Liv Chu

UWRT 1103-13

October 13 2019

Inquiry Synthesis

The possible positive or negative effects on the mental health of college students based

on their lifestyle choices and their choice to attend a university is a divided topic. There are a

variety of viewpoints associated with this inquiry; one, that mental health is improved on

campuses because of the resources provided and the bonds made, or two, that mental health

deteriorates on college campuses due to the new stressors and lifestyle choices. There are also

sources that provide unbiased and factual information based on statistics from studies, in which

we are tasked with drawing a conclusion from the data ourselves.

Mental health may seem like a concept that has a universal meaning, but in reality, it is

defined by different things for different people. In recent years, the definition of mental health

was considered to be proven by a lack of mental illness, but this is no longer accurate

terminology for the complexity of today’s constantly changing society. This is because ‘mental

health’ is actually a composition of social well being, emotional well being and emotional well

being. There are a multitude of signs, symptoms and behaviors that contribute to an individual

being considered ‘mentally unhealthy’, and it is through screenings that doctors and researchers

are able to conclude that someone is suffering from a mental illness. Mental illness is comprised

of ​anxiety disorders, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, personality disorders, eating disorders,

self-harming behavior and suicidal tendencies. While the purpose of this inquiry proposal is to
answer how mental health is affected by college attending students, depression, anxiety, self

harm and suicide are what I commonly found to be most prevaent through my research.

The majority of sources I have found favor the claim that the mental health of college

students deteriorates upon their attendance to a university. Subsequently, in an online article

produced by ABC News, Dr. Victor Schwartz, chief medical officer, states that “suicide is

preventable and mental health is treatable…but ​colleges are not always equipped to provide

extensive mental health counseling that meets the needs of a heterogenous student body.” This

source is steadfast in its viewpoint that suicide is rising exponentially among college students

and that changes need to be made to accomodate these harmful changes that occur on

universities. In conjunction with this, Dr. Justin Hunt and colleague Dr. Daniel Eisenberg, both

Ph.Ds, published a peer reviewed article that similarly agrees with the opinions of Dr. Schwartz.

It concludes that the rising prevalence of mental health on college campuses would be less

concerning if students were receiving the proper and extensive treatments that they often require,

but they do not, that in fact, many studies show that a large population of students at colleges are

left with severe and untreated mental disorders. These two previous sources share the same

perspective as Dr. Corey Keyes, the author of a peer reviewed study, discovered a scientific link

between declining mental health and college-aged students and young adults. At the conclusion

of his study he expresses that “mental illness in the form of depression and anxiety is prevalent

among college students, a finding consistent with previous studies.”. He additionally discusses

that while students may not be screened positive as suffering from a mental disorder, lack of

illness is not indicative of mental ‘healthiness’. In fact, nearly twenty-five percent of the students

that participated in the study were considered neither mentally ill nor mentally healthy. This
same opinion is presented in an online article containing information from sources including the

APA (American Psychological Association), MHA (Mental Health America), and the WHO

(World Health Organization). The controlling idea in this publication is that evidence found by a

mass study suggests that nearly one-third of students struggle with mental disorders, and it is a

rising issue on college campuses. It's not just an issue in the U.S. either, given that those in

Australia, Belgium, Germany, Mexico, Northern Ireland, South Africa, and Spain face the sme

statistics. The most common illnesses that have been found to be affecting college students

include Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. CBNC also brings about

the idea that colleges are just not providing the tools students need, claiming that “While

effective care is important, the number of students who need treatment for these disorders far

exceeds the resources of most counseling centers.”

In contrast to these previous claims, there are sources that provide evidence of cases of

mental health improving on college campuses as a result of social bonds, a sense of community

and belonging, and the extensive resources university counseling centers provide. For instance,

Amy L. Eva, a Ph.D. and associate education director at the Good Science center, refutes these

prior statements and claims that in recent years universities ​have been addressing the growing

rate of mental illness by providing new programs and online resources, this includes orientations

for substance abuse, free mental health screenings and campus wide informational courses.

Research conducted by the Mayo Clinic, ranked the number one hospital by U.S News also

shares the viewpoint that college life can be beneficial to a student’s mental health. There is an

emphasis on the health benefits of having good friends; stating “​Adults with strong social

support have a reduced risk of many significant health problems, including depression, high
blood pressure and an unhealthy body mass index.”, “Friends can also encourage you to change

or avoid unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as excessive drinking or lack of exercise.”. This disputes

previous claims made by other articles that claimed mental illness was at a higher risk on college

campuses due to possible drug experimentation and alcohol abuse.

Sources I have found provide foundation for both sides of the argument; mental health is

benefitted, mental health deteriorates, there is evidence for both. However, it depends on outside

factors as well; genealogy, biology, environment, and honestly depends on the person

experiencing it. We have to decide for ourselves what we think the causes are.