Racism, violence and sexual assault are significant contributors to mental health challenges for college students, according to a new study.
Researchers from North Carolina State University, Pennsylvania State University and the University of Colorado Boulder analyzed 165 articles and found that college students commonly reported feeling affected by each of these issues.
The research also highlights an increased need for mental health services and a reduction of the stigma associated with seeking help.
The research comes at a time when mental health is a pressing issue on college campuses around the world.
The study is published in the journal JMIR Mental Health.
The study
To conduct the study, the researchers analyzed articles from both peer-reviewed research literature and articles published in higher-education news outlets from 2010 to 2015.
“We had found in our previous work that students are concerned about mental health issues, and we wanted to better define the scope of mental health challenges for students and what factors contribute to those challenges,” Fay Cobb Payton, a professor of information systems/technology and University Faculty Scholar at NC State and the corresponding author of the study, said in a statement.
The most common theme that emerged from the articles was the idea that mental health services are increasingly needed. This appeared in 68 percent of the material surveyed.
Additionally, the most common factor contributing to mental health concerns was racism and bias against ethnic groups, which was found in 18 percent of the articles.
This was followed by violence and sexual assault, which was discussed in 5 percent of the articles.
Fighting against the stigma
However, the researchers also noted that many universities and college campuses are taking steps to provide mental health services and offer specific outreach to people of color.
So, what’s the problem?
According to the researchers, it’s often the negative stigma.
“More needs to be done to address the stigma associated with seeking help in the aftermath of violence or sexual assault, and more needs to be done to address the stigma associated with seeking help for mental health challenges,” Lynette Kvasny Yarger, an associate professor of information sciences and technology at Penn State and co-author of the study, said in a statement.
The researchers explained that students who are facing the trauma of mental health issues feel uncomfortable seeking help due to the negative stigma associated with mental health services.
However, the researchers noted that mobile apps may be able to help improve mental health needs by providing students with access to information and treatment options.
Moving forward
A number of universities have implemented new services, including free mental health screenings and resource guides for depression and anxiety.
Additionally, studies have shown that engaging in activities, such as mindful movement and identity-based motivation, can be helpful for reducing depression and stress.
However, mental health remains a critical issue and more needs to be done to improve services and spread information.
