Work in Progress
Unfinished business: student life, mental illness and disclosure
Summary
- Item:
- 10437
- Title:
- Unfinished business: student life, mental illness and disclosure
- Type:
- Managed research project
- Project no:
- NR10003
- Status:
- Project in progress
- Date commenced:
- 8 October 2009
- Estimated publication date:
- 30 March 2012
- Theme:
- Students and individuals > Learner groups
- Contact:
- Tabatha Griffin
- phone: 08 8230 8431
- email: tabatha.griffin@ncver.edu.au
- Principal researcher:
- Annie Venville
- LaTrobe University
Purpose
The objective of this research is to investigate the factors affecting successful course completion for students with a mental illness. This research aims to gather and analyse qualitative data to enrich our understanding of the experience of VET students with a mental illness in order to illuminate the factors affecting course completion and non-completion.
Approach
Qualitative (interviews)
Research activities
Research questions
This research addresses three key research questions:
1. What are the factors influencing successful course completion for VET students with a mental illness?
2. What factors influence the decision to disclose or not disclose a mental illness?
3. What role does disclosure of mental illness play in the experience of course completion and non-completion?
Methodology
This project involves two stages:
Student interviews
Semi-structured interviews will be used to explore the experiences of students (from three different VET providers) with a mental illness. Students will participate in an initial interview that will focus on the student’s experience of the TAFE/private VET provider environment including teaching and learning, support services, campus facilities and administrative processes. A follow-up interview will discuss the student’s progress and experience since the first interview and revisit any issues of significance identified in the first round of the data analysis. Participants will include students who have both disclosed and not disclosed their mental illness to the VET provider.
Staff interviews
Focus groups will be held with staff from the three providers. The focus groups will be used to obtain feedback on draft guidelines for VET staff in managing disclosure of mental illness and other aspects of students’ experience. Participants are likely to be drawn from a mix of equity, general and teaching staff.
Organisations
La Trobe University is one of Australia’s leading research universities, with a world-wide reputation for academic excellence and innovation. The School of Social Work and Social Policy is a major provider of social work education, research and consultancy across Victoria and in all facets of its work is committed to the promotion of social change in the interests of social justice.
