Student mental health discourses in Emirati higher education policy documents: A dialectical-relational approach

Mental health issues are prevalent among university students; therefore, higher education institutions (HEIs) play a critical role in supporting students struggling with mental health issues through responsive policies and practices. This study examines discourses surrounding mental health in 16 policy documents from Emirati HEIs. The research methodology follows the dialectical-relational approach (DRA) proposed by Norman Fairclough in 2003, which is a critical discourse analysis approach. The findings reveal narrow discourses on student well-being that focus on personal and academic development while giving limited attention to mental health. The Emirati linguistic habitus and linguistic market influence linguistic expressions and discourse in policy materials, contributing to the presence of the social wrong under investigation, namely, mental health stigma. In Emirati HEIs, there is a need for transformative changes led by competent governmental bodies in systematic collaboration with Emirati HEIs to enhance their policies and practices. A positive change in the HE sector that recognises the significance of mental health in university students’ experiences can help tackle the stigma of mental health.