Search

The mental health of college students in the United States has been a longstanding national concern, which has only been exacerbated by the ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic. The Journey to Wellness Scale (JWS) is a newly developed instrument grounded in empirical research in prevention, positive psychology, resilience, and social‐emotional learning, designed to measure psychological wellbeing in adults, including college students, across 10 dimensions: Adaptability, Initiative, Conscientiousness, Connectedness, Social Competence, Empathy, Optimism, Emotional Self‐Regulation, Mindfulness, and Self‐Efficacy. The JWS, a 60‐item self‐report instrument, requires participants to rate their endorsement of the items on a Likert‐type scale. The current study explored the adequacy of the JWS in measuring psychological wellness by confirmatory factor analysis with a sample of 722 college students. Results indicated that the JWS reliably captured the 10 dimensions and effectively measured overall psychological wellness. These findings support the JWS as a valid tool for assessing psychological wellness in the college student population. Future research directions and implications of the study were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although social support is strongly related to college students' mental health in the context of COVID‐19, little is known about the academic mechanisms that explain and influence this relationship. This knowledge gap limits our ability to create effective interventions. Our current study extends the previous research by using longitudinal data from 2020 to 2021 and leveraging a unique panel dataset from over 1,500 university students in Israel. By using a cross‐lagged panel model, we examine how the relationship between social support and mental health is partially explained by academic coping, as well as how these relationships differ across perceived teaching quality. We find that academic coping partially explains the relationship between social support and depression for students who perceived higher‐quality instruction but not for students who perceived lower‐quality instruction. Moreover, these relationships are not apparent for anxiety, suggesting that anxiety may relate to out‐of‐school considerations like pandemic‐related health concerns and hardships. We close with implications for policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As societies recover from the systemic socio‐economic impacts of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease pandemic, the mental health of the youth must be monitored as they transition back to on‐campus learning. This study sought to determine the socio‐ecological determinants of mental health among Filipino college students after a 2‐year lockdown (i.e., community quarantine). A total of 1204 students aged 18–24 participated in this cross‐sectional online survey research. Multi‐level socio‐ecological determinants were measured, such as individual (age, gender), micro/mesosystem (family, friends and school), exo/macrosystem (national resilience) and chronosystem (life satisfaction change over time). Findings suggest that male students who identify as cisheterosexual (cisgender, which refers to gender identity that aligns with biological sex, and heterosexual, which refers to sexual attraction exclusively for the opposite sex), with higher ratings for family, school community, national identity, trust in public institutions and improvements in life satisfaction post‐lockdown, demonstrated higher mental well‐being. Meanwhile, female, gender and sexual minorities, with lower ratings for family, respect for diversity in school and decline in life satisfaction post‐lockdown, reported higher psychological distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated how trait mindfulness is related to anxiety and aggression by considering the mediating role of resilience with the longitudinal data among Chinese college students with left‐behind experience. A total of 391 Chinese college students with left‐behind experiences completed the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, the Connor‐Davidson Resilience Scale, the Chinese college students' version of the Buss‐Perry Aggression Questionnaire, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales at two‐time points. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data, and the results indicated that resilience (T1) mediated the relationship between trait mindfulness (T1) and anxiety (T2) (indirect effect = −0.053, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [−0.119, −0.005]) as well as aggression (T2) (indirect effect = −0.070, 95% CI = [−0.127, −0.029]). Therefore, trait mindfulness had direct and indirect negative associations with anxiety and aggression, and resilience mediated the relationship between trait mindfulness and both anxiety and aggression. The findings of the study provide valuable insights into the potential benefits of trait mindfulness and resilience in improving mental health outcomes and suggest clinical potential in the improvement of mental health among college students with left‐behind experiences. Practitioner points: Among college students with left‐behind experience, trait mindfulness had both direct and indirect negative associations with anxiety and aggression.The indirect model indicated that resilience played a very important role in the relationship between trait mindfulness and both anxiety and aggression among Chinese college students with left‐behind experience.Some effective interventions aiming at improving the levels of mindfulness and resilience may reduce the levels of aggression and anxiety among the college students with left‐behind experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The COVID‐19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental health of college students, leading to increased psychological distress. This study explored potenital predictors to better understand the factors that influence and mitigate student COVID‐19 stress in the evolving landscape of residential colleges. Specifically, we investigated the roles of COVID‐19 fear, loneliness, and attitudes toward COVID‐19 restrictions. Methods: Employing a longitudinal online survey design, we collected data over the fall 2020 semester from 122 first‐year college students enrolled in a small mid‐west liberal arts college. Participants completed the same survey three times: Wave 1 in August, Wave 2 in October, and Wave 3 in November. Results: Fear of COVID‐19 (Time 1) was a significant predictor of increased COVID‐19 related stress at both Time 2 and Time 3. Interestingly, loneliness (Time 1) moderated the effect of fear of COVID‐19 (Time 1) on attitudes toward COVID‐19 restrictions at Time 2. Moreover, students' negative attitudes toward COVID‐19 restrictions and feelings of loneliness increased over the course of the semester. Conclusions: These findings suggest that college students' wellbeing in the context of COVID‐19 stress is influenced by a complex interplay of perceptions of COVID‐19 (stress, fear, attitudes) and feelings of social isolation (loneliness). Further research in this area is crucial to provide targeted support and interventions to promote students' mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the COVID‐19 pandemic, many college students have been isolated at home and unable to walk into class as usual. This series of protective measures to avoid the spread of the disease may have an additional psychological impact on the lives of college students. The purpose of this study was to propose a strategy for using an intelligent online learning system based on content recommendations and electronic questionnaires in the educational domain. We invited 3000 isolated