result of exposure to repeated or prolonged chronic stress.

Dysfunction is a state of distress and/or alterations in functioning that cause persistent impairment. This Red Zone is characterized by loss of autonomy.