From Self-Neglect to Self-Valuing: Self-Care Experiences of Female University Students in Taiwan

This study explored the self-care experiences of female university students in Taiwan, with particular attention to how they understood, developed, and integrated self-care into their everyday lives and relationships. Eight female university students aged 19–24 years (M = 21.38) participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using a phenomenological qualitative approach. Six themes emerged: (1) understanding the core meanings of self-care; (2) recognizing needs through physical and emotional signals; (3) moving from external support toward self-regulation; (4) practicing diverse and flexible forms of self-care; (5) shifting from self-neglect toward self-valuing; and (6) integrating self-care into relationships and everyday life. Self-care emerged not merely as a set of health-promoting behaviors but as an ongoing relational and developmental process. Participants gradually learned to recognize and respond to their physical and emotional needs, draw on interpersonal and internal resources, establish relational boundaries, and incorporate self-care into daily life. A particularly salient developmental shift involved moving from prioritizing others and assuming excessive relational responsibility toward recognizing and valuing their own needs while maintaining meaningful connections with others. These experiences also reflected the influence of gender-role socialization and relational expectations within the Taiwanese sociocultural context. The findings highlight the importance of understanding self-care as a dynamic process involving awareness, self-regulation, relational negotiation, and increasing self-directed care. Implications for counseling practice, mental health education, and student support in higher education are discussed.