THE EMOTIONAL HEALTH OF COLLEGE STUDENTS:

CHALLENGES AND SUPPORTS

DANA LASEK, PH.D. HSPP & DAVID R. PARKER, PH.D.

CRG (317.575.9111)

WWW.CHILDRENSRESOURCEGROUP.COM

DECEMBER 7, 2016

PRESENTERS

DR. DANA LASEK

• PH.D. IN PSYCHOLOGY,

MASTER’S IN COUNSELING

• OVER 16 YEARS OF

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

WORKING WITH

ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS

DEALING WITH DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, ADHD,

AND RELATIONSHIP ISSUES.

• PRESENTATIONS AND WEBINARS IN THE AREAS

OF EMOTIONAL DYSREGULATION, ANXIETY IN

CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS, WEIGHT

MANAGEMENT, UNDERSTANDING THE DSM-5

DR. DAVID PARKER

• MASTERS’S IN COUNSELING,

PH.D. IN SPECIAL ED

• COORDINATED LD/ADHD

SERVICES AT UNC-CH,

UCONN, WASH U

• EDITOR OF JOURNAL OF

POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND

DISABILITY (2009-2014)

• RESEARCHER AND AUTHOR

• PROVIDES STRATEGY INSTRUCTION, ADD/LIFE

COACHING, AND COLLEGE SEARCH SERVICES

AT CRG

• FREQUENT SPEAKER AT STATE, NATIONAL,

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

POLL QUESTION

• IS YOUR PRIMARY ROLE IN PARTICIPATING TODAY A

(CHOOSE ONE):

• PARENT

• HIGH SCHOOL STAFF MEMBER

• COLLEGE SERVICE PROVIDER

• MENTAL/BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDER

• STUDENT

• OTHER

TODAY’S AGENDA

• TRENDS IN THE EMOTIONAL HEALTH NEEDS OF U.S. COLLEGE STUDENTS

• REASONS FOR THESE TRENDS

• RESILIENCE AND GRIT: A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING EMOTIONAL

WELL-BEING

• HOW WE CAN SUPPORT STUDENTS’ EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING

• FOR MORE INFORMATION

• Q&A

THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION IS REMARKABLE…

This generation of

millennials has:

* higher GPA’s

* more AP credits

* more service learning

hours

* more advanced

technology skills

and has applied to and

been accepted into more

colleges than any prior

generation.

…BUT THEY ARE PAYING A PRICE FOR THEIR IMPRESSIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• COLLEGE COUNSELING CENTERS ARE REPORTING

• RISE IN STUDENTS SEEKING SERVICES

• INCREASE IN RATES OF DEPRESSION AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

• RISE IN NUMBER OF MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSES

• CHANGES IN SEVERITY OF PRESENTING ISSUES

- HTTP://FILES.CMCGLOBAL.COM/MONOGRAPH_2012_AUCCCD_PUBLIC.PDF

RISE IN STUDENTS SEEKING COUNSELING SERVICES

• 2003 STUDY (TRACKING STUDENT DATA FROM 1988 TO

2001) SHOWED A RISE IN STUDENTS SEEKING HELP FOR

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES:

• STUDENTS SEEN FOR DEPRESSION DOUBLED DURING THAT TIME

• STUDENTS SEEN FOR SUICIDAL THOUGHTS TRIPLED

• STUDENTS SEEN FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT QUADRUPLED

• ALSO INCREASE IN STUDENTS SEEN FOR ANXIETY AND STRESS

- HTTP://WWW.APA.ORG/PUBS/JOURNALS/RELEASES/PRO-34166.PDF

DEPRESSION AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS

2001 STUDY OF 3,680 FRESHMAN AT 50 FOUR-YEAR

INSTITUTIONS• RATES OF DEPRESSION AMONG FRESHMAN NEARLY DOUBLED FROM 8.2% TO 16.3%

• UNTREATED DEPRESSION OFTEN LED TO SCHOOL FAILURE, SOCIAL ISOLATION, SUBSTANCE

ABUSE, PROMISCUITY

- HTTP://WWW.CHRONICLE.COM/ARTICLE/FRESHMEN-PAY-MENTALLY-AND/30120

2010 STUDY FINDS 1 IN 4 OR 5 COLLEGE STUDENTS

VISITING A UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTER REPORT FEELING

