University Students Face Mounting Pressure from Parents

Pressure put on students from parents may backfire with negative consequences such as mental health issues, self-esteem problems and sleep deprivation.

The primary consequences of excessive pressure from parents include higher rates of mental illnesses, increased risk of suicide, self-esteem problems, sleep deprivation, higher risk of injury, increased likelihood of cheating and refusal to participate.

However, the Pew Research Centre found that 35% of Britons say parents are not putting enough pressure on students, with only 17% saying that that parents are putting too much pressure on their children.

Marura Mulumba, 22, a former biochemistry student, dropped out of full-time education with her parents influencing her decisions regarding university.

She said: “In the outside world no one asks what your A-levels are, the only time it matters is going to uni, so the pressure there was like, you need to make good on what you’ve done so far.

“My dad immigrated to this country so that we could get a good education, and I know that they [parents] would never be able to get the type of university standard that we got.”

Jose Sanchez, Deputy Head of the Brunel Student Centre, said: “I think one of the main reasons students drop-out of university is [because of] pressures from family and friends,” while Jelisha Catnott, Student Support and Welfare Officer at Brunel University, said: “When it comes from excessive pressure on the student, that is coming from their parents, we can see that does sometimes have a detrimental effect on them, not only on how well they do, but on their mental health as well.”

For more information on mental health and advice for seeking help, please visit: https://www.rethink.org/aboutus/what-we-do/advice-and-information-service/