PERSPECTIVES OF LECTURERS AND ITS IMPACT ON STUDENTS: THE INTEGRATION OF MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY INTO THE HIGHER EDUCATION CURRICULUM

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This study is motivated by growing attention to students’ mental health, while the integration of mental health literacy into higher education curricula has not yet become a priority. This study aims to examine lecturers’ perspectives, attitudes, and willingness to integrate mental health literacy into learning, assess its potential impact on students’ mental well-being and academic achievement, and identify challenges and opportunities for implementation. The study employed a concurrent embedded mixed-methods design. Qualitative data as the primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eight informants consisting of four structural officials/lecturers, one psychologist as an expert informant, and three students, as well as observations and document analysis, and were analyzed thematically. Quantitative data as supporting data were obtained through a Likert-scale questionnaire administered to 100 active students at Universitas Komputer Indonesia, selected randomly and proportionally based on faculty representation, and analyzed descriptively using frequency percentages. The findings indicate that lecturers generally held positive attitudes toward integrating mental health literacy, but their willingness to implement it varied due to limited competence and institutional support. A total of 68% of students strongly agreed that good mental health supports learning focus, while 63% strongly agreed that mental health is important for academic success. The main challenges included limited curriculum time, inadequate training, and the absence of structured guidelines. The study concludes that an implicit integration model (embedded model) through learning materials, methods, assignments, and classroom interactions is relevant to supporting student well-being.

ABSTRAK

Penelitian ini dilatarbelakangi oleh meningkatnya perhatian terhadap kesehatan mental mahasiswa, sementara integrasi literasi kesehatan mental ke dalam kurikulum pendidikan tinggi belum menjadi prioritas. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengkaji perspektif, sikap, dan kesediaan dosen dalam mengintegrasikan literasi kesehatan mental ke dalam pembelajaran, menilai potensi dampaknya terhadap kesejahteraan mental dan prestasi akademik mahasiswa, serta mengidentifikasi tantangan dan peluang implementasinya. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain metode campuran concurrent embedded. Data kualitatif sebagai data utama dikumpulkan melalui wawancara semi-terstruktur dengan delapan informan, yang terdiri atas empat pejabat struktural/ dosen, satu psikolog sebagai informan ahli, dan tiga mahasiswa, serta observasi dan studi dokumen, kemudian dianalisis secara tematik. Data kuantitatif sebagai data pendukung diperoleh melalui kuesioner skala Likert kepada 100 mahasiswa aktif Universitas Komputer Indonesia yang dipilih secara acak dan proporsional berdasarkan fakultas, kemudian dianalisis secara deskriptif menggunakan persentase frekuensi. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa dosen umumnya bersikap positif terhadap integrasi literasi kesehatan mental, tetapi kesediaan implementasinya bervariasi karena keterbatasan kompetensi dan dukungan institusional. Sebanyak 68% mahasiswa sangat setuju bahwa kesehatan mental yang baik mendukung fokus belajar, sedangkan 63% sangat setuju bahwa kesehatan mental penting bagi keberhasilan akademik. Tantangan utama meliputi keterbatasan waktu kurikulum, pelatihan yang belum memadai, dan ketiadaan pedoman terstruktur. Penelitian menyimpulkan bahwa model integrasi implisit (embedded model) melalui materi, metode, tugas, dan interaksi kelas relevan untuk mendukung kesejahteraan mahasiswa.