DEPRESSED• DEMONSTRATES NEED FOR DEPRESSION SCREENING

- HTTP://ONLINELIBRARY.WILEY.COM/DOI/10.1111/J.1939-0025.2010.01077.X/ABSTRACT

SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS

“UNDERAGE DRINKING AND EXCESSIVE DRINKING HAVE NEGATIVE

EFFECTS ON EVERYTHING WE’RE TRYING TO DO AT A UNIVERSITY”

- DR. JUDITH RAMALEY (FORMER PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF

VERMONT)

• 1400 COLLEGE STUDENTS DIE EACH YEAR FROM ALCOHOL-RELATED INJURIES

• STUDENTS WHO ABUSED ALCOHOL MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT ASSAULT, SEXUAL ASSAULT

AND VANDALISM

• 20% OF FULL-TIME COLLEGE STUDENTS USE ILLICIT DRUGS

• SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS HIGHLY CORRELATES WITH SUBSTANCE DEPENDENCE/ABUSE

- HTTP://PUBS.NIAAA.NIH.GOV/PUBLICATIONS/ARH284/249-

251.HTM

SEVERITY OF MENTAL ILLNESS

11 YEAR STUDY SHOWS DRAMATIC INCREASE IN COLLEGE

STUDENTS’ MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS

• STUDY DEMONSTRATED THAT THE NEEDS OF COLLEGE STUDENTS SEEKING

ASSISTANCE HAD CHANGED

• 1998: 93% OF STUDENTS SEEKING MENTAL HEALTH ASSISTANCE HAD

ONE DIAGNOSIS

• 2009: 96% AT LEAST ONE DIAGNOSIS

• MODERATE TO SEVERE DEPRESSION UP FROM 34% TO 41%

• STUDENTS SEEKING ASSISTANCE REQUIRED MORE RESOURCES DUE IN PART

TO PRE-EXISTING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

• RISE IN STUDENTS ON MEDICATION: 11% TO 24%

- GUTHMAN, IOCIN, & KONSTAS (2010)

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES CONTINUE GROWING• LARGE NUMBERS OF EMOTIONALLY OVERWHELMED UNDERGRADUATES

• 30% REPORTED FEELING “SO DEPRESSED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO FUNCTION”

• 50% FELT “OVERWHELMING ANXIETY” IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS

- HTTP://WWW.ACHA-NCHA.ORG/DOCS/ACHA-NCHA-II_REFERENCEGROUP_EXECUTIVESUMMARY_SPRING2011.PDF

• 25% OF COLLEGE STUDENTS REPORTED DIAGNOSIS/TREATMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION WITHIN PAST YEAR

• 11% TREATED FOR ANXIETY

• 10% TREATED FOR DEPRESSION

• 80% FELT OVERWHELMED BY ALL THEY HAD TO DO

• 45% FELT AT TIMES THAT THINGS WERE HOPELESS

- HTTP://WWW.ACHA-NCHA.ORG/DOCS/ACHA-NCHA-II_UNDERGRAD_REFERENCEGROUP_EXECUTIVESUMMARY_SPRING2012.PDF

• WHAT PRICE ACADEMICS?

