FUNCTIONAL IMPAIRMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: EVIDENCE FROM THE WORK AND SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT SCALE (WSAS)

Abstract

The level of difficulty an undergraduate has with their daily academic and social responsibilities, all of which contribute to one's quality of life as a student, is the main contributor to a student's Quality of Life (QOL). This research evaluated the relationship between functional impairment and Quality of Life as well as functional impairment's predictive importance within the domains of Physical Health, Psychological Health, Social Functioning and Environmental Health. A cross-sectional methodology was utilized within this research and 600 undergraduate students were sampled using the Work and Social Adjustment Scale and another standardised QOL measure. The data collected from the Work and Social Adjustment Scale, revealed through use of Pearson's Correlation that there was a significant negative correlational association between higher functional impairment scores and lower QOL scores across all four domains. Furthermore, hierarchical multiple regressions determined that functional impairment could predict lower QOL scores across all four domains of Physical Health (R-square: .33 , p: .00), Psychological Health (R-square: .07 , p: .00), Social Functioning (R-square: .12 , p: .00), and Environmental Health (R-square: .10 , p: .00), controlling for age, and accounted for a large amount of variance in both Physical Health and in both Physical and Social Functioning domains. Importantly, these findings highlight the need to assess functional outcome measures when implementing student mental health program interventions. If students receive intervention services addressing impairment-related difficulties (functional), in addition to symptoms, the overall well-being of the student body may be improved.