Mental health of university and college students has become a significant concern in higher education. This systematic literature review seeks to investigate factors affecting students' mental health, understand the impact of mental health problems on academic variables, and identify effective evidence-based interventions for addressing mental health issues. A comprehensive search strategy was employed across multiple databases, including PubMed, ERIC, BMC, Google Scholar, and Science Direct, targeting empirical studies published between 2013 and June 2023. The review included quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies focusing on university and college students worldwide, exploring factors related to mental health, academic performance, and intervention strategies. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria, examining factors associated with poor mental health such as gender, age, ethnicity, family economic status, social support, mental health history, ADHD, physical disease, lifestyle choices, and educational changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health problems were found to contribute significantly to academic impairment, with internalizing and externalizing issues negatively influencing academic performance. Nonetheless, mental health also plays a role in fostering intrinsic motivation and self-compassion. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated academic stress, disengagement, and uncertainty among students. The review identifies several evidence-based interventions, including staff training in mental health literacy, peer-led interventions, and mindfulness-based courses, all of which have demonstrated positive effects on students' mental well-being and academic commitment. This review highlights the urgent need for comprehensive mental health support services within educational institutions, calling for collaborative efforts between academia, healthcare providers, and policymakers to enhance student mental health and academic achievement. The review identifies a gap in the literature concerning the role of cultural context in mental health outcomes. Future studies might explore how cultural factors impact mental health, academic performance, and intervention effectiveness to create more culturally sensitive support systems for university and college students.
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