• 87% OF 1,502 FIRST-YEAR U.S. COLLEGE STUDENTS REPORTED MUCH GREATER EMPHASIS ON ACADEMIC PREPARATION THAN

EMOTIONAL READINESS

• 60% WISHED THEY HAD RECEIVED MORE HELP PREPARING EMOTIONALLY FOR COLLEGE

• 50% FELT STRESSED MOST OR ALL OF THE TIME DURING YEAR 1

• 36% REPORTED THEY WERE NOT IN CONTROL OF MANAGING DAY-TO-DAY STRESS-

- HTTP://SETTOGO.ORG/WP-CONTENT/THEMES/XCEL/IMAGES/FIRST-YEAR%20COLLEGE%20EXPERIENCE%20-

%20DATA%20REPORT%20FOR%20MEDIA%20RELEASE%20-%20FINAL.PDF?PDF=FULL-REPORT

GROWING NUMBERS OF STUDENTS WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS SEEK DS HELP

• STUDENTS WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISABILITIES CONSTITUTE 24% OF THE APPROXIMATELY 11% OF

UNDERGRADUATES WHO REPORT A DISABILITY

• INCLUDES STUDENTS WITH PTSD, DEPRESSION, SCHIZOPHRENIA, BIPOLAR DISORDER,

OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER, PANIC DISORDER, AND PERSONALITY DISORDER

• 86% OF STUDENTS WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISABILITIES WITHDRAW PRIOR TO DEGREE

COMPLETION, AS OPPOSED TO 47% OF STUDENTS WITH OTHER TYPES OF DISABILITIES AND

36% OF STUDENTS WITHOUT DISABILITIES

- KUPERMAN & SCHULTZ (2015)

• INCREASE IN STUDENTS WITH DEPRESSION/ANXIETY AND RELATED PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS

• RISE IN STUDENTS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM

- HTTP://WWW.BU.EDU/TODAY/2016/MENTAL-HEALTH-COLLEGE-

STUDENTS/201

REASONS FOR THESE TRENDS

• STUDENTS ARE COMING TO COLLEGE WITH MORE

MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSES

• EARLIER DIAGNOSES AND TREATMENT MORE PREVALENT

• LESS OF A STIGMA TO SEEK HELP

• ADMINISTRATORS AND FACULTY MORE LIKELY TO REFER

• COLUMBINE, VIRGINIA TECH = FIRST ALERT TEAMS

• IN ADDITION, A CULTURAL “PERFECT STORM” HAS

UNFOLDED IN SOCIETY…

A PERFECT STORM

• ECONOMIC REALITIES IN POST-RECESSION AMERICA

• “DO OVERS” IN K-12 SETTINGS

“THE ‘MAKE-UP’ WORK EXPECTATION IS DAMAGING. STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT, ARTIFICIALLY, THAT TIME CAN BE UNDONE

BY NOT BEING ALLOWED TO EXPERIENCE THE NATURAL CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS. THEY LEARN THE FALSE

LESSON THAT LIFE PROVIDES THEM WITH PERPETUAL DO-OVERS. THE ADMINISTRATION IS JUST INTERESTED IN DOING

WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THE STUDENTS THROUGH AND ACHIEVE THE TARGETS THEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR.”

- HTTPS://WWW.PSYCHOLOGYTODAY.COM/BLOG/FREEDOM-LEARN/201511/CAUSES-STUDENTS-EMOTIONAL-

FRAGILITY-FIVE-PERSPECTIVES

• PARENTS OF THE “BUBBLE-WRAP” GENERATION

“WHAT I SAW WAS MANY COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO DIDN’T SEEM TO HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED MUCH FAILURE, ACTUAL

FAILURE. MY SENSE IS THAT, WITH THE BEST OF INTENTIONS, PARENTS WHO ARE UBERINVOLVED ARE UNDERCUTTING

THEIR KIDS’ CHANCES OF DEVELOPING SELF EFFICACY.”

- HTTP://CHRONICLE.COM/ARTICLE/TODAYS-FAIL-SAFE-STUDENTS/231019

A PERFECT STORM

HOW THE FACEBOOK GENERATION ROLLS

“IT IS HARD TO DEVELOP AN AUTHENTIC SENSE OF SELF WHEN THERE IS CONSTANT PRESSURE TO ADOPT A

SOCIALLY FACILE, HIGHLY COMPETITIVE, PERFORMANCE-ORIENTED, UNBLEMISHED ‘SELF’ THAT IS PROMOTED

BY OMNIPRESENT ADULTS. THIS MAY ENCOURAGE SOME CHILDREN TO PERFORM AT HIGH LEVELS, BUT,

MORE IMPORTANT, IT ALSO ENCOURAGES DEPENDENCY, DEPRESSION, AND A TRUNCATED SENSE OF SELF IN

MOST CHILDREN. “

- LEVINE (2006, P. 95)

• COLLEGE RECRUITMENT RUN AMOK?

