New Data Reporting from The Healthy Minds Network
The Healthy Minds Study (HMS) Winter/Spring 2021 National Data Reports are now available. Led by Principal Investigators, Daniel Eisenberg, Ph.D., Sarah Ketchen Lipson, Ed.M., Ph.D., and Justin Heinze, Ph.D., the Healthy Minds Study collects data and provides insight on college student mental health and related issues.
Ketchen Lipson noted this latest survey data reinforce decade-long trends in increased prevalence of symptoms each year before and throughout the pandemic as well as greater negative mental health effects on academics during the pandemic.
Of the report, Ketchen Lipson said, “Our data show worsening trends over the past 10 years, especially over the past five years. Throughout the pandemic we’ve seen a continuation of this trend, with our latest data from spring 2021 revealing slight increases in prevalence relative to fall 2020. In fall 2019 (pre-pandemic), 36% of students screened positive for depression and 31% for anxiety. In spring 2020, these numbers were 37% and 31%. In fall 2020, rates increased to 39% and 34%. In spring 2021, these numbers were 41% and 34%. Past-year suicidal ideation has been steady at a troubling 13-14%.”
“Additionally, throughout the pandemic, we have seen an increase in the proportion of students who indicate that their mental health has negatively affected their academic performance. In fall 2019, 22% of students reported academic impairment due to mental health on 6 or more days in the past months. In spring 2021, 27% reported 6+.”
Mental and Behavioral Health
Main Stories
In a new article ‘Heart-Pounding’ Conversations: Professors Are Being Trained to Spot Signs of Mental-Health Distress, The Chronicle reports on the growing role of faculty in recognizing students’ mental health challenges. With the rising rate of depression and anxiety being reported by college students, more faculty are engaging in “gatekeeper training” and mental-health first aid certification. During the pandemic, faculty served as first-responders as students confided in their professors and may have interacted with them more than any other contact on campus. The article referenced the “The Role of Faculty in Student Mental Health” survey, conducted by the Mary Christie Institute, the Healthy Minds Network and the Boston University School of Public Health, which found that faculty were actively engaged with students in their mental health issues yet felt less confident about how to detect distress and in need of more training.
The New York Times reports on the pandemic’s effects on social anxiety for young adults struggling in the return to in-person interactions after months of isolation. Experts say the pandemic may have long-lasting effects on mental health. According to Paula Yanes-Lukin, assistant professor of psychology at Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, “As we start to socialize more, we’re going to probably see greater rates of social anxiety than there were before the pandemic.”
In an interview for NPR, host Lulu Garcia-Narro discusses with Destinee Adams, a college senior, on how Instagram can worsen body image and erode mental health for young women. Adams, who wrote about Instagram’s effects on her mental health for TIME magazine, also talked about the inability to easily escape social media: “It’s hard because you can’t stay off of Instagram in this generation. Instagram is a place where I am in contact with peers, and I’m in contact with future employers. It’s not something that I can just delete.”
Other News
Macomb Daily outlines ways to recognize warning signs of a mental health crisis, especially given how leaving home for college may increase mental health issues for many students this year.
WUFT reports that college students are facing increased mental health issues with the return of in-person classes. Marcia Morris, MD, a University of Florida associate professor of psychiatry and associate program director for student health psychiatry, said loneliness is the biggest stressor in college students today, particularly from the increase in social media usage and lack of face-to-face contact over the last 10 or 15 years.
In an op-ed for UTSA Today, professor Mary Dixson writes about permitting mental health absences in her classes. Dixson says, “This change isn’t just about supporting students psychologically but also about increasing their chances of succeeding in the classroom.”
To raise awareness for National Hispanic Heritage Month, ABC 13 reports that young Hispanics are disproportionately affected by mental health issues, partly due to language barriers and health insurance coverage issues.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The Chronicle reports on the failure of the federal government in funding historically black colleges and universities. As an example, it highlights decades-long underfunding at Tennessee State University, an HBCU, which, for years, has led to poor infrastructure, lack of hot water, and a damaged electricity system. According to the article, the unequal matching of federal grants over the years has deprived HBCUs of approximately $57 million in government money, as opposed to their white land-grant university peers.
The Hechinger Report publicizes new findings revealing that college degrees do not pay off as well for first-generation college graduates. According to research, first-generation graduates accept job offers quicker, earn less than their classmates despite having the same credentials, and take jobs they are overqualified for. They also have more difficulty finding higher paying jobs as they may be less connected than their peers and less likely to have had paid internships throughout college.
Inside Higher Ed features data on the declining enrollment rates of Black men. In the spring of 2021, data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center showed that male undergraduate enrollment dropped by nearly 9%, double the decline in enrollment for women. Higher education leaders are investing in efforts to retain men of color, specifically Black male students.
Sexual Assault and Title IX
With the return of in-person college life, thousands of students are reuniting with excessive partying, which brings concerns of sexual assault. Inside Higher Ed covers news on officials scrambling to educate students on sexual health and sexual assault prevention. Experts say the combination of both first years and sophomores arriving to college for the first time increases the risk of sexual assault and harassment. Over the past few weeks, large protests and demonstrations have already taken place against fraternity houses where sexual assaults have been reported.
Reproductive Rights
Texas recently passed SB-8, a ban on abortion after six-weeks of pregnancy, which is before many women discover that they are pregnant. SB-8 will also allow anyone to sue anyone “helping” with an abortion or providing one. Diverse Education covers what the effects of an abortion ban will mean for college students, many of whom do not have transportation or equal access to healthcare. Joanna Grossman, professor of women and the law at Southern Methodist University, discusses how reproduction affects education: “We already know that many students will drop out of school due to an unwanted pregnancy.”
Greek Life and Hazing
The New York Times reports that 11 students from Virginia Commonwealth University were arrested this week after an investigation into the death of 19-year-old Adam Oakes, who died from alcohol poisoning in February. At the Delta Chi fraternity house, Oakes was given a bottle of whiskey and told to drink it. The next morning, his body was found unresponsive and pronounced dead by Richmond police officers. The 11 students face charges of unlawful hazing, and six face charges of buying and supplying alcohol to a minor.
Student Success
The new reality of post-pandemic college education has become a hybrid learning of in-person and virtual classes. The Washington Post covers the changing model of teaching at various universities throughout the country, illustrating both the improvement and setbacks of remote classes. According to school officials, the trend of learning online may outlast the pandemic for many college students. Large lecture halls may no longer be required, yet others emphasize the importance of campus community.
The pandemic has led many colleges to go test-optional these past two admissions cycles. According to The Hechinger Report, this comes with certain challenges considering the SAT and ACT exams were vital recruiting sources for colleges and universities in the past.
College Affordability
Higher Ed Dive briefs a new announcement from the College Board that will let students have access to an easier CSS Profile, a tool utilized by institutions to award financial aid. Students of families with an income of up to $100,000 will now be able to apply whereas the previous amount was $45,000 for a family of four. The newly released CSS Profile version also requires less information for students to fill out.
In an op-ed for The Hechinger Report, president of InsideTrack, Ruth Bauer White, argues for better ways to support students who work to pay their way through college. White states, “While the integration of work and learning can have some clear benefits, working while in college can also be a bad investment. A 2018 study found that more than half of the students who worked at least 15 hours per week had grade averages of C or below.” With students struggling to cover basic living expenses and paying college tuition, White urges support from leaders: “Policymakers, advocates and institutions must take action so that students don’t have to make this impossible choice.”
Coronavirus: Safety and Reopening
According to Inside Higher Ed, a number of colleges are planning to change to remote learning again after Thanksgiving break. So far, Edward Waters University in Florida, Sierra Nevada University, Itawamba Community College, and others have announced plans to conduct classes online in November. More colleges may do the same due to COVID-19 concerns and possible risks from students traveling home.
The Washington Post reports on college professors pushing back against teaching in-person, calling on administrations to take more precautions and provide more options at their universities. Last week, rallies and protests were held at the University System of Georgia, University of Oklahoma, and more, insisting that their institutions do more to protect them. Some faculty have already resigned for safer protections.
