graduate student mental health: metrics, trends, and resources
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Graduate Student Mental Health: Metrics, Trends, and Resources. Scott Becker, Ph.D ., Acting Director COGS Meeting MSU Counseling Center February 12, 2014. Overview. Graduate Student Mental Health. Metrics Surveys (NCHA, Big 10, Berkeley) MSUCC data Trends - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Graduate Student Mental Health:Metrics, Trends, and ResourcesScott Becker, Ph.D., Acting Director COGS MeetingMSU Counseling Center February 12, 2014
Overview
Graduate Student Mental Health
Metrics Surveys (NCHA, Big 10, Berkeley) MSUCC data
Trends Increased prevalence Increased acuity Impact of technology
Resources and Proposed Actions Clinical and wellness resources Proposed actions
METRICS:2012 NCHA SURVEY
Source: 2012 National College Health Assessment (NCHA) Sorted by Allyson Rogers, MA, Olin Health Center
Graduate Student Mental Health
Sense of Loneliness: 43% Total
Overall Percent %
No, never 26.0
No, not in last 12 months 30.8
Yes, in the last 2 weeks 19.1
Yes, in the last 30 days 7.2
Yes, in the last 12 months 16.9
Total 100.0
Ever felt lonely:
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
Anxiety Symptoms: 44% Total
Overall Percent %
No, never 33.4
No, not in last 12 months 22.2
Yes, in the last 2 weeks 14.9
Yes, in the last 30 days 8.8
Yes, in the last 12 months 20.7
Total 100.0
Ever felt overwhelming anxiety:
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
Sense of being Overwhelmed: 88% Total
Overall Percent %
Int’l Student Non Int’l Student
No, never 11.5 21.1 6.8
No, not in last 12 months
8.6 16.6 5.2
Yes, in the last 2 weeks
45.3 31.5 51.4
Yes, in the last 30 days
13.6 13.1 14.2
Yes, in the last 12 months
21.0 17.7 22.4
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0
Ever felt overwhelmed:
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
Depression: 32% Total
Overall Percent %
No, never 46.4
No, not in last 12 months 21.8
Yes, in the last 2 weeks 11.5
Yes, in the last 30 days 5.1
Yes, in the last 12 months 15.3
Total 100.0
Ever felt so depressed it was difficult to function:
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
Suicidal Ideation: 5% Total
Overall Percent %
No, never 80.5
No, not in last 12 months 14.5
Yes, in the last 2 weeks 0.3
Yes, in the last 30 days 1.0
Yes, in the last 12 months 3.7
Total 100.0
Ever seriously considered:
NCHA, 2012, MSU Graduate Students
Suicidal Ideation: Other Studies• Big Ten Student Suicide Study
10-year analysis of 261 suicides at 12 Midwestern universities from 1980 to 1990
graduate students were at greater risk for suicide than undergraduate students
• Berkeley Graduate Student Mental Health Survey 45 percent experienced “an emotional or stress-related
problem that significantly affected their well being and/or academic performance”
10 percent “seriously considered suicide” Nearly 25 percent didn’t know about the university’s mental
health services (even fewer international students) Female students “were more likely to report feeling hopeless,
exhausted, sad, or depressed”
Insomnia: 3% Total
Overall Percent %
No 97.2Yes, diagnosed but not treated
0.7
Yes, treated with medication
0.7
Yes, treated with psychotherapy
0.7
Yes, treated with medication & psychotherapy
0.7
Total 100.0
Last 12 months diagnosed/treated:
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
Other Sleep Disorders: 4% Total
Overall Percent %No 96.7Yes, diagnosed but not treated
0.7
Yes, treated with medication
0.6
Yes, treated with psychotherapy
0.4