“COLLEGE IS A SINGULAR OPPORTUNITY TO RUMMAGE THROUGH AND LUXURIATE IN IDEAS, TO GIVE YOUR

BRAIN A VIGOROUS WORKOUT AND YOUR SOUL A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION, TO REALIZE HOW VERY

LARGE THE WORLD IS AND TO CONTEMPLATE YOUR DESIRED PLACE IN IT. AND THAT’S BEING LOST IN THE

ADMISSIONS MANIA, WHICH SENDS THE MESSAGE THAT COLLEGE IS A SANCTUM TO BE BREACHED – A

BORDER TO BE CROSSED – RATHER THAN A LAND TO BE INHABITED AND TILLED FOR ALL IT’S WORTH.”

- BRUNI (2015, P. 10)

A FRAMEWORK FOR HELPING

Featuring chapters about:

- Self-Determination (theory and practice)

- Appreciative Advising

- Universal Design for Instruction

- Academic Coaching

- Contemplative Practices

- Involving Families

- Resilience and Grit

- Additional Resources

Available on Amazon and at

https://www.ahead.org/publications#books

UNDERSTANDING RESILIENCE

• RESILIENCE IS THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN POSITIVE ADJUSTMENT

UNDER CHALLENGING LIFE CONDITIONS. IT IS THE ABILITY TO

“BOUNCE BACK.”

- MASTEN (1994)

• FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO RESILIENCE:

• CREATING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS

• THE ABILITY TO SEEK ASSISTANCE AND UTILIZE RESOURCES

• AWARENESS OF ONE’S STRENGTHS AND ASSETS

• BELIEF IN SELF; A SENSE OF PERSONAL AGENCY

• THE ABILITY TO PROBLEM SOLVE

• THE ABILITY TO MAKE REALISTIC PLANS/CARRY THEM OUT

- HTTP://WWW.APA.ORG/HELPCENTER/ROAD-RESILIENCE.ASPX

UNDERSTANDING GRIT

• GRIT IS A COMBINATION OF “PERSEVERANCE AND

PASSION FOR LONG-TERM GOALS”

- DUCKWORTH, PETERSON, MATTHEWS & KELLY (2007)

• GRITTY INDIVIDUALS MAINTAIN “EFFORT AND INTEREST

OVER YEARS DESPITE FAILURE, ADVERSITY, AND PLATEAUS IN

PROGRESS”

- DUCKWORTH ET AL. (2007, P.

1088)

• GRIT IS ASSOCIATED WITH COURAGE,

CONSCIENTIOUSNESS, ENDURANCE, RESILIENCE, AND

STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE

- PERLIS (2013)

BENEFITS OF RESILIENCE AND GRIT

• YOUTH WITH HIGH LEVELS OF RESILIENCE SHOW POSITIVE OUTCOMES IN ACADEMIC

ACHIEVEMENT, PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR, MENTAL HEALTH, AND PEER ACCEPTANCE.

- MASTEN (2001)

• GRITTY INDIVIDUALS ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE WORKING TOWARD THEIR GOALS WHEN THINGS

GET HARD, BORING, OR DISAPPOINTING.

- DUCKWORTH ET AL. (2007)

• GRITTY INDIVIDUALS ARE MORE LIKELY TO GO FURTHER IN THEIR EDUCATION AND LESS LIKELY TO

MAKE CAREER CHANGES.

- DUCKWORTH & QUINN (2009)

• GRITTY STUDENTS AT AN ELITE UNIVERSITY REPORTED HIGHER GPA’S THAN THEIR CLASSMATES WITH

LESS GRIT.

- DUCKWORTH ET AL. (2007)

FOSTERING RESILIENCE AND GRIT

• RECOGNIZE THE HUGE CULTURAL LEAP INCOMING STUDENTS TAKE AS THEY ENTER COLLEGE

• HELP STUDENTS FORM SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS

• NORMALIZE FAILURE AS GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

• FOSTER A SENSE OF COMMUNITY

• GIVE LEARNERS MEANINGFUL CHOICES

• TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO REPLACE NEGATIVE SELF-TALK WITH POSITIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

• PUBLICIZE MODELS OF RESILIENCE AND GRIT

• PROVIDE DIRECT INSTRUCTION IN PERSISTENCE AND THE BENEFITS OF EMOTIONAL FORTITUDE

• HELP PARENTS DEVELOPING COACHING SKILLS

• INFUSE GROWTH MINDSET INTO CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES

- DUCKWORTH & QUINN (2009); FIELD & PARKER (2016); SILVA & WHITE (2013)