university students (47.6% male and 52.4% female) to an online trial. It proved to be effective in helping us intervene in students' psychological problems quickly, objectively, efficiently, and in real‐time. In addition, our analysis of the data collected from the intelligent online learning system showed that the degree to which college students' psychological problems were affected by isolation was closely related to students' grade level, family background, major category, and computer proficiency. The current study suggests that the mental health of college students should be well monitored during segregation. Targeted psychological counseling is more necessary for students in upper grades, low‐income families, liberal arts majors, and those with weak computer proficiency to reduce the emotional impact of segregation on students. Practitioner points: During the quarantine period, we obtain more objective and valid data through intelligent online systems.Through behavioral analysis, we understand the psychological tendencies and potential problems of college students.In the isolated environment, teachers can remotely understand the psychological problems of college students, and timely intervention and counseling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The goal of this study is to uncover latent classes of maternal and paternal helicopter parenting among American and Chinese college students, and to examine whether latent classes of maternal and paternal helicopter parenting are related to college students' mental health (depression and self‐esteem). Background: Previous studies have examined the association between helicopter parenting and college students' well‐being. However, less is known about how the multidimensional construct of helicopter parenting is related to college students' mental health across Western and Eastern cultural contexts. Method: We conducted three‐step latent class analyses using nine helicopter parenting indicators for 1,386 mother–child and 1,214 father–child groups in the United States and 520 mother–child and 454 father–child groups in China. Next, we tested the association between the class membership of maternal and paternal helicopter parenting and college students' mental health. Results: We identified distinct helicopter parenting latent classes among four American and Chinese parent–child groups. We also found that American college students in the strong maternal helicopter parenting latent class reported poorer mental health than those in other latent classes. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the multidimensional construct of helicopter parenting can be interpreted differently by parents and college‐aged children according to their social and cultural contexts. Implications: The findings of this study suggest that it is necessary to strengthen understanding of the multidimensional construct of helicopter parenting for parents with college‐aged children to enable them to develop more appropriate parenting practices as well as support their children's well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: An adapted, time‐limited dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills training group therapy can prove to be an evidence‐based treatment that can easily fit the needs, demands, and limitations of University Counseling Centers to serve college students with mental disorders. The present naturalistic study investigated the effectiveness, acceptability, and sustainability of a 4‐week DBT‐informed group therapy in enhancing psychological resilience. Methods: Participants included 59 college students with heterogeneous mental health concerns. They attended weekly 1.5‐hr DBT‐informed, resilience‐building group therapy for 4 weeks. Psychological resilience, mindfulness, emotional dysregulation, and overall distress were assessed at pretreatment and posttreatment, as well as at 1‐ and 3‐month follow‐ups. Results: Findings showed increased psychological resilience among the participants at posttreatment and follow‐ups, and provided preliminary evidence for the role of mindfulness as an important contributor to enhancing psychological resilience even after controlling for risk factors, treatment dosage, pregroup psychological resilience, and changes in emotion dysregulation and overall distress. Conclusion: A 4‐week DBT‐informed skills training group therapy can be utilized as a time‐efficient, cost‐effective, well‐accepted preventative treatment with the potential longitudinal impact to boost psychological resilience for college students with mental health issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Psychological security is the outcome of interaction between individuals and society, and it is an important indicator reflecting adolescent mental health and self‐growth. Previous studies have paid more attention to external security, but less attention to individual's internal psychological security. In addition, few previous studies have examined the changes of psychological security over time and the influence of socio‐cultural environmental factors on psychological security. Methods: A cross‐temporal meta‐analysis was performed using papers that measured the psychological security level of Chinese adolescent college students between 2004 and 2020. Moreover, a time‐lag analysis was conducted to define whether the macro‐social indicators can explain the changes in Chinese adolescent college students' psychological security. Results: (1) A total of 85 papers was included in the final sample (included 48,817 Chinese adolescent college students); (2) the scores of psychological security and its two sub‐dimensions were significantly negatively correlated with the year, indicating that Chinese college students' psychological security declined significantly over time; (3) seven macro social indicators from the socioeconomic environmental, social connectedness and overall social threats can predict the changes in college students' psychological security; (4) the psychological security of male and female college students decreased over time, but the gender difference was insignificant. Conclusions: Evidently, social changes play an important role in predicting changes in Chinese college students' psychological security. The results can provide a research basis for the mental health education of adolescent college students, and also provide an explanation perspective for the increasingly serious "involution" phenomenon among Chinese college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, Max is an adjunct assistant professor at CUNY School of Professional Studies, where he teaches courses in the Sociology of Work and Organizations, Transformations of Work in America, and Foundations of Sociological Theory. His research areas include rural sociology, sociology of education, social networks, sociology of development, and science and technology studies. B Peter Ikeler b is an Associate Professor of Sociology at SUNY Old Westbury where he teaches undergraduate research methods, theory and sociology of work. Her main research interests include higher education, sociology of knowledge, elites, sociology of health, health inequalities, field theory, lifestyles, geometric data analysis and mixed methods. [Extracted from the article]

