Students from 19 Colleges in Eight Countries Report Symptoms Compatible with a Psychological Disorder, Study Shows – ScienceDaily

"Although effective care is important, the number of students in need of treatment for these disorders far exceeds the resources of most counseling centers, hence a considerable unmet need for treatment in mental health, "said lead author Randy P. Auerbach. , from Columbia University. "Considering that students are a key population to determine the economic success of a country, colleges need to take more urgent care of this problem."

Auerbach and his co-authors analyzed data from the World Health Organization's Global Student Mental Health Initiative, in which nearly 14,000 students from 19 colleges in eight countries (Australia, Belgium, Germany, Mexico , Northern Ireland, Spain and the United States) responded to questionnaires to assess common mental disorders, including major depression, generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder.

The researchers found that 35% of those surveyed had reported symptoms corresponding to at least one mental health disorder, as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition. Major depressive disorder was the most common, followed by generalized anxiety disorder. The results were published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.

"The finding that one-third of students from several countries were positive for at least one of six mental health disorders represents a key global mental health problem," said Auerbach.

According to Auerbach, previous research suggests that only 15 to 20% of students will seek services in their respective counseling centers, which may already be overtaxed. If students need help outside of their school board center or local psychologists, Auerbach suggested they search for Internet resources, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy online.

"University systems are currently operating in capacity and counseling centers tend to be cyclical, with students intensifying their use of services by the middle of the semester, which often creates a bottleneck," Auerbach said. "Internet-based clinical tools can be helpful in providing treatment to students who are less likely to pursue services on campus or who are waiting to be seen."

Future research will need to focus on identifying the most effective interventions for specific disorders, Auerbach said. For example, some types of depression or anxiety may be better treated with certain types of interventions on the Internet, while other disorders, such as substance use, may require in-person treatment by a psychologist or other mental health professional.

"Our long-term goal is to develop predictive models to determine which students will respond to different types of interventions," said Auerbach. "It is incumbent on us to think of innovative ways to reduce stigma and improve access to tools that can help students better manage stress."

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