WHAT COLLEGES ARE DOING

• HARVARD’S “THE SUCCESS-FAILURE PROJECT”

HTTP://RESILIENCECONSORTIUM.BSC.HARVARD.EDU

• EVERGREEN STATE COLLEGE’S BOUNCING BACK: WRITING

PERSONAL RESILIENCE

HTTP://EVERGREEN.EDU/CATALOG/2014-

15/PROGRAMS/BOUNCINGBACKWRITINGPERSONALRESILIENCE-

11734

• STANFORD’S RESILIENCE PROJECT

HTTPS://UNDERGRAD.STANFORD.EDU/RESILIENCE

• GREEN MOUNTAIN COLLEGE’S “THIS SEMESTER I WILL…”

COMMUNITY INTERACTION BOARD

- GREEN MOUNTAIN COLLEGE

FOSTERING EMOTIONAL HEALTH

• HOW WE CAN HELP TRANSITIONING STUDENTS

• PAY ATTENTION TO SIGNS OF DISTRESS

• SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN PATTERS OF EATING OR SLEEPING

• SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

• ISOLATING FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY

• SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN MOOD

• SADNESS, TEARFULNESS

• INCREASED USE OF ALCOHOL OR SUBSTANCES

• TALK OPENLY ABOUT EMOTIONAL HEALTH ISSUES/CONCERNS

• DON’T LET STIGMA STOP YOU FROM GETTING HELP

• REMEMBER THAT THERAPEUTIC SESSIONS ARE CONFIDENTIAL

HELPING ENTERING FRESHMEN

• WITH EXISTING DIAGNOSES• REGISTER WITH DISABILITY SERVICES

• MEET WITH COUNSELING/HEALTH SERVICES STAFF ON CAMPUS

• OR USE PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY

• IDENTIFY CONTACT PERSON YOU CAN TALK TO IF WARNING SIGNS OF

EMOTIONAL STRESS UNFOLD

• HAVE MEDICATIONS/REFILLS READILY AVAILABLE

• WITHOUT A DIAGNOSIS• TALK WITH YOUR SON/DAUGHTER ABOUT EMOTIONAL HEALTH

• PAY ATTENTION TO EARLY WARNING SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

• MAINTAIN REGULAR COMMUNICATION

• UNDERSTAND HOW/WHERE TO GET HELP

FOR MORE INFORMATION

• DUCKWORTH, A.L., PETERSON, C., MATTHEWS., M.D., & KELLY, D.R. (2007). GRIT: PERSEVERANCE AND PASSION FOR

LONG-TERM GOALS. JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, 92(6), 1087.

• DUCKWORTH, A.L., & QUINN, P.D. (2009). DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF THE SHORT GRIT SCALE (GRIT-S).

JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT, 92(2), 166-174.

• GUTHMAN, J.C., IOCIN, L., & KONSTAS, D.D. (2010). INCREASE IN SEVERITY OF MENTAL ILLNESS AMONG CLINICAL

COLLEGE STUDENTS: A 12 YEAR COMPARISON. PAPER SESSION, AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL CONVENTION. SAN DIEGO, CA.

• KUPERMAN, S.I., & SCHULTZ, J.C. (2015). SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISABILITIES IN POSTSECONDARY

EDUCATION: IMPORTANT KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ATTITUDES. JOURNAL OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND

DISABILITY, 28(1), 25-40.

• LEVINE, M. (2006). THE PRICE OF PRIVILEGE. NEW YORK: HARPER COLLINS.

• MASTEN, A.S. (1994). RESILIENCE IN INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT: SUCCESSFUL ADAPTATION DESPITE RISK AND

ADVERSITY. IN M.C. WANG & E.W. GORDON (EDS.). EDUCATIONAL RESILIENCE IN INNER-CITY AMERICA:

CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS (PP. 3-25). HILLSDALE, NJ; EARLBAUM.

• SILVA, E., & WHITE, T. (2013). PATHWAYS TO IMPROVEMENT: USING PSYCHOLOGICAL STRATEGIES TO HELP COLLEGE

STUDENTS MASTER DEVELOPMENTAL MATH. STANFORD, CA: CARNEGIE FOUNDATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF

TEACHING.

Q&A

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