In 2020, the lockdown of Wuhan due to the outbreak of COVID‐19 impacted various aspects of local college students' life and may further negatively affect their psychological state. This study was conducted among 652 Wuhan local college students during the quarantine of this city. We assessed their psychological state using Depression‐Anxiety‐Stress Scale 21 and evaluated their living condition including diet, schedule, recreational activities, social contact, academic life, and attention paid to pandemic news. Results showed that 16.87% of the students reported stress, 28.68% with anxiety, and 35.12% had depression. According to multivariate logistic regression analysis, having a medical background was associated with higher stress levels; students who had an irregular diet and schedule were more likely to develop stress, anxiety, and depression; students with their academic life affected had a higher prevalence of anxiety and depression. By studying local students in the hardest‐hit area during the pandemic, our findings can provide references for the improvement of college students' mental health in the long term. Highlights: Wuhan local college students developed different severity of stress, anxiety, and depression during the quarantine.Students with a medical background showed higher stress levels.Students who had an irregular diet and schedule were more likely to develop stress, anxiety, and depression.Students with their academic life affected had a higher prevalence of anxiety and depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the effect of college students' mental health education, and to meet the needs of mental health education data processing, this article combines big data technology and gene regulation ideas to propose a mental health education data processing algorithm based on big data technology and immunotherapy gene regulation network. Moreover, this article uses improved algorithms to extract features from mental health education network data, controls the problems in mental health education in real‐time, and proposes targeted improvement strategies. In addition, this article combines the improved algorithm to construct a mental health education system based on big data technology and immunotherapy gene regulation network are combined for an improved algorithm to process mental health education data. Finally, this article verifies the effectiveness of the system through experimental research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aimed to study the psychological adaptability of university students. Along with that, the influence of sports activities on enhancing the psychology of students is also examined. The study also analyzes the impact of music on the psychoogy of students. A two‐factor model is used for analyzing the level of college students' mental health. In this study, data was collected from 555 first‐year undergraduate university students through an online questionnaire survey. Levels of both positive and negative psychological factors among students are examined. The findings indicate that students who participate in sports appear to have higher levels of positive psychological characteristics than students who do not exhibit any interest in participating in sports. Additionally, students that participate in sports have lower levels of negative psychological effects than nonparticipants. As a result, the study concluded that sports and other physical activities have a positive effect on the psychology of university students. The advantages of physical activities and sports in enhancing the mental and emotional health of students are highlighted in this study. To improve students' psychology and attain better academic results, educational institutions should provide students with various opportunities for sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stigma reduction research finds that brief interactions with a person with mental illness can reduce prejudiced attitudes. We examined whether this finding extends to real relationships over an extended period of time. First‐year college roommate dyads, one of whom reported a mental illness diagnosis participated in a longitudinal study (N = 166 dyads across three American universities). Based on contact theory, we tested whether mental illness prejudice declines when: (a) the student with mental illness disclosed that information to their roommate; (b) the roommate perceived the disclosure; and (c) the roommate relationship was close. Registered analyses showed that student disclosure predicted roommate perception (β =.52, p <.001), but roommate perception of the disclosure did not significantly predict reduced prejudice from the start to the end of the academic year (β = −.13, p =.172). Relationship closeness did not moderate how likely roommates were to perceive students' disclosures. Notably, overall levels of mental illness prejudice were very low in this American college sample, suggesting that the value of stigma interventions may depend on the context. Directions for future research and social policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese college students have a high incidence of psychological problems but rarely seek professional psychological help. Despite this fact, there have been few studies of the help‐seeking behavior of Chinese college students with mental health problems. This research aims to use a modified model based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to explore the intentions and behaviors of Chinese college students with psychological problems in seeking professional psychological help. A total of 319 Chinese college students were recruited to measure attitude, stigma, coping efficiency, help‐seeking intention, help‐seeking behavior, and demographic variables. The results showed that attitudes were the most powerful predictor of intentions to seek help, followed by coping effectiveness and stigma. In addition, a multigroup analysis showed that the model was valid across genders. Our research results show that the TPB‐based model can effectively explain the intentions and behaviors of college students with psychological problems in seeking professional help. Using our results, families, schools, and society could design intervention measures to enhance students' help‐seeking intentions and behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The mental health of students in UK higher education (HE) is receiving increased attention, and support services for students are under increased pressure. Aims: Drawing on ecological systems theory (EST), this study sought to explore possible contextual influences, over time, on student distress within HE. Method and Samples: We conducted a two‐stage Delphi study, first asking UK professionals (n = 236) from primary, secondary, further education, and HE to provide possible reasons for increases in student distress. The material was reduced to 58 representative statements across all sectors with a further 10 specific to HE. In stage 2, 89 participants rated each statement in terms of whether it: (1) takes place and (2) contributes to distress. Results: The results suggest multiple contextual influences potentially contributing to student distress. They can be summarized using the words: cuts, competition, and comparison. Education professionals in our sample reported that, upstream from HE, pressures on schools and colleges have led to a narrowing of curricula, with a more singular focus on assessment. Reduced teaching teams and pressurized staff unintentionally embed an assessment focus within students who unhelpfully compare themselves with peers while also struggling with wider societal cuts, austerity, and political uncertainty. Conclusions: The discussion draws on the peer‐reviewed literature and relevant reports, discussing them in the context of EST, finding considerable support for these influences. The potential importance of adopting a contextual approach and incorporating this knowledge into the way we understand and tackle students' distress and their preparedness for HE is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress has become one of the major reasons for many mental health related issues among students of all age groups, which has resulted in devastating personal losses including suicide. Societal and familial pressure to succeed is high, particularly in developing countries where education is highly valued as a key enabler. As part of stress management during the COVID‐19 pandemic, demand for online intelligent virtual advisors has risen and, consequently, the need for personalised explanation that is culturally sensitive to the user's context is essential to improve the user's understanding of and trust in the recommendations provided by the virtual advisor. This paper presents the mAnaging stRess at University embodied conversational agent (ECA) that has been adapted for Indian university students from an explainable agent that was found to help Western students reduce their stress by providing study tips with explanations based on the student's beliefs and/or goals. We conducted a research study with sixty students which measured the impact of providing three different patterns of tailored explanations (belief‐based, goal‐based, and belief and goal‐based explanation) on the students' intentions to change the recommended behaviours and the relationship built with the ECA. The experimental results indicate that there was stress reduction across all student groups provided with different types of explanations. Further, the students showed trust and a good working alliance with the conversational agent, along with an intention to change behaviour across all types of explanations. However, it was observed that the user context played an important role in behaviour change intention and hence explanations could be tailored further, making them culturally more relevant to Indian students. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topicEmbodied conversational agents (ECAs) have been mostly developed, applied and shown to be effective in developed countries. Hence, their design and development are mostly guided by the intended user's needs and preferences.In a Western context, ECAs have been found to be beneficial for reducing study stress in university students.There is a pertinent need for use of low cost, effective technology that can aid academic stress reduction in higher educational institutions in developing countries owing to their high youth populations, lack of adequate mental healthcare facilities and associated social stigma.What this paper addsThe adaptation and use of ECAs to reduce study stress in higher education students in a developing country is evaluated.The ECA technology is adapted for an Indian context in terms of its physical appearance, colour, speech dialect and dialog content so that it is culturally more aligned to the target population.The ECA engages in an empathic conversation tailored for the Indian students and their COVID‐19 context providing them with explanation‐backed behaviour recommendations that take their beliefs and goals into account.The ECA provides three types of explanation: belief‐only; goal‐only; and both belief and goal.Results of a study carried out in an Indian university with 61 students, randomly assigned to one of the explanation types, to capture their demographics, study stress statistics, behaviour change intentions and trust/working alliance with the conversational agent.The major findings include stress reduction across all explanation groups, development of a positive relationship between the ECA and the students regardless of its explanation pattern, and changes in behaviour intentions across all types of explanations for all recommended behaviours. However, differences in change intentions for certain behaviours indicate further tailoring of explanations is required based on the user context.Implications for practice and/or policyThe ECA technology has shown promise in terms of stress reduction amongst Indian students.Higher Education Institutions in developing countries could utilise low‐cost and widely accessible ECAs to overcome lack of access to human‐based support and reluctance to use available services due to stigmatized attitudes to mental health issues.This technology can be further improved and deployed into a larger number of Indian educational institutions leading to a widespread impact on overall student health and wellbeing.Digital technologies to support mental health have become more prominent during the COVID‐19 pandemic, at least in Western countries. The ECA technology evaluated in our study demonstrates its viability and potential value for use in developing countries, with appropriate tailoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses some implications of working supportively with art and design students who manage mental health conditions in a postgraduate environment in a New Zealand University. The paper begins with a discussion of contesting research that considers relationships between highly creative thinkers and certain mental health conditions. It then proposes that, irrespective of arguments around correlations, supervisors are able to make a significant contribution to supporting candidates who combine autobiographically sourced knowledge with artistic inquiries into the experience of living with a mental health condition. In considering this proposition, the paper employs two case studies that illustrate certain strategies that proved useful when seeking to maximise the chances of successful and productive thesis completions. Working in tandem with wider institutional and therapeutic support, these strategies functioned alongside each candidate's research journey. Eight of these approaches are discussed in relation to a pedagogically responsive, informed and creatively supportive environment in which the students were able to develop complex and insightful research projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within Higher Education (HE), staff and students from lower social class backgrounds often experience poorer wellbeing than their higher social class counterparts. Previous research conducted outside educational contexts has linked social class differences in wellbeing with differences in the extent to which low and high social class individuals feel respected (i.e., status), in control (i.e., autonomy), and connected with others (i.e., inclusion). However, to our knowledge, there has been no research that has investigated these psychosocial needs within HE settings. Furthermore, inclusion, status and autonomy are correlated, yet little is known about how these psychosocial needs contribute to wellbeing simultaneously, and independently, of one another. To fill these gaps, we report the results of two studies; firstly with HE students (Study 1; N = 305), and secondly with HE staff (Study 2; N = 261). Consistently across studies, reports of poor wellbeing were relatively common and more than twice as prevalent amongst lower social class staff and students compared to higher social class staff and students. Inclusion, status and autonomy each made a unique contribution and accounted for the relationship between social class and wellbeing (fully amongst students, and partially amongst staff members). These relationships held across various operationalizations of social class and when examining a range of facets of wellbeing. Social class along with inclusion, status and autonomy explained a substantial 40% of the variance in wellbeing. The present research contributes to the literature exploring how social class intersects with psychosocial needs to impact the wellbeing of staff and students within HE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Goal setting is a core aspect of human behaviour that drives action. The intention to achieve one's goals, however, does not necessarily translate into desired outcomes. Although the mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII) strategy has demonstrated strong efficacy, limited investigations have been conducted in a university academic goal‐setting context. Aims: The current study sought to investigate the efficacy of MCII in facilitating academic goal attainment in university students. Method: Fifty‐eight students from Macquarie University, Australia, were randomly allocated to either MCII or stress management training, and were assessed on their progress towards the target goal of increased hours of study four weeks later. Goal attainment scaling (GAS) facilitated the generation of tailored specific goals and was the primary outcome measure. Results: An analysis of covariance indicated that students trained in MCII achieved significantly better goal outcomes than those trained in stress management for both broad (p =.038) and course‐ or unit‐specific (p =.005) study goals. Conclusions: Results highlight the efficacy of using MCII and GAS in combination to promote increased study time for university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study evaluated a 4‐week web‐based acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) mental health promotion program called YOLO (You Only Live Once) for university students. Method: A total of 130 participants were randomized to one of three intervention groups investigating varied program delivery methods. Primary outcomes assessed: depression, anxiety, stress, well‐being, self‐compassion, alcohol use, and life satisfaction. ACT processes assessed: acceptance, cognitive fusion, education values, valued living, and mindfulness. Results: Improvement on the primary outcomes and ACT processes did not differ among the three intervention groups. Analyses showed significant improvements on all primary outcomes (except alcohol use), and on all ACT processes. All ACT processes mediated changes on one or more primary outcomes in the intent‐to‐treat sample. Intervention effects were consistent on most primary outcomes and ACT processes across three sample groupings. Conclusions: These preliminary findings provide support for a web‐based ACT mental health promotion program for university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study investigated predictors of self‐disclosure among college students with mental illness. Participants were 1,393 current college students with a mental illness at 5 universities. Moderated mediation tests were used to analyze the data. Findings of the analysis reveal that public stigma is associated with mental illness disclosure among college students in part because it is associated with an increased perceived stress burden, particularly among men. Implications for future research and program development are discussed, with an emphasis on how public stigma and gender ideologies inform students’ decisions to acknowledge and address a mental health problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research targeted potential psychological contributors to college students' low levels of help‐seeking for mental distress using a field experiment. Researchers randomly assigned 520 undergraduates to 15‐min interventions: a novel, theory‐driven social norms intervention correcting misperceived distress, stigma, and help‐seeking norms; a general education intervention increasing mental health awareness; and a stress management active control condition. The norms intervention instilled more accurate perceptions of mental health norms and temporarily reduced perceived public stigma compared to other conditions. The norms and general education interventions improved attitudes toward seeking help for mental distress for at least 2 months, relative to the control. Effects on help‐seeking behavior were not observed in this timeframe. This research elucidates the robustness of brief social psychological mental health interventions on college campuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined self-stigma of seeking psychological help and mental health literacy as predictors of college students' ( N = 1,535) help-seeking attitudes, with additional attention to psychological and demographic correlates. Results indicated that mental health literacy predicted help-seeking attitudes above and beyond self-stigma. Asian American race/ethnicity, male gender, current psychological distress, and help-seeking history were also significant predictors. Implications for addressing mental health literacy and self-stigma while attending to demographic and psychological variations in help seeking are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The aim of this study was to explore the lifestyle/social, personality trait and mental factors among incoming university students with higher self-reported social anxiety symptoms ( SAS). Methods A total of 5126 incoming university students were recruited. The test battery included a self-administered questionnaire that examined personal lifestyle, the Measurement of Support Functions, the Chinese Internet Addiction Scale- Revision, the Organizational Citizenship Behaviour Scale, the Social Phobia Inventory, the suicide ideation from the Brief Symptoms Rating Scale and the Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire. Results SAS (23.7%) were prevalent. Using logistic regression analysis, we found that the significant predictors of higher levels of SAS were being an undergraduate student and a non-smoker, having lower Measurement of Support Functions score (poorer social support), having higher Chinese Internet Addiction Scale- Revision score ( Internet addiction), having lower Organizational Citizenship Behaviour Scale score (less altruistic behaviour), having suicide ideation and having higher Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire score (poorer sleeper). Conclusions Given the high prevalence of SAS among university students, it is necessary to build a better strategy to detect students with potential social anxiety-related problems/disorders or other mental problems early on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective We tested a hypothesized model consistent with the notion that self-compassion mediates the association between negative life events and suicidal risk (viz., depressive symptoms and suicidal behaviors) in college students Method The sample was comprised of 331 college students. Self-compassion facets (viz., self-kindness, self-judgment, common humanity, isolation, mindfulness, and overidentification) were used in testing for multiple mediation, controlling for sex. Results Common humanity, mindfulness, and overidentification were found to mediate the association between negative life events (NLE) and depressive symptoms. However, common humanity was found to be the only mediator of the association between NLE and suicidal behaviors. Conclusion These findings suggest that there are specific facets of self-compassion that account for the association between NLE and suicidal risk in college students and that (loss of) common humanity plays a central role in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guided by Bowen theory, we investigated the relationships between parent-child triangulation, parental differential treatment (PDT), sibling warmth, and individual depressive symptoms in a sample of 77 sibling dyads, aged 18-25 years, recruited through undergraduate classes at a U.S. public University. Results of the actor-partner interdependence models suggested that being triangulated into parental conflict was positively related to both siblings' perception of PDT; however, as one sibling felt triangulated, the other perceived reduced levels of PDT. For both siblings, the perception of higher levels of PDT was related to decreased sibling warmth and higher sibling warmth was associated with fewer depressive symptoms. The implications of these findings for research and the treatment of depression in the college-aged population are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

College women are vulnerable to depression due to developmental and transitional life changes. Early diagnosis and effective treatment is critically important. Empirical support exists for the effectiveness of select treatment options (i.e., antidepressant medication, cognitive-behavioral therapy [CBT], and interpersonal psychotherapy [IPT]), yet a significant percentage of those treated do not benefit. In this pilot study, Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy was tested as an alternative approach. College women (N = 37) were randomly allocated to IFS treatment or treatment as usual (CBT or IPT). Results demonstrated a decline in depressive symptoms for both conditions and no significant differences in the magnitude or rate of change. The results provide preliminary evidence for the efficacy of IFS in the treatment of depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter provides a brief overview of the psychological issues facing today's college students, information about students receiving mental health services, and an evidence-based model describing the practice and functions of today's counseling centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key factor to the prevalence of mental illness might be the disinclination to seek help, perhaps owing to the stigma of mental illness. In two studies, the contribution of severity of depressive symptoms, social support, and unsupport, coping strategies, and salience of psychological versus biological features of depression in relation to perceived self- and other-stigma of help-seeking for mental health issues were examined. Participants were first year students experiencing a transitional stressor, namely entry to university. Together, the findings point to the contribution of social support and unsupportive interactions, and coping methods to the prediction of perceived stigma of seeking help, but that the framing of mental illness can limit or strengthen these relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescents experience unique stressors and elevated internalizing symptoms. This study examines differences in coping styles between SGM and heterosexual adolescents and the potential mediating roles of stress and coping styles. Analyses indicated that SGM (N = 75) adolescents reported higher levels of internalizing symptoms (depression, anxiety, and distress), higher use of maladaptive coping styles (denial and blame), lesser use of adaptive coping styles (reframing and religion), and greater experiences of stress, compared to their heterosexual counterparts (N = 1702). Bootstrapping analyses revealed the relationship between sexual identity and internalizing symptoms measured approximately 3 months later was not mediated by stress and coping, adjusting for gender, age, and baseline symptomatology. Findings suggest that earlier adolescent differences in internalizing symptoms presage increasing symptomatology across the transition to college, and other mediators during the college transition explain the continued increases in internalizing symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study examined several questions about the diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a young adult college student population. The primary goal was to examine the clinical utility and predictive validity of college student and parent ratings for predicting a diagnostic status of ADHD. Method In the present study, 86 college students and their parents completed a comprehensive ADHD evaluation including structured diagnostic interviews to determine an ADHD diagnosis ( n = 59 with ADHD diagnosis). We collected ratings of childhood and current ADHD symptoms and examined the clinical utility and predictive validity of both parent and student ratings for predicting the presence or absence of an ADHD diagnosis. Results Regression analyses revealed that above and beyond student ratings, parent ratings of childhood ADHD symptoms of inattention were the strongest predictors of current diagnostic status of ADHD. In the clinical utility analyses, only parent ratings of ADHD symptoms met acceptable thresholds for confirming and ruling out a diagnosis of ADHD. Conclusions These results fill an important gap in the literature. Overall, results suggest that rating scales can be used effectively to evaluate ADHD on college campuses as long as both parent and student ratings of childhood symptoms are collected. Importantly, collecting parent ratings protects against possible student malingering to obtain ADHD medications or accommodations. Additional research with larger samples and across multiple universities is needed to establish best practices in the diagnosis of ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the interactive effects of self-compassion, self-esteem, and age on mental health. Numerous previous studies have found that self-compassion has a significant positive association with well-being but most of these studies were conducted with young adults represented by college students. This study extended the previous findings by comparing its distinctive functions in different age groups. A total of 1,813 adults whose age ranged from twenties to fifties ( M = 39.28 years, SD = 11.27) completed a questionnaire measuring self-compassion, self-esteem, subjective well-being, and depression. The results of hierarchical regression analysis indicated that the positive relationship between self-compassion and subjective well-being was rendered stronger with older adults. In addition, self-compassion moderated the relationship between self-esteem and depression regardless of age. These results imply that self-compassion may be complimentary to self-esteem in improving mental health, especially for older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study sought to test the feasibility of a web-based Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) prototype prevention program called ACT on College Life (ACT-CL). Method A sample of 234 university students was randomized to either the ACT-CL website or a mental health education (MHE) website. Results Findings indicated a lower level of user engagement and satisfaction ratings with the prototype of ACT-CL than the MHE website. There were no significant differences between conditions on outcome measures at post or follow-up. However, statistical trends suggested the MHE condition actually led to greater remission of severe symptoms than the ACT-CL condition among those with severe symptoms at baseline. There were no differences between conditions on ACT process of change measures. Changes in psychological flexibility were predictive of changes in mental health across conditions, but relations dissipated over time. Furthermore, greater engagement in some components of ACT-CL predicted improvements in psychological flexibility, though not on mental health outcomes. Conclusions The effects of the ACT-CL program on mental health outcomes and ACT process measures were largely equivalent to those of an education website, although there was a lower level of program engagement with ACT-CL. Findings are discussed in the context of feasibility issues and lessons learned for program revisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of shame associated with previous potentially traumatic experiences, satisfaction with academic performance, and psychological distress among college students ( N = 245) in Mainland China. Results indicated that previous experiences of potentially traumatic events were directly related to depressive symptoms and indirectly related through characterological shame and hopelessness. In addition, characterological shame and bodily shame were 2 distinct forms of shame that had unique associations with psychological distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Suicide is a leading cause of death among Japanese college and university students. Gatekeeper-training programs have been shown to improve detection and referral of individuals who are at risk of suicide by training non-mental-health professional persons. However, no studies have investigated the effectiveness of such programs in university settings in Japan. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the gatekeeper-training program for administrative staff in Japanese universities. Methods: We developed a 2.5-h gatekeeper-training program based on the Mental Health First Aid program, which was originally developed for the general public. Seventy-six administrative staff at Hokkaido University participated in the program. Competence and confidence in managing suicide intervention, behavioral intention as a gatekeeper and attitude while handling suicidal students were measured by a self-reported questionnaire before, immediately after and a month after the program. Results: We found a significant improvement in competence in the management of suicidal students. We also found improvements in confidence in management of suicidal students and behavioral intention as a gatekeeper after training, though questionnaires for those secondary outcomes were not validated. These improvements continued for a month. About 95% of the participants rated the program as useful or very useful and one-third of the participants had one or more chances to utilize their skills within a month. Conclusions: The current results suggest the positive effects of the training program in university settings in Japan. Future evaluation that includes comparison with standard didactic trainings and an assessment of long-term effectiveness are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL) is a widely used DSM-correspondent self-report measure of PTSD symptoms. The PCL was recently revised to reflect DSM-5 changes to the PTSD criteria. In this article, the authors describe the development and initial psychometric evaluation of the PCL for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Psychometric properties of the PCL-5 were examined in 2 studies involving trauma-exposed college students. In Study 1 (N = 278), PCL-5 scores exhibited strong internal consistency (α = .94), test-retest reliability (r = .82), and convergent (rs = .74 to .85) and discriminant (rs = .31 to .60) validity. In addition, confirmatory factor analyses indicated adequate fit with the DSM-5 4-factor model, χ2 (164) = 455.83, p < .001, standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = .07, root mean squared error of approximation (RMSEA) = .08, comparative fit index (CFI) = .86, and Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = .84, and superior fit with recently proposed 6-factor, χ2 (164) = 318.37, p < .001, SRMR = .05, RMSEA = .06, CFI = .92, and TLI = .90, and 7-factor, χ2 (164) = 291.32, p < .001, SRMR = .05, RMSEA = .06, CFI = .93, and TLI = .91, models. In Study 2 (N = 558), PCL-5 scores demonstrated similarly strong reliability and validity. Overall, results indicate that the PCL-5 is a psychometrically sound measure of PTSD symptoms. Implications for use of the PCL-5 in a variety of assessment contexts are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The aim of the study is to compare the reinforcement sensitivity between online and offline interaction. The effect of gender, Internet addiction, depression, and online gaming on the difference of reinforcement sensitivity between online and offline were also evaluated. Methods The subjects were 2,258 college students (1,066 men and 1,192 women). They completed the Behavior Inhibition Scale and Behavior Approach Scale ( BIS/ BAS) according to their experience online or offline. Internet addiction, depression, and Internet activity type were evaluated simultaneously. Results The results showed that reinforcement sensitivity was lower when interacting online than when interacting offline. College students with Internet addiction decrease fewer score on BIS and BAS after getting online than did others. The higher reward and aversion sensitivity are associated with the risk of Internet addiction. Discussion The fun seeking online might contribute to the maintenance of Internet addiction. This suggests that reinforcement sensitivity would change after getting online and would contribute to the risk and maintenance of Internet addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction This study employed metaphor analysis as a novel approach to explore college students' metaphorical representations of the Internet and their associations with problematic Internet use ( PIU). It aimed to find out whether normal and problematic Internet users conceive the Internet through the same cognitive framework. Methods The sample included 370 college students in Turkey. A questionnaire was conducted to gather metaphorical conceptions of the Internet, patterns of Internet usage, and PIU status. Data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Results Of the sample, 8.6% were diagnosed with PIU. Home access and entertainment gratification were strong correlates of PIU. Gender and major had no effects on PIU. Participants produced 66 metaphors that were grouped into eight conceptual categories: information source, immensity, basic need, addictive substance, double-edged sword, transporter, mood regulator, and supporter. Discussion PIU was the highest in the addictive substance category, followed by basic need and mood regulator categories, with cigarette, water, and friend being the dominant metaphors in these categories, respectively. Problematic users are less likely to conceptualize the Internet as a supportive entity. Normal users are able to verbalize the good and bad aspects of the Internet, but those negatively affected appear to have lost sight of the most useful function of the Internet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Support to university students with autism spectrum disorders ( ASD) is becoming increasingly important. To determine the validity of the Autism- Spectrum Quotient ( AQ) for ASD screening of university students, we conducted longitudinal measurements of the AQ in a large sample of university students and investigated the possibility of changes in the AQ and associated factors. Methods The AQ, University Personality Inventory ( UPI), and the willingness of the students to be interviewed were determined at admission in students from four departments of Kochi University; the AQ was determined again in the second year. Changes in the AQ and associated factors were analyzed statistically. Results The number of valid responses in the initial survey was 3427 (87.2%). The AQ was significantly higher in the group with high UPI scores ( F = 156.08, P < 0.001). Of the 486 students interviewed at admission, 22 had suspected ASD. The sensitivity/specificity of the AQ for ASD was 81.8%/92.0%. A total of 319 (11.0%) students responded to the second-year survey, which revealed significant decrease of the AQ in the group with high AQ values at admission. Discussion The AQ measured at admission was correlated with the UPI score, regardless of the sex or department; in the second survey, the scores decreased significantly in those with high AQ values at admission, suggesting that an unstable mental state can produce a temporary increase of the AQ scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts on higher education which include hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and immunity in Asian American students, mental health status of minority college students and suicide rumination in college students due to conflict with parents.

Objective This study investigates the efficacy of the 6-hour REACH Forgiveness intervention among culturally diverse undergraduates. Method Female undergraduates ( N = 102) and foreign extraction (46.2%) and domestic (43.8%) students in the United States were randomly assigned to immediate treatment or waitlist conditions. Treatment efficacy and the effect of culture on treatment response were assessed using measures of emotional and decisional forgiveness across 3 time periods. Results Students in the treatment condition reported greater improvement in emotional forgiveness, but not decisional forgiveness, relative to those in the waitlist condition. Gains were maintained at a 1-week follow-up. Although culture did not moderate the effect of treatment, a main effect of culture on emotional forgiveness and marginally significant interaction effect of culture on decisional forgiveness were found. Conclusion The REACH Forgiveness intervention was efficacious for college students from different cultural backgrounds when conducted in the United States. However, some evidence may warrant development of culturally adapted forgiveness interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of the Korean version of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire ( K- MDQ) as a screening tool for the identification of bipolar spectrum disorder ( BSD) among Korean college students. Methods The sample of 1,020 college students was stratified to reflect geographical differences among the students. The K- MDQ and an epidemiological survey were administered between November 2006 and February 2007. To validate the K- MDQ as a screening tool for BSD, the Korean version of the Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale ( K- BSDS) and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV ( SCID) were also administered. Results The rates satisfying MDQ criterion 1, and all three MDQ criteria, were 55.5% and 2.3%, respectively. According to the K- BSDS, 59.9% of the sample met the criteria for BSD using a threshold of 10, while no statistical differences were observed among subgroups. When we examined the diagnostic agreement between K- MDQ and K- BSDS, 79.5% of students who met MDQ criterion 1 were also positive on the BSDS. Sixteen (21.6%) of the 74 students who participated in the SCID interview were diagnosed with BSD. Discussion Although the K- MDQ is a useful tool to assess BSD among inpatients and outpatients, it does not appear useful as a screening tool to detect BSD among college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To test whether gender and parental factors moderate the relationships between symptoms of eating disorder (ED) and other psychiatric symptoms. Methods A total of 5,015 new entrants completed several questionnaires and 541individuals with ED symptoms were identified by the Adult Self-Report Inventory-4 that assessed a wide range of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition psychopathology. The participants also reported on their parents' attitude toward them before their ages of 16. Results ED symptoms, female gender, less parental care, and more parental protection were associated with more severe co-occurring psychiatric symptoms. Gender and parental factors also demonstrated differential moderating effects on the relationships between ED and co-occurring psychiatric symptoms. Conclusions Parenting counseling may be individualized to young adults with ED symptoms and different co-occurring psychiatric symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is thought to underlie several internalizing disorders; however, it has only begun to be explored within social anxiety (SA). This study extends previous findings by examining IU's relation to performance and interaction SA subtypes and by accounting for obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Methods A total of 472 undergraduates completed measures of IU, SA, perfectionism, worry, obsessions/compulsions, and fear of negative evaluation (FNE). Results IU and obsessions/compulsions predicted performance SA beyond FNE. IU predicted interaction SA beyond FNE. Inhibitory anxiety IU contributed to both SA types but contributed more to performance SA. Prospective anxiety IU was negatively related to performance SA and unrelated to interaction SA, though a trend emerged. Contrasts between those high in one SA type, both, or neither revealed IU was highest when both types were present. Conclusions Inhibitory IU plays a significant role in both SA subtypes and may play a slightly greater role in performance SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The present study examined whether reasons for living (RFL) would partially account for the associations between traditional risk factors (depressive symptoms, hopelessness) and suicidal ideation and attempts. Method Data were collected from 1,075 undergraduate college students who completed a battery of online assessments. Results Results from a series of simultaneous mediational models indicated that the relations between risk factors and current suicidal ideation were partially mediated by total RFL (and Coping Beliefs and Self-Evaluation subscales). Further, total RFL (and the Coping Beliefs subscale) fully mediated the relation between hopelessness and past-year suicide attempt, and partially mediated the depressive symptoms-suicide attempt relation. Conclusions This study demonstrates the importance of assessing for the presence of these suicide risk and protective factors. Implications for the improved identification and treatment of young adults at risk for suicide are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shneidman's (1993) model of psychache as the cause of suicide was evaluated in a 5-month longitudinal study of psychological pain and suicide ideation. Replicating across general ( N = 683) and high-risk undergraduates ( N = 262), psychache was significantly associated with suicide ideation, and change in psychache was significantly associated with change in suicide ideation. For general suicide ideation and suicide preparation, these significant results were maintained even when depression and hopelessness were statistically controlled. This research is a unique contribution being the first large-sample longitudinal study that evaluates and supports Shneidman's psychache causal model of suicidality in general and high-risk groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed and tested a brief three-session program to build resilience (protection from depressive symptoms) and thriving (positive growth) in undergraduates by teaching adaptive explanatory styles. In Study 1, a pretest-posttest waiting list control experiment with 28 undergraduates found that our Program for Accelerated Thriving and Health ( PATH) significantly increased optimistic and personal control explanatory styles (Attributional Style Questionnaire), resilience (Beck Depression Inventory- II), and thriving (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 10). In Study 2, a placebo control experiment with 63 undergraduates found a modified version of the program to significantly increase resilience. All effects were at least moderate in size. As predicted, a personal control explanatory style significantly predicted thriving in both studies. Predictors of resilience and thriving were discussed in terms of differentiating the constructs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]