Young adult vulnerability in the academe: Navigating the moratorium between social and academic life
| dc.contributor.author | Aparo, Jenifer | |
| dc.contributor.author | Atibuni, Dennis Zami | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-09T09:24:24Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-09T09:24:24Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2026-07-03 | |
| dc.description | This study advances Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 (Quality Education), specifically Target 4.3 by promoting access to quality higher education, and Target 4.7 by fostering inclusive learning environments that support holistic student development. It further addresses SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), Target 3.4, by focusing on mental health and well-being among university students, as well as SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), Target 10.2, by highlighting the needs of vulnerable groups, including low-income, first-generation, and international students. The research aligns with Uganda’s National Development Plan IV (NDP IV), particularly the Human Capital Development Programme, which prioritizes quality education, student retention, mental health, and inclusive development. By examining the influence of academic, social, and institutional factors on student vulnerability, this study provides evidence to inform improvements in counseling, mentoring, academic advising, and inclusive teaching practices. These interventions are expected to enhance student well-being, academic performance, graduate quality, and national human capital. | |
| dc.description.abstract | Globally, higher education institutions are recognised as key developmental spaces where young adults engage in identity exploration, relationship building, and career preparation. This view is grounded in developmental theories that describe university life as a transitional period marked by exploration and instability, during which students gradually assume adult roles. Contemporary research further shows that universities contribute not only to academic learning but also to students’ psychological and social well-being. However, increasing marketisation and competition in higher education have intensified academic demands, employability pressures, and financial uncertainty, contributing to rising levels of stress, anxiety, and psychological distress among students. This study employed a scoping review guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute framework and reported using PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Peer-reviewed and policy literature published between 2000 and 2024 was retrieved from major academic databases and synthesised using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings reveal four interrelated themes: academic challenges, including workload pressure, performance demands, and transition difficulties; social challenges, including weak peer integration, loneliness, and exclusion; interaction effects, showing a reinforcing cycle between academic stress and social withdrawal; and institutional responses, including mentoring, counselling, academic advising, and inclusive teaching practices. Evidence further indicates that students from low-income, first-generation, and international backgrounds experience heightened vulnerability due to compounded academic, social, and financial pressures. The study concludes that student vulnerability in higher education is multidimensional and shaped by the interaction of academic, social, and institutional systems. It recommends integrated, system-level interventions that simultaneously address academic demands and social integration in order to enhance student well-being and academic success across diverse higher education contexts. | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Aparo, J. & Atibuni, D. Z. (2026). Young adult vulnerability in the academe: Navigating the moratorium between social and academic life. East African Journal of Education Studies 9 (3), 64-76. | |
| dc.identifier.issn | 2707-3947 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://dir.muni.ac.ug/handle/20.500.12260/1013 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | East African Nature & Science Organization | |
| dc.subject | Young adulthood | |
| dc.subject | Psychosocial moratorium | |
| dc.subject | Academic pressure | |
| dc.subject | Social integration | |
| dc.subject | Student well-being | |
| dc.title | Young adult vulnerability in the academe: Navigating the moratorium between social and academic life | |
| dc.type | Article |