Our Forgotten Students: The Mental Health of Residence Hall Paraprofessionals

Residence Hall Paraprofessionals, commonly known as Resident Assistants or Community Advisors, serve as the front lines when it comes to the level of interaction that colleges and universities have with students who have mental health issues. When examining the experiences that residence hall paraprofessionals have with their own mental health, the literature is lacking. This qualitative study describes the experiences that Residence Hall Paraprofessionals have as student staff members dealing with their own mental health issues through the use of five main themes that emerged from the research. The participants describe their role in dealing with the mental health of others, the balancing act they must maintain, the increased level of empathy obtained, an increase in self-awareness specifically in regard to their own mental health, and the role that supervisory and departmental support plays in their success.