ABSTRACT
Mental well-being of youth is a cause for concern in many countries. Our previous research identified challenged mental well-being among a particular group of youth, namely, university students, in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Often students struggle transitioning to university life, balancing academic work and practical experience, and taking care of themselves. Depression, anxiety, and stress are common mental well-being issues in this population. Further, mental health shame, which is shame associated with mental health problems, is also globally present in higher education. Shame damages our mental health, and mental health shame sabotages help-seeking, which can exacerbate damaged mental health. Self-compassion is commonly defined as kindness and understanding towards oneself in difficult times. Self-compassion has been attracting research attention due to its enhancive impact on mental well-being and protective effects against shame. In this chapter, we will reflect on our previous international self-compassion studies that evaluated the relationships among self-compassion, mental well-being, and mental health shame. Cross-national comparisons will be made to identify similarities and differences. Culture-aware solutions will be suggested to help university educators and staff to develop effective treatment for student well-being.
