Student assistance program: a new approach for student success in addressing behavioral health and life events

Post-Secondary Stress and Mental Well-Being: A Scoping Review of the Academic Literature

Post-secondary students have been identified as an at-risk population for chronic stress and poor mental health. We conducted a scoping review of the academic literature surrounding student stress and mental well-being as the first phase of research in the development of Canada’s National Standard for the Psychological Health and Safety of Post-Secondary Students. Major thematic findings included student stress, resilience through effective coping and help-seeking, and programs or strategies to improve campus mental health. Recommendations include a call for increased mental health promotion and mental illness prevention activities that are sensitive to diverse cultures, ethnicities, religions, and sexualities.

Deliberate self-harm in Oxford University students, 1993-2005: a descriptive and case-control study

BACKGROUND

Deliberate self-harm (DSH; intentional self-poisoning or self-injury) is a major problem among young people and has been identified as one of the key mental health problems affecting students.

METHOD

Data on DSH presentations to the general hospital in Oxford by Oxford University students were analysed for the 12-year period from 1993 to 2005. The characteristics of the students with DSH were compared with those of age-matched DSH controls in the Oxford City area.

RESULTS

Problems with academic work, relationships with family, partners and friends were most likely to contribute to DSH episodes in students. Many experienced problems with psychiatric disorders and social isolation. The frequency of eating disorders was very high in students, and contributed to DSH significantly more often than in controls. Fewer students than controls self-poisoned in the DSH episode, fewer had personality disorder and fewer had problems with physical health, finance, housing and violence. Alcohol consumption in association with DSH and alcohol-related problems were common in both students and controls. Male students had significantly higher suicide intent than controls. Many students were referred to the university counselling service for follow-up, a resource not available to non-student controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Comparison of university students following DSH with age-matched controls has shown key differences in psychiatric characteristics, problems contributing to DSH and aftercare offered. These findings may help in the design of targeted self-harm prevention and management strategies for students.

Trial of the university assistance program for alcohol use among mandated students

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a brief intervention for mandated students in the context of the University Assistance Program, a Student Assistance Program developed and modeled after workplace Employee Assistance Programs.

METHOD

Participants were 265 (196 males and 69 females) judicially mandated college students enrolled in a large, urban university in the northeast United States. All participants were sanctioned by the university's judicial office for an alcohol- or drug-related violation. Participants were randomized to one of two intervention conditions (the University Assistance Program or services as usual) and were assessed at baseline and 3 and 6 months after intervention.

RESULTS

Growth curve analyses showed that, relative to services as usual, the University Assistance Program was more efficacious in reducing past-90-day weekday alcohol consumption and the number of alcohol-related consequences while increasing past-90-day use of protective behaviors and coping skills. No significant differences in growth trajectories were found between the two intervention conditions on past-90-day blood alcohol concentration, total alcohol consumption, or weekend consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

The University Assistance Program may have a possible advantage over services as usual for mandated students.

Mental health among college students: do those who need services know about and use them?

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to examine connections between university students' mental health and their knowledge and use of campus mental health services.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

In March 2001, a sample of undergraduate students (N = 266) completed a Web-based questionnaire, providing information related to their mental health, knowledge of mental health services, and use of those services.

RESULTS

Students who were mentally distressed were more likely to know about and use services; however, some students who reported to be mentally distressed either did not know about services or knew about services but did not use them. Living off campus, identifying as male, and having fewer years in college were related to less knowledge of campus mental health services. In addition, female sex and number of years in college were predictive of higher service use.

CONCLUSIONS

With the high prevalence rates and severity of mental health problems, university mental health providers must continue to make strategic efforts to disseminate knowledge about mental health services to all students.