Abstract
Background: The mental health of university students is a growing concern, with the demand for support increasing. The increasing migration of international students and successful recruitment strategies have led to a rise in the number of students of East African descent studying in the United Kingdom. Besides common student concerns, such as academic pressure, financial worries, and loneliness, international students often also face additional stresses related to immigration, racism, and adapting to a new environment and culture. These stressors can ultimately increase mental health problems. International students may draw on their faith to help them cope as they navigate their studies. Pentecostalism is the fastest-growing faith in the United Kingdom, with many Black East African students identifying as Pentecostal. This study comprised a scoping review of existing literature and an empirical investigation to explore the role of faith in the mental health and well-being of Black Pentecostal students of East African descent attending universities in the United Kingdom. A shared understanding of the students’ coping strategies and how faith may help or hinder them in maintaining good mental health was explored.Methods/Methodology: A hermeneutic phenomenological enquiry was chosen to explore the impact of Pentecostalism on the mental health and well-being of Black East African students. Twenty in-depth interviews were conducted between April and July 2022. Data were analysed thematically utilising hermeneutic principles. While Gadamer's philosophical stance guided the analysis, Fleming et al.'s framework established a philosophical foundation that involved identifying pre-understanding, engaging in the hermeneutic circle, and achieving a fusion of horizons. An interpretive descriptive approach was adopted to deepen the understanding of the data. Gibbs' thematic coding approach was then applied to analyse the data systematically.
Findings: Participants identified several key issues related to their experience. Four interlinked themes emerged from the data: The dual nature of faith, the unseen struggles of Black student stress, Pathways to support and coping strategies, and Barriers to help-seeking. Insights from the scoping review titled “The role of faith in the mental health and well-being of Black university students” informed the development of the conceptual framework and helped contextualise the empirical findings. A conceptual framework was developed based on a shared understanding of the participants’ stressors, coping strategies and the role of the university.
Conclusion: Faith emerges as multifaceted, reciprocal and complex. Although primarily beneficial, faith can sometimes contribute to stress and conflict in specific contexts and can be both a significant source of support and a barrier to seeking help. The implications of faith emerge as individualised rather than homogeneous. A unique contribution of this study lies in the specific nuances of faith’s reciprocity and its interplay with culture and racial identity. Another novel contribution is the association between a relationship with God and personal agency in this group, whereby a secure attachment to God leads to higher levels of personal agency. A secure attachment is influenced by one's understanding of God, personal experiences (divine encounters), and early attachment to God (attending church from a young age). While positive experiences foster a positive attachment, negative experiences can hinder it. Social networks are recognised as crucial for support, and the church is evermore viewed as a space for social fellowship instead of worship or prayer. The interplay between faith, culture, and race in this student group influences their mental health. Additionally, each identity tag, 'Black, 'Pentecostal, 'East African,' and 'Student’ brings unique challenges and responsibilities, creating a duality of penalty and responsibility. Faith, shaped by culture and race, affects students' perceptions and responses to mental illness, leading to complex stigmas that deter help-seeking. A generational divide exists, with students pushing for open mental health discussions while parents or elders often cling to cultural stigmas and dismiss concerns. Based on the findings of both the scoping review and the empirical study, a conceptual framework was developed that logically connects the three elements: stressors, coping strategies, and the university's role, illustrating how they interact to influence students' mental health.
| Date of Award | 15 Dec 2025 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Supervisor | Clementinah Rooke (Main Supervisor) & Melanie Rogers (Co-Supervisor) |