More Students Entering College With Mental Health Problems

Eighty-four percent of the 287 schools that responded reported an increase in the number of incoming students with psychological problems during the last five years, according to the "National Survey of Counseling Center Directors," an annual publication of the International Association of Counseling Services.

The most common problems reported are depression, anxiety, obsessive thought disorders and alcohol abuse, said Robert Gallagher, the study's author and a former director of counseling at the University of Pittsburgh.

Gallagher said the most common treatment for these problems is medication, which, in most cases, can be prescribed by a psychiatrist on staff.

The cause of the increase can be attributed to a variety of circumstances, including academic competition, changes in family life and the acceptance of psychological assistance.

"Nobody knows for sure -- maybe it's the breakdown of the family over the last 20 years," Gallagher said. "Some students who normally wouldn't come to college get medication in high school to help them deal with their problems."

To accommodate the increase, more colleges are hiring mental-health counselors than were 10 years ago, and many institutions now offer a greater variety of treatments. According to the survey, 62 percent of campuses offer psychiatric services and 76 percent provide on-call crisis services for students.

UNC did not participate in the survey.

James Clack, director of counseling and psychological services at Duke University, said Duke participated in the survey to gather information to better understand the student population.

Clack said Duke has experienced an increase in students with mental health problems, and has improved the psychological services in response.

"We have gone to shorter-term treatment models," Clack said. "Ten to 15 sessions of counseling are just as effective as treatments that take months. We also have limits on the amount of service students can have."

Al Smith, associate director and clinical coordinator of the Center for Counseling and Student Development at East Carolina University, which participated in the survey, said he also has experienced an increase in the number of students with mental-health problems.

ECU has hired a full-time substance abuse counselor and the counselors have become more involved in the prevention of stress and education about how to cope with it.

"It's a complicated picture," Smith said. "The increasing numbers represent a variety of factors both internally within a student and externally with the student's environment."

Gallagher said it is important that colleges offer psychological services because there is a clear connection between a student's psychological state and academics.

"College students are finding out about themselves and are making important decisions about their career and relationships," he said. "Having someone to help them deal with these issues is very important. Fifty percent of students report that counseling has helped them with academics, so it is crucial for them being able to succeed."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.