Abstract
In a recently published report, the New Zealand Student Association reported that 56% of tertiary students across New Zealand had considered dropping out at some point during their time at university. Major triggers for dropping out included academic anxiety, mental illnesses, and feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities both within and outside of class. Even more alarming is the finding that a small number of students had experienced suicidal thoughts. These findings highlight the need to understand and address mental health issues in the university student population. Results from the present study unveiled that: (1) students’ mental health did decrease in the span of first academic year, (2) self-compassion uniquely predicted students’ well-being outcomes, and (3) psychological needs satisfaction mediated the relationships between self-compassion and mental health. Findings from this study may be used to develop interventions to promote self-compassion among university students.