Overwhelm: A Concept Analysis

Objectives: Overwhelm is an unexplored concept that negatively impacts college students’ overall health. Conducting this concept analysis fills a gap in the literature, provides a comprehensive definition of overwhelm based on its uses and meanings, and enhances clear and consistent communication across multiple disciplines. Methods: This concept analysis was conducted using Walker and Avant’s 8‐step approach. Results: Twenty-eight articles were included in this concept analysis. Overwhelm is being physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and/or spiritually overloaded and overpowered while experiencing pressure beyond a threshold. The defining attributes of overwhelm include pressure beyond a threshold, overloaded, and overpowered. Antecedents include excessive tasks, insufficient resources, conflict, and accumulated complexities. Consequences include decreased mental health status, the inability to perform to one’s potential, failure, being a factor for motivation, and being an agent for change. Empirical referents include pressure beyond a threshold, overloaded, and overpowered. Conclusion: These findings may be used for instrument development of the state of overwhelm and to inform the development of interventions that can prevent and/or halt overwhelm among college students, allowing them to be equipped with the necessary tools to manage their exceeding demands while also sustaining a healthy lifestyle.