Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) are increasingly used in therapeutic and educational settings to improve the well-being of autistic people. This study investigated the potential of TTRPGs to provide a safe space where autistic adults could develop relationships with others while also engaging in character and world-building. Eight autistic…

This paper explores cyberbullying and cyberstalking victimisation in a Higher Education community and potential strategies for better supporting victims. It analyses qualitative responses from a convenience sample of students and staff who experienced these adverse behaviours. The data were collected from 34 self-selected respondents from a…

The connection between grit and achievement in a variety of areas is well documented. Nevertheless, the factors that affect domain-specific academic grit and the relationship of these factors to academic achievement still require clarification. The present study aimed to explore the contribution of three main categories of variables: subjective…

Professional dancers have described high levels of performance anxiety while also experiencing flow on stage. However, such research tends to capture one period of time in the performance experience and rarely focuses on vocational dance students. The current study samples vocational dance students at a UK performing arts school and captures their…

Autistic people diagnosed in adulthood often report that the experience can be life-changing, but there are issues with the diagnostic pathway. Few studies consider the views of people "currently" seeking diagnosis or contextualise the experience of diagnosis around developing an autistic identity. In this qualitative participatory…

The UK cost-of-living increases from 2022 to 2023, referred to as the cost-of-living crisis, has had a sudden and unprecedented impact on students' ability to cope financially, leading many higher education students to take on work or increase their working or caring hours to make ends meet. Any increase in working commitments may impact on their…

Using a mixed methods design, this study aimed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on autistic and non-autistic adults. We conducted an online survey with 196 autistic and 228 non-autistic adults from Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom focusing on their experiences during the first period of the pandemic. Our results…

The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT +) individuals in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are still understudied and, despite some improvements, are still characterised by patterns of exclusion, disadvantage, and discrimination. In this article, we explore how visibility is perceived and navigated…

The social cure is the concept that strong connections and social bonds are good for wellbeing and physical health. Having strong social support makes hardship easier to cope with. We hypothesize that we could apply the relationship to educational contexts, with a sense of belonging as part of the cohort or community helping students to cope with…

By addressing the research question, "How do Korean international students engage in music for their own well-being in the UK?", this study aims to understand a group of international students' experiences of their temporary migrant status and the coping mechanisms they employ in the pursuit of subjective well-being in response to these…

Despite sometimes being considered unworthy of scholarly attention, the study of toilet graffiti, also known as latrinalia, has nevertheless garnered increasing interest among researchers. Graffiti writing still suffers from the stigma of being associated with transgression, vandalism, and a deviant subculture. However, findings from this study…

Racism is harmful for minority ethnic students from compulsory to tertiary education. Whilst there appears to be renewed public interest in structural racism, the realities of lived racism are, for many, a part of everyday life. This paper explores the experiences of minority ethnic students in UK higher education, especially their approaches to…

Child-rearing practices can be challenging for migrants who often require socio-cultural and emotional adjustments. This article discusses parenting in exile with a focus on the experiences of highly educated Eritrean migrants in the UK. Qualitative data are collected from eighteen highly educated Eritrean migrants selected through purposive and…

Music students in tertiary education struggle with a range of health-related problems. We investigated students' self-referrals for counseling at a UK conservatoire to explore trends in students' attendance at counseling sessions over time and identify their reasons for seeking and continuing to attend counseling. We conducted a secondary analysis…

This case study examines the academic adjustment of five direct-entry Chinese students at a UK university. Specifically, it investigates two questions: 1) What kind of academic challenges are faced by Chinese direct entrants enrolled in a banking and finance programme at a UK university? and 2) What are the external resources and personal coping…