Gender Differences in Mental Health and Well-Being Among Cambodian University Students.
Monday, 7 July 2025: 11:15
Location: FSE020 (Faculty of Education Sciences (FSE))
Oral Presentation
Takashi ASAKURA, Tokyo Gakugei University, Japan, School Health for All Cambodian Children, Japan
Marie UENO, Tokyo Gakugei University, Japan, School Health for All Cambodian Children, Japan
Pheng SARAY, Battambang Teacher Education College, Cambodia, School Health for All Cambodian Children, Cambodia
San SREYRY, Phnom Penh Teacher Education College, Cambodia, School Health for All Cambodian Children, Cambodia
Chhom KUNTHY, Phnom Penh Teacher Education College, Cambodia, School Health for All Cambodian Children, Cambodia
Lam BUNMAKARA, Battambang Teacher Education College, Cambodia, School Health for All Cambodian Children, Cambodia
Sachi TOMOKAWA, Shinshu University, Japan
Cambodia experienced civil war from 1970 to 1993. In particular, those who had received higher education during the Khmer Rouge period were massacred and the education system was collapsed. Since then, with the support of many countries, Cambodia is in the process of social reconstruction. However, Cambodia's enrollment rate in higher education is 13.8% for males and 14.0% for females, the lower enrollment rate among ASEAN countries. Therefore, they are valuable human resources for Cambodia's future. However, mental health problems are a common phenomenon among higher education students. Traditional male-centered gender and family norms are particularly prevalent in Cambodia. In rural areas, it is considered pointless to send a daughter to higher education. Such gendered social conditions are expected to result in gender differences in mental health and well-being, and stress on women pursuing higher education. Women who receive higher education are expected to play an important role in building a gender-equal society, and therefore their mental health is important.
We surveyed students at five universities in Cambodia's major cities, Phnom Penh and Battambang, and examined gender differences in mental health and well-being based on data from 827 participants.
In K6, males scored 7.5 and females 8.5, indicating that females had higher mental stress, and the SWEMWBS was 23.5 for males and 22.7 for females, indicating that females had lower mental well-being. Furthermore, females also had poorer conditions in terms of suicidal thought, lonely, worried, thinking too much, college life stress, self-rating mental health, and life satisfaction. However, no differences were found in social relationship items, such as general trust, which are believed to affect health.
We will discuss gender differences in mental health and well-being based on the socio-cultural background of Cambodia, including the effects of the civil war, the collapse of the education system, and traditional gender norms.
