FACULTY SUPPORT AND INSTITUTIONAL PRACTICES IN PROMOTING STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH: EVIDENCE FROM A STATE UNIVERSITY IN THE PHILIPPINES

Abstract

University students continue to experience mental health concerns that affect learning, retention, belonging, and overall well-being, highlighting the need for institution-wide support beyond professional counseling, particularly in resource-constrained public universities. This study examined faculty support, classroom-based mental health strategies, and institutional practices for promoting student mental health at North Eastern Mindanao State University (NEMSU) Cantilan Campus using a convergent mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were collected from 254 faculty members through a structured questionnaire measuring three construct-level variables, while qualitative data were obtained from purposively selected students, guidance personnel, administrators, and faculty open-ended responses. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis were employed for the quantitative strand, whereas thematic analysis and joint displays were used to integrate stakeholder narratives with the quantitative findings. Results revealed strong faculty support for student mental health (M = 3.70), moderate implementation of classroom-based strategies (M = 3.50), and generally effective but resource-constrained institutional practices (M = 3.20). Age and sex were not significantly associated with faculty support indicators, while years in teaching, field of specialization, and mental health training showed only weak negative significant relationships with selected support indicators. Qualitative findings complemented the quantitative results by indicating that although faculty members demonstrate a strong willingness to support students, challenges related to referral procedures, counseling capacity, training opportunities, and institutional coordination continue to limit effective implementation. The study contributes to the growing literature on whole-university approaches to mental health promotion by demonstrating how faculty can serve as early identifiers, classroom support providers, and referral partners within resource-limited higher education settings, while offering a practical framework for strengthening faculty development, classroom practices, and institutional mental health support in Philippine state universities.