Yes, treated with medication & psychotherapy
0.4
Yes, other treatment 1.4Total 100.0
Last 12 months diagnosed/treated:
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
Diagnosed with Anxiety: 12% Total
Overall Percent %No 87.5Yes, diagnosed but not treated
2.4
Yes, treated with medication
5.8
Yes, treated with psychotherapy
1.4
Yes, treated with medication & psychotherapy
2.1
Yes, other treatment 0.8Total 100.0
Last 12 months diagnosed/treated, anxiety:
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
Diagnosed with Depression: 11% Total
Overall Percent %No 88.6Yes, diagnosed but not treated
1.9
Yes, treated with medication
4.4
Yes, treated with psychotherapy
2.4
Yes, treated with medication & psychotherapy
2.4
Yes, other treatment 0.3Total 100.0
Last 12 months diagnosed/treated, depression:
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
History of Depression: 19% Total
% Yes % No
Overall 19.1 80.9
International student
10.0 90.0
Non-International student
23.4* 76.6
Ever diagnosed with depression:
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
*U.S. Students more than twice as likely to have a history of diagnosed depression
Stress Level: 12% Report “Tremendous Stress”57% Report “More than Average Stress”
Overall % White % Other %No stress 1.0 0.6 1.5Less than average stress
12.9 6.3 21.3
Average stress
29.0 30.0 27.7
More than average stress
44.6 47.8 40.7
Tremendous stress
12.4 15.3 8.8
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0
During Last 12 months:
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
METRICS:MSU COUNSELING CENTER DATA
Graduate Student Mental Health
Source: MSUCC 2012-2013 Annual Report
Graduate/Professional Students at MSUCC
<No Re-sponse>
1%
First-year23%
Sophomore23%
Junior18% Senior
19%Grad-uate / pro-fes-
sional 15% (426)
Non-student0%
Non-degree student
0%Other
1%
MSUCC 2012-2013 Annual Report
Graduate/Professional Students at MSUCC:International Status
United States 289 (68%)
48 Countries of OriginInternational: 137
(32% of 426)
Top 5 Countries of Origin
Country of Origin
# Grad/Prof. Clients
% of Intl. Grad/Prof. Clients
China 21 15%
Korea 11 8%
Iran 10 7%
India 9 7%
Saudi Arabia 7 5%
% of Clients* by Diagnostic Clusters
DepressionAnxiety
AcademicsTrauma
PanicRelational
Substance AbuseEating DisorderDevelopmental
ADHDBereavement
ManiaPsychosis
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
*Total numbers for graduate and undergraduate students
National Prevalence in UCCsCompared to MSUCC
Condition National MSUCC % Diff.Anxiety 42 58 +16Depression 36 61 +25Relationship issues 36 25 -11Psychotropic medication 24 28 +4Suicidal thoughts 16 36 +20Significant prior treatment 14 23 +9Alcohol abuse/dependence 10 20 +10ADHD 9 8 -1Sexual/physical assault 9 17 +8Self-injurious behavior 9 15 +6Eating disorders 6 11 +5Oppression (racism, sexism, homophobia)
6 9 +3
Source: AUCCCD survey, 2012
Academic Performance and RetentionNegative Impact of Mental Health issues: At initial assessment, 53% (960 students)
report that their presenting mental-health concerns were negatively impacting their academic performance.
At initial assessment, 12% (290 students) report that they had strongly considered leaving school as a result of their mental-health issues.
Source: MSU Counseling Center Annual Report, 2012-2013
Academic Performance and Retention:Positive impact of counseling/psychotherapy: In an outcome survey, 62% (616 students)
report that their services at MSUCC improved their academic performance.
In an outcome survey, 46% (457 students) report that their services helped them remain enrolled at MSU.
Source: MSU Counseling Center Annual Report, 2012-2013
Graduate Student Mental Health
TRENDS:NATIONAL DATA
Increased Acuity:Paradigm Shift in University Mental Health
National Trends Increased acuity of presenting concerns at university
counseling centers: Prevalence of severe psychological disorders has nearly tripled
Increase in high-risk behaviors such as harm to self and others
Increase in psychiatric medication Increase in hospitalizations
Increased demand for services was reported by 93% of university counseling center directors (AUCCD, 2012) Staff of UCCs have, on average, not grown in the past 15
years MSUCC: increase of 76% in students seen in direct service
from 2006-2012
Possible Explanations Availability of mental health treatment for children and
adolescents Socioeconomic stressors
Financial stressors due to parental unemployment Competition for grades, internships, jobs post-graduation
Collective/cultural anxiety 9/11 Virginia Tech, etc.
Recognition and reporting of trauma, including childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault
De-stigmatizing of mental health treatment; increased help-seeking
Social media and the over-use of recreational technology
Technology and Mental Health“This is an issue as important and unprecedented as climate change.”
--Susan Greenfield, Prof. of Pharmacology, Oxford U.
Increased Media Exposure Sleep Attention, Memory, and Learning Anxiety and OCD Addiction Depression Emotion Regulation Identity and Relationships Narcissism and Empathy
Technology and the Brain “…the brain is substantially shaped by what we do
to it. When I say ‘shaped’, I'm not talking figuratively or metaphorically; I'm talking literally. At a microcellular level, the infinitely complex network of nerve cells that make up the constituent parts of the brain actually change in response to certain experiences and stimuli. The brain, in other words, is malleable - not just in early childhood but right up to early adulthood, and, in certain instances, beyond.” Susan Greenfield, Professor of Pharmacology, Oxford
University http://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/does-mind-have-future-audio
RESOURCES & PROPOSED ACTIONS
Graduate Student Mental Health
Resources Counseling Center Student Health Services at Olin Graduate Student Wellness Employee Assistance Program Mental Health Professionals affiliated with Professional
Schools (e.g., CHM and Vet Med) Residence Education
Neighborhood Clinics Office for International Students and Scholars Community Mental Health Off-campus providers Psychological Clinic Couple and Family Therapy Clinic Fee Hall Psychiatry
Proposed Actions Survey of faculty and administrators regarding student
mental health Disruptive behaviors Distressed and high-risk behaviors Safety concerns Drain on productivity
MSUCC study of academic performance and retention Increased mental health consultation and crisis
intervention Counseling Center Liaisons to Colleges and Departments
CARES meetings in academic departments Counselors-in-Residence in the Neighborhoods Increased mental-health gatekeeper training with advisors
and faculty
Additional MSUCC DataNote: all data includes undergraduate and graduate students
Male41%
Female59%
Transgender<1%
Self-Identified<1%
Gender Identity
African-American /
Black11%
American Indian or
Alaskan Na-tive<1%
Asian-Amer-ican / Asian
8%Latino/a
5% Hawaiian or Pacific Is-
lander<1%
Multi-Racial4%
White72%
Racial Identity
Negative impact960 (53%)
No impact 31%Unchecked
16%
53% (960) Report Mental Health Had Neg-ative Impact on Academic Performance
Con-sidered leaving school12%
Did not consider leaving school88%
12% (290) Considered Leaving School Due to Mental Health
Crisis Presenta-
tion8%
Not Crisis Presenta-
tion92%
8% (183) Presented in Crisisat Initial Appointment
Trauma history:26%
No trauma history60% No re-
sponse14%
26% (606) Report a History of Traumatic Experiences
<No Response>5%
No Previ-ous Un-
wanted Sexual Experi-ence78%
1 time10%
2-3 times5%
4-5 times1%
> 5 times2%
17% (424) Report History of Unwanted Sexual Experience/Assault
<No Response>4%
Never73%
1 time12%
2-3 times8%
4-5 times1%> 5 times
1%
23% (564) Report at Least OnePrior Psychiatric Hospitalization
Psychi-atric
medica-tion28%
No psy-chiatric medica-
tion72%
28% Prescribed Psychiatric Med-ication