Research shows that about 66–85% of higher education students have experienced traumaticevents, with around 9% meeting the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despitethis prevalence, there is limited qualitative research on how students navigate higher educationwith PTSD symptoms following trauma. This study conducted 12 semi-structured interviewswith UK undergraduate students who had experienced trauma and reported PTSD symptoms,aiming to understand their experiences. Using reflexive thematic analysis, four main themeswere developed: (1) Trying to live and learn with PTSD in higher education, (2) Coping alone,connecting with difficulty, (3) The dilemma of disclosure in higher education spaces, and (4)Accessing fragmented and inconsistent support when experiencing PTSD symptoms in highereducation. Findings highlight the interplay between challenges related to internal PTSDsymptoms and external institutional structures, with higher education environments sometimesreinforcing trauma-related beliefs and distress, but also offering opportunities for safety,connection, and engagement where supportive practices existed. These experiences align withand extend cognitive models of PTSD, highlighting that PTSD in higher education can be bothan individual and systemic issue. Further research should explore strategies to reduceretraumatisation and support student engagement
Research Portfolio Submitted in Part Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctorate in Clinical Psychology : 1) A Scoping Review of Trauma-Informed Pedagogy Frameworks in Undergraduate Medical Education; 2) Trauma-Informed Pedagogy in the University of Bath Doctorate in Clinical Psychology Lecture Space; 3) The Dilemma of Disclosure, Unseen Individual Coping, and Inconsistent Higher Education Support for Undergraduate Students with PTSD Symptoms.
Kant, R. (Author). 20 May 2026
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy)