Why this research matters
University entry and progression often come with intensified academic demands, social adjustment, and financial pressures—conditions that can undermine students’ mental health and well-being. Yet evidence from non-Western contexts remains limited. Kazakhstan, described in the literature as a mental health “blind spot,” offers an important setting to understand how distress is shaped by academic culture, support structures, and social norms.
What the researchers did
The team conducted 16 in-depth interviews with students across multiple higher education institutions in Kazakhstan and applied thematic analysis to identify patterns in:
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determinants of distress, 2) coping strategies, and 3) perceived formal and informal support systems—interpreting findings through SDT’s core needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
Key findings
1) Distress is driven by academic, socio-demographic, and situational pressures
Students described stressors that either supported or undermined their sense of autonomy, competence, and belonging—factors SDT links to motivation and well-being.
2) Avoidance coping was relatively common
Participants reported a tendency toward coping that minimizes or delays direct engagement with stressors (e.g., distraction, withdrawal), alongside some approach-oriented strategies.
3) Perceived formal support was limited; informal support dominated
Students often reported low visibility or limited availability of formal support systems within universities, and greater reliance on informal support (family, friends, peers) to buffer distress.
4) University environments were perceived as more controlling than autonomy-supportive
Many students described higher education settings as leaning toward controlling practices, which SDT suggests may frustrate autonomy and contribute to distress.
Implications
The findings point to practical opportunities for universities to strengthen student well-being by:
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increasing access to and awareness of formal mental health supports,
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building autonomy-supportive academic practices, and
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reinforcing community structures that promote relatedness and reduce isolation.