Impact of Cultural Identity on Mental Health in Post-secondary Students

Post-secondary education is a time that shapes identity. Emerging adulthood is also a life stage during which mental illness often emerges. Although increasing attention is being given to mental health support for transitional age youth, the role of culture and cultural identity is often not considered, considered abstractly, or considered only in relation to ethnicity. Who you are and who you become is shaped by where you come from and what you experience; therefore, it is important to understand how cultural identity impacts mental health and acculturation associated with post-secondary environments. Culture must be seen as a broad concept that extends beyond race, gender, and ethnicity. Culture is about patterns and power, and both contribute to (or threaten) belonging, resilience, inclusion, and exclusion. This paper takes a broad view of culture and argues that understanding and supporting cultural identity is critical for effectively supporting post-secondary youth mental health.