Well-being in Emerging Adults First-Year University Students: A Scoping Review

The prevalence of well-being problems in first-year students is quite significant. This scoping review aims to map studies on well-being in emerging adults, specifically first-year students, and to summarize the protective and risk factors associated with it. The study searched for and identified articles published between 2004 and 2024, and obtained 18 final articles from the 2,011 initial articles identified. The review followed PRISMA 2022 guidelines and the JBI Reviewer’s Manual, using eight databases: Scopus, Web of Science, Ebsco, Taylor & Francis, ScienceDirect, JSTOR, Google Scholar, and ProQuest. The protective factors for the well-being of first-year university students consist of, internal factors: self-compassion, self-esteem, social support, sleep quality and frequency of physical exercise, motivation to leave home, adaptability and resilience, and involvement in meaningful activities; and external factors: positive interactions and support, experiences, and attachments to academic institutions, effective roles of the community and appropriate interventions. Risk factors are internal factors: stress, problematic behavior, low self-esteem, feelings of isolation, hopelessness, thoughts and/or plans for suicide, mood and anxiety disorders, and external factors: inadequate support, previous adversity/trauma, maladaptive interactions, and non-conducive educational institutions. The review identified specific internal and external protective and risk factors affecting the well-being of first-year university students, but some factors are common to students’ general well-being. Utilization of existing results requires a broader study that accommodates the existing diversity.