Elements of engineering culture affecting undergraduate students' mental health and their help-seeking attitudes

Abstract

Background

Evidence exists that some aspects of engineering as a disciplinary culture are problematic for students' mental health and help-seeking attitude (HSAs). In order to promote positive cultural change, it is critical to further characterize those problematic aspects of engineering culture.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to expand on the specific mechanisms through which shared beliefs and values within engineering culture harm students' mental well-being and how they transform decision making that limits help-seeking.

Design/Method

Operationalizing engineering as a disciplinary culture and framed under social identity theory, we conducted a thematic analysis of 60 semi-structured interviews among engineering undergraduates at two institutions in the continental United States.

Results

Problem solving and efficiency were a public representation of engineering that participants linked with a preference for solving mental health problems on their own or not at all. Communication and collaboration were highlighted as necessary but not always developed skills due to rampant competition. Such tensions jeopardized students' ability to create and use essential support networks for mental health. The demands of an engineering degree were confirmed as affecting mental health negatively and deterring students' HSAs. Finally, masculinity and Whiteness in engineering were identified as elements influencing poor mental health and HSAs of gender and racial minorities.

Conclusions

Significant changes in the culture of engineering are necessary to improve HSAs of engineering students. We propose different strategies to start re-imagining the identified cultural elements in engineering to support students' mental health.