#StudentWellbeing

As new students arrived for the fall term, the University of Utah rolled out a suite of mental-health supports designed to ease stress, loneliness and homesickness — from scheduled visits with a campus service dog to an after‑hours Mental Health First Responders (MH1) programme that connects students to counsellors when regular offices are closed. The initiative is notable not for a single dramatic cure but for layering low‑barrier, familiar interventions with professional care, a model that carries practical lessons for Thai universities grappling with rising student distress and demand for accessible mental health services.

The Illinois Controversy That Could Shape Thailand’s Future

A fierce debate erupts across American classrooms. Should schools routinely ask every child if they feel depressed? Illinois just mandated exactly that—sparking passionate arguments that reach far beyond Chicago suburbs into the heart of how Thai educators approach student wellbeing.

The controversy began when an opinion writer at Meridian Magazine issued a stark warning to parents. Stop asking children about depression, she urged. Her alarm centers on Illinois’ groundbreaking law requiring annual mental health screenings for all public school students from third grade through high school by 2027.

A recent report warns that many students overwork themselves to chase grades and resumes. (This habit can cause anxiety, stress, and burnout.) (KVIA)

Parents and schools should notice signs of anxiety and burnout early. Early detection can prevent long-term mental health problems.

Experts say students often join many activities to build resumes for schools and jobs. Those activities can overload students and harm their wellbeing. (KVIA)

A therapist at a community health network warns that overwork can become obsessive. The therapist says anxiety, stress, and lack of motivation can follow. (KVIA)

In quiet hospital rooms across Bangkok, teenage patients describe the same crushing symptoms: sleepless nights spent memorizing formulas, chest-tightening anxiety before exams, and an overwhelming sense that their worth depends entirely on grades and university admissions. What many Thai families dismiss as normal academic stress has become a mental health epidemic that threatens an entire generation’s wellbeing—and new international research reveals the devastating scope of student overwork that mirrors patterns emerging worldwide.

A major new study of secondary schools in England finds that banning smartphones on school grounds or at break times does not, by itself, produce better grades, healthier sleep or improved mental wellbeing among pupils — a result that shifts the debate from banning devices to reducing total screen time and reshaping how young people use digital technology. Researchers compared student outcomes across schools with different phone rules and found that the single strongest predictor of worse academic and health measures was the amount of time pupils spent on smartphones and social media, rather than whether schools imposed on-site bans. The finding matters for Thai educators and parents because it suggests policy and cultural interventions beyond simple exclusion are needed to protect learning, mental health and social development in a country where young people are highly connected.

Throughout Bangkok’s bustling university libraries and countless coffee shop study spaces, Thai students unknowingly participate in a global psychological revolution that could transform their academic success, as groundbreaking research published in the prestigious journal Frontiers in Psychology reveals how strategically chosen background music dramatically enhances cognitive performance, emotional regulation, and learning outcomes in ways that fundamentally challenge traditional assumptions about optimal study environments. This revolutionary scientific analysis, representing the most comprehensive real-world examination ever conducted of how different personality types harness music to boost brain function, offers Thai families and educators evidence-based strategies for creating personalized audio environments that work synergistically with individual neurological differences rather than fighting against them.

Australia continues to cement its status as a global education powerhouse, attracting a growing number of international students who are not only seeking world-class degrees but also life skills, cross-cultural friendships, and a gateway to global careers. New research and updated reports highlight how universities, policymakers, and students themselves are evolving to foster a thriving environment—while navigating challenges in academics, cost of living, mental health, and migration rules (The Economic Times).

In a controversial move set to affect students, parents, and educators alike, Missouri has become the latest US state to introduce a sweeping cell phone ban across all public schools. Signed into law by the governor and effective from the upcoming academic year, Senate Bill 68 prohibits students from possessing their phones on campus during the entire school day—including lunch breaks and time between classes—except in emergencies or for medical needs. This new policy, already practiced by some districts, now becomes mandatory statewide, with school authorities tasked to ensure its enforcement and navigate its consequences for the educational ecosystem.

Every graduation season, schools across the world celebrate student achievement with a flurry of awards—most of which continue to focus narrowly on academic excellence. But a tide of new research and calls from child psychology experts is putting pressure on education systems to expand their definition of success, warning that the traditional model may be doing students more harm than good (CTV News, CP24). As Thailand seeks to boost learning outcomes and student wellbeing, these insights offer timely lessons for Thai educators, policymakers, and parents.

A recent MIT-led study has ignited a global conversation about the cognitive impact of artificial intelligence (AI) use in education, warning that reliance on tools like ChatGPT could erode students’ ability to engage in deep, critical thinking and retain ownership of their ideas. The research, which has gained notable attention in international and Thai education circles, strikes at the heart of a rapidly growing dilemma—as AI-generated writing becomes easier and more prevalent, could it make us, in effect, intellectually lazier and less capable over time? (NYT)

A sweeping new study of over 3,500 university students has cast procrastination in a new, more troubling light: chronic delays are not just a time management problem, but a significant risk factor for mental and physical health issues. The research, coordinated by a team at Sophiahemmet University in Sweden and published this week in a major medical journal, revealed that habitual procrastinators were more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, stress, sleep disturbances, upper body pain, and even financial difficulties, compared to their more punctual peers. These findings underscore the complex ways that psychological habits can reverberate through every aspect of health, echoing concerns that apply as much to Thai society as anywhere else in the world.

As artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT become increasingly integrated into education systems worldwide, much of the narrative has focused on a supposed crisis of academic integrity. Critics warn of students cheating en masse, forfeiting genuine learning, and entering the workforce less prepared than their predecessors. Yet, first-hand student perspectives reveal a more nuanced reality: the rapid embrace of AI in higher education is less about laziness and more about adapting to systemic upheaval, resource scarcity, and the lingering aftershocks of the Covid-19 pandemic (The Guardian).

A new wave of cellphone restrictions is sweeping schools in North Carolina, USA, as policymakers, educators, and families grapple with the disruptive presence of mobile devices in classrooms. Recent changes include policies ranging from outright confiscation to the use of locking storage pouches, stirring debate about how best to balance student focus, safety, and access to digital tools for learning. These developments offer valuable insights for Thai educators and policymakers facing similar concerns amid the rapidly growing use of smartphones among Thai youth.

A new study from The University of Texas at Arlington has shed light on how peer pressure and mistaken beliefs about campus drinking culture are fueling risky alcohol consumption among college students—insights that carry significant lessons for university communities around the globe, including Thailand. The research, published in the journal Substance Use & Misuse, finds that students tend to overestimate how much their peers drink, which in turn drives up their own alcohol intake and increases the risk of academic, social, and health consequences. Crucially, the researchers also identified simple strategies that can empower students to resist this pressure and reduce alcohol-related harm, even in environments where heavy drinking feels like the norm (neurosciencenews.com).

As exam season intensifies across Thailand, mental health experts are sounding the alarm over rising levels of psychological distress among teenagers, with mounting research showing that exam stress can easily spiral into more severe mental health challenges if left unaddressed. Recent expert commentary, together with new policy scrutiny, is shedding light on how parents and educators can identify the turning point where ordinary anxiety becomes a call for urgent intervention, and what steps actually help teens through this pressure-cooker period.

A striking new study has revealed that nearly a third of college students in the United States are planning to drop out of university, citing emotional stress and mental health challenges as key factors. This finding, reported in El Adelantado, underscores the growing mental health crisis facing young people in higher education—a trend with far-reaching implications, including for students and educators in Thailand.

This surge in student stress has come to the forefront as college life post-pandemic presents fresh hurdles, from academic pressures and financial worries to pervasive feelings of isolation. For Thai readers, these findings mirror familiar concerns in local universities, where recent surveys suggest that emotional wellbeing is an increasing challenge for both faculty and students. As societies in both the U.S. and Thailand compete in a globally demanding education landscape, the mental health toll is increasingly hard to ignore.

The Kalama Sutta, or “กาลามสูตร” in Thai, stands as one of the most influential teachings by the Buddha, known for encouraging people not to blindly believe in information or beliefs without thoughtful consideration. For Thai high school students growing up in a world of overwhelming information—on social media, in the classroom, and from peers—understanding the Kalama Sutta is both empowering and essential.

Why does this ancient Buddhist principle remain relevant in modern Thailand? At its heart, the Kalama Sutta (as explained in sources such as Wikipedia and multiple other Thai dharma platforms) teaches us how to think, not what to think. The Buddha gave this teaching to the Kalama people, who were confused by contradictory spiritual teachers. Participating youth of the time wondered: “Whom should we believe?”

Before the sun rises over Amherst Regional Middle School in the United States, the gym fills with the thumping sound of basketballs and energetic music. A diverse group of students, some still wiping sleep from their eyes, gather for “Morning Movement and Mentoring,” a pioneering program that combines early-morning exercise with academic support and mentoring. Initiated as a simple way to entice teens to school with a few early hoops, this grassroots project has evolved into a multifaceted, youth-focused initiative now recognized for boosting academic performance and attendance—as well as transforming lives.