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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: Considerable evidence has accumulated pointing to a wide array of mental health problems experienced by students attending post-secondary schools. Yet, much less attention has been focused on understanding who actually accesses mental health services on post-secondary campuses.
METHODS: The current study reports on a national survey of 8,248 students attending 41 post-secondary campuses across Canada who have accessed their schools' mental health services. The survey solicited self-reported problems among attendees of campus mental health services. Descriptive statistics (means, frequencies) were utilised to summarise responses to items relating to psychological symptoms, suicidal and self-injurious behaviours, stress, impediments to academic performance, and future mental health help seeking.
RESULTS: Respondents reported very high levels of stress, with approximately 95% indicating being overwhelmed (n = 7,863) and exhausted (n = 7,803). More than 80% of respondents conveyed feeling very sad (n = 7,200), overwhelming anxiety (n = 6,892) and very lonely (n = 6,670). One quarter (26.1%; n = 2,146) had considered suicide. The most frequently endorsed impediments to academic performance included stress, anxiety, depression and sleep, with nearly three-quarters (73%; n = 6,018) of respondents indicating that academic work has been traumatic or very difficult to handle.
CONCLUSION: The findings of this survey provide a clearer picture of the types of issues that are brought forth by students who avail themselves of campus mental health services, thus enabling such services to better tailor their offerings to the needs of their clientele. © 2021 British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Language: en |