Introduction to the special issue: The WHO World Mental Health International College Student (WMH‐ICS) initiative (original) (raw)
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Mental disorders among college students in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys
2016
Background—Although mental disorders are significant predictors of educational attainment throughout the entire educational career, most research on mental disorders among students has focused on the primary and secondary school years. Methods—The World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys were used to examine the associations of mental disorders with college entry and attrition by comparing college students (n = 1,572) and nonstudents in the same age range (18–22; n = 4,178), including nonstudents who recently left college without graduating (n = 702) based on surveys in 21 countries (4 low/lowermiddle income, 5 upper middle-income, 1 lower-middle or upper-middle at the times of two different surveys, and 11 high income). Lifetime and 12-month prevalence and age-of-onset of DSM-IV anxiety, mood, behavioural and substance disorders were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Results—One-fifth (20.3%) of college students had 12-month DSM-IV/CIDI di...
Mental disorders among college students in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys
Psychological medicine, 2016
Although mental disorders are significant predictors of educational attainment throughout the entire educational career, most research on mental disorders among students has focused on the primary and secondary school years. The World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys were used to examine the associations of mental disorders with college entry and attrition by comparing college students (n = 1572) and non-students in the same age range (18-22 years; n = 4178), including non-students who recently left college without graduating (n = 702) based on surveys in 21 countries (four low/lower-middle income, five upper-middle-income, one lower-middle or upper-middle at the times of two different surveys, and 11 high income). Lifetime and 12-month prevalence and age-of-onset of DSM-IV anxiety, mood, behavioral and substance disorders were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). One-fifth (20.3%) of college students had 12-month DSM-IV/CIDI disorder...
The World Health Organization World Mental Health Survey Initiative
Epidemiologia e Psichiatria Sociale, 2006
Objectives: The college years are a developmentally crucial period and a peak age for the onset of mental disorders. Methods: The World Health Organization World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative is aimed at developing and implementing a system for improving prevention and early interventions for mental health problems among college students. Results: The initiative consists of three core elements. The first element is a webbased survey to assess the magnitude and nature of emotional problems, the effects of these problems on students' functioning, and barriers to seeking treatment. All first-year students in participating colleges are invited to participate, and we plan to expand the survey to all students in the future. The second element is an infrastructure to test internet-based interventions aimed at the prevention and early intervention in mental health problems. Participating colleges can develop and test internet-based interventions in randomized trials. The first pilot tests on such interventions now been done. The third element is the dissemination and continuous quality improvement monitoring of the evidence-based interventions developed in WMH-ICS. Conclusions: By addressing these three core elements, the WMH-ICS aims to integrate epidemiological and clinical research to offer scalable and effective evidencebased interventions for mental health problems at a critical life course stage.
Trends in college students’ mental health diagnoses and utilization of services, 2009–2015
Journal of American College Health, 2018
Objective: To examine changes in diagnoses/treatment for 12 mental health (MH) conditions, previous use of campus MH services, and willingness to seek MH services in the future. Participants: ACHA-NCHA II participants from 2009 to 2015 (n ¼ 454,029). Methods: Hierarchical binary logistic regression with step 1 controlling for demographics and step 2 considering time. Results: Time was significant except for bipolar disorder, bulimia, and schizophrenia with increases for all conditions except substance abuse. Anxiety (OR ¼ 1.68), panic attacks (OR ¼ 1.61), and ADHD (OR ¼ 1.40) had the highest odd ratios. Use of MH services at current institution (OR ¼ 1.30) and willingness to utilize services in the future (OR ¼ 1.37) also increased over time. Conclusions: Based on a national sample, self-reported diagnoses/treatment of several MH conditions are increasing among college students. This examination of a variety of MH issues can aid college health professionals to engage institutional stakeholders regarding the resources needed to support college students' MH.
Frontiers in Public Health, 2022
Distress and mental health issues among college students is an emerging topic of study. The aim of this research work is to illustrate academic and social risk factors and how they prove to be predictors of anxiety and depressive disorders. The methodology used is a cumulative literature review structured over 10 systematic phases, and is replicable. Showing considerable potential for cumulative research, the relevance of this study reflects the concern of the academic community and international governments. The articles selected range from categorization of disorders in relation to mental health, to reporting the condition of rhinestones and difficulties of students in university contexts. In conclusion, the research focusses upon predisposing, concurrent or protective factors relating to the mental health of university students, so that institutions can act on concrete dynamics or propose targeted research on this topic.
Mental health problems in college freshmen: Prevalence and academic functioning
Journal of affective disorders, 2018
Mental health problems in college and their associations with academic performance are not well understood. The main aim of this study was to investigate to what extent mental health problems are associated with academic functioning. As part of the World Mental Health Surveys International College Student project, 12-month mental health problems among freshmen (N = 4921) was assessed in an e-survey of students at KU Leuven University in Leuven, Belgium. The associations of mental health problems with academic functioning (expressed in terms of academic year percentage [or AYP] and grade point average [GPA]) were examined across academic departments. Approximately one in three freshman reports mental health problems in the past year, with internalizing and externalizing problems both associated with reduced academic functioning (2.9-4.7% AYP reduction, corresponding to 0.2-0.3 GPA reduction). The association of externalizing problems with individual-level academic functioning was sig...
International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research
Objectives: Mental disorders and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) are common and burdensome among college students. Although available evidence suggests that only a small proportion of the students with these conditions receive treatment, broad-based data on patterns of treatment are lacking. The aim of this study is to examine the receipt of mental health treatment among college students cross-nationally. Methods: Web-based self-report surveys were obtained from 13,984 first year students from 19 colleges in eight countries across the world as part of the World Health Organization's World Mental Health-International College Student Initiative. The survey assessed lifetime and 12-month common mental disorders/STB and treatment of these conditions.
Psychiatric Services, 2018
This study aimed to document population-level trends in mental health service utilization by college students. Methods: The study drew on 10 years of data from the Healthy Minds Study, an annual Web-based survey, with a sample comprising 155,026 students from 196 campuses. Analyses focused on past-year mental health treatment and lifetime diagnoses of a mental health condition. Changes in symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation and levels of stigma were hypothesized as potential explanatory factors. Results: Rates of treatment and diagnosis increased significantly. The rate of treatment increased from 19% in 2007 to 34% by 2017, while the percentage of students with lifetime diagnoses increased from 22% to 36%. The prevalence of depression and suicidality also increased, while stigma decreased. Conclusions: This study provides the most comprehensive evidence to date regarding upward trends in mental health service utilization on U.S. campuses over the past 10 years. Increasing prevalence of mental health problems and decreasing stigma help to explain this trend.