As college students recover from pandemic isolation, the need to address mental health and improve social well-being in higher education has never been clearer.
Mental health is not a subject to shy away from. It’s a necessary discussion.
In higher education, the need to address student mental health has never been clearer, as evidenced by a 2022 survey of 54,000 undergraduate students by the American College Health Association. 77% of them said They were experiencing moderate to severe emotional distress.
Mental health hurdles span the entire higher education experience, from majoring decisions to stressors posed by student athletics and more.that’s why risk and insurance devotes this series to highlighting the mental health issues students face every day and how insurance can play a role in helping universities manage risk.
In this session, we will consider the mental health of students from the perspective of social life, what kind of stress factors contribute to the deterioration of mental health, and how universities can utilize services to support students. Consider what is best for you.
stressors in social life
It is important to note that no student is immune to potential setbacks caused by the stress of social life.
“Student mental health stressors and social stressors have much in common, but the stage in a student’s life plays a role. It’s important not to ignore traditional student groups,” said Justin Collinger, senior risk management consultant at United Educators.
Collinger went on to list several issues that can affect a distressed student’s social life, including relationship problems, loneliness, family and friendship relationships, and sexual assault.
“This happens in different ways for different students,” he says.
Several university They have worked to identify stressors that students may potentially experience throughout college life, including increased responsibilities, lack of time management skills, and lack of self-care.
Collinger emphasized that while social challenges should be considered separately from mental health challenges, one can trigger the other. He gave the example of a student who was already struggling with a mental health condition while experiencing a lack of social connection and isolation.
“If you have depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions combined with a lack of social connection, relying on a friend or trusted confidant may not reassure you,” Collinger explained. .
Pandemic angle
As the above stressors already exist in the higher education population, the introduction of the pandemic has not only amplified current stressors but also created new stressors.
Human social development is still active and flourishing while a person is in college. But the social distancing guidelines brought about by the