10 Things to Know About the Mental Health of College Students

An advisory from the U.S. surgeon general calls the state of mental health for young adults, adolescents and children an “urgent public health issue.”¹ In a survey of college and university presidents, leaders agreed, saying students’ mental health was their top concern.²

How are students in undergraduate and graduate degree programs doing in this post-COVID-19 era? It’s an important question for students, families, faculty members and counseling professionals. It may also be particularly relevant information for students earning Master of Social Work (MSW), nursing or public health degrees. Here are 10 things to know about the mental health of college students:

1. Assessing Mental Health

When asked to describe their overall mental health, 2,000 undergraduates responding to a College Pulse survey answered as follows: excellent, 9%; good, 32%; fair, 34%; poor, 22%; and unsure, approximately 2%.³

2. Identifying Challenges

The survey also asked, “What mental health challenges have you personally struggled with while in college?” Students most frequently cited anxiety (75%) and depression (60%).³ For anyone experiencing emotional distress, there is free, confidential support available 24/7 by calling or texting 988, which is the number for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

3. Finding Support

College students said they turn to a variety of sources for emotional and mental health support, including friends, 57%; direct family, 49%; romantic partners, 35%; and college counseling centers, 4%.³

4. Getting Help

In the Healthy Minds Study conducted during the 2022–2023 academic year, 36% of the 76,406 undergraduate and graduate students responding said they had received mental health therapy/counseling in the previous year; 53% said they’d received counseling or therapy at some point in their lives.⁴

5. Identifying Barriers

The same survey asked students to identify barriers to getting mental health services. Some of the obstacles they mentioned were not having enough time, financial reasons, preferring to deal with issues on their own and not knowing where to go to find help.⁴

6. Increasing Access

Telehealth delivery of mental health services may be an especially good option for college students: “Internet‐based mental health interventions for university students can be a potentially effective means for a range of conditions and can have a beneficial impact on university students' functioning,” concludes a literature review published in the International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research.⁵

7. Practicing Inclusively

Multicultural competence is an essential component of effective therapeutic services.⁶ In the Healthy Minds Study, the majority of students who used campus mental health services said they were satisfied with the care and respect afforded their cultural background.⁴

8. Lingering Stigma

While only 6% of the students responding to the Healthy Minds Study said they would “think less of someone who has received mental health treatment,” 41% felt that most other people would.⁴ In his public health advisory, Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. surgeon general, stressed the importance of “building a culture that normalizes and promotes mental health care.”¹

9. Addressing Loneliness

The Healthy Minds Study found that 25% of students said they often felt isolated and 36% said they felt isolated some of the time.⁴ Young adults who are lonely and socially isolated may be at a higher risk of developing depression and anxiety.⁷

10. Finding College Success

Mental health challenges are real, but access to good and convenient care can help students achieve their educational goals. Eighty-two percent of students responding to the Healthy Minds Study said they were confident they would complete their degree programs “no matter the challenges.”⁴

Embarking on a College Career

Pave the way to a career in the helping professions by earning a degree online from Chamberlain University. For more than 130 years, Chamberlain has helped prepare students for healthcare careers.

Chamberlain offers online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree programs. When you earn an MSN degree, you can choose from a variety of nurse practitioner or non-clinical specialty tracks. Chamberlain also offers online Master of Public Health (MPH) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree programs.

If your goal is to become an agent of social change, earning a Master of Social Work (MSW) may be the educational path for you. Accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), Chamberlain’s online social work master’s program can prepare you for generalist practice or specialist practice in crisis and response interventions, trauma, or medical social work.

With online learning, you can earn a degree while staying active in your professional and personal activities. Chamberlain’s coursework is available 24/7 so you can work when it’s convenient for you.

If you’re ready to earn a degree to support your career goals, you’ll find plenty of options at Chamberlain University.

Chamberlain University, an accredited institution, offers bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and certificate programs in nursing and healthcare professions. With a growing network of campuses and robust online programs, Chamberlain continues to build on more than 130 years of excellence in preparing extraordinary healthcare professionals.

¹Source : www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-youth-mental-health-advisory.pdf

²Source : www.acenet.edu/Research-Insights/Pages/Senior-Leaders/Presidents-Survey-Fall-2021-III.aspx

³Source : https ://insights.collegepulse.com/vault/question/6230832a03392908e11b4b98/highlight/0 ?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJpc3MiOiI2MjU3MWQzNjM5YzYzYzAwMTk0ODA2MmYiLCJleHAiOjI1MTM4NzYyNzg5MzV9.3ceJmuyHN6K-uhzCyjw2—xRhg6wpXDn24kWvDwkgfU&submissionGuid=0dbc90b3-aecf-4892-902c-9f34af0e7797

⁴Source : https ://healthymindsnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/HMS_National-Report-2022-2023_full.pdf

⁵Source : www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6877279/

⁶Source : https ://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jclp.22679 ?casa_token=KZW8NGvkMGsAAAAA%3AffWIlQoSake0-0rXuoLGObrWvybK66ZE-RqyjBOVeFwQZ_40-mj4IazrIiC690WBHqdAF1CjmSIs0paI

⁷Source : www.cdc.gov/emotional-wellbeing/social-connectedness/loneliness.htm

Chamberlain University’s Master of Social Work degree program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s Board of Accreditation. 

Accreditation of a master’s social work program by the Council on Social Work Education’s Board of Accreditation indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of program quality evaluated through a peer review process.  An accredited program has sufficient resources to meet its mission and goals and the Board of Accreditation has verified that it demonstrates compliance with all sections of the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. 

Accreditation applies to all program sites and program delivery methods of an accredited program.  Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.

For more information about social work accreditation, you may contact Accreditation.

By Chamberlain University