So 45% of college students have a psychiatric disorder. What now, UCLA?
The results of the study on "Mental Health of College Students and Their Non College Attending Peers", published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, were released today. The study points out an issue I feel is often overlooked in the transition aged youth (TAY, age 16-24) population--the prevalence of mental illness among college students. There's this pervasive misconception that college-attending students need less support and fewer mental health services than non-college attending TAY, and that the academic success is an accurate indicator of robust mental wellness.
Well no, you morons, it's not.
As you can see, the findings of the study beg to differ. The study found that, counting substance abuse, "almost half of college-aged individuals had a psychiatric disorder in the past year."
Most significantly, the study also found that "The overall rate of psychiatric disorders was not different between college-attending individuals and their non-college-attending peers."
According to the study, almost 1 in 5 young American adults has a personality disorder that interferes with every day life. (Well, that explains a lot.) This was the second most common problem behind substance abuse. (By the way, substance abuse may trigger other mental illnesses, or having mental illnesses may make people seek drugs for solace--hello co-occurring disorders!)
There were some notable differences between the populations of attending and non-attending college aged folk. College students were significantly more likely to have alcohol-use disorders while non-college attending TAY were more likely to have drug use disorders or nicotine dependency. Despite this, college students were less likely to receive rehab treatment for alcohol or drug abuse disorders than non-college attending TAY.
Overall, the study found that fewer than 25% of college students with a mental health disorder sought treatment.
At work groups developing mental health services for older teens and young adults, as an actual transition-aged youth and as a health care advocate I am constantly trying to remind mental health professionals and policy makers to remember the importance of treatment and prevention interventions for college-attending TAY. Apparently, half of the young people who aren't in college could benefit from mental health services, but the same applies to college students. Many TAY are college students, and for the TAY who are not, attending college is still a hoped-for and likely eventuality. To me, this is undeniable evidence that mental health providers MUST work with higher education institutions to ensure that all TAY have access to appropriate mental health services.
Well no, you morons, it's not.
As you can see, the findings of the study beg to differ. The study found that, counting substance abuse, "almost half of college-aged individuals had a psychiatric disorder in the past year."
Most significantly, the study also found that "The overall rate of psychiatric disorders was not different between college-attending individuals and their non-college-attending peers."
According to the study, almost 1 in 5 young American adults has a personality disorder that interferes with every day life. (Well, that explains a lot.) This was the second most common problem behind substance abuse. (By the way, substance abuse may trigger other mental illnesses, or having mental illnesses may make people seek drugs for solace--hello co-occurring disorders!)
There were some notable differences between the populations of attending and non-attending college aged folk. College students were significantly more likely to have alcohol-use disorders while non-college attending TAY were more likely to have drug use disorders or nicotine dependency. Despite this, college students were less likely to receive rehab treatment for alcohol or drug abuse disorders than non-college attending TAY.
Overall, the study found that fewer than 25% of college students with a mental health disorder sought treatment.
At work groups developing mental health services for older teens and young adults, as an actual transition-aged youth and as a health care advocate I am constantly trying to remind mental health professionals and policy makers to remember the importance of treatment and prevention interventions for college-attending TAY. Apparently, half of the young people who aren't in college could benefit from mental health services, but the same applies to college students. Many TAY are college students, and for the TAY who are not, attending college is still a hoped-for and likely eventuality. To me, this is undeniable evidence that mental health providers MUST work with higher education institutions to ensure that all TAY have access to appropriate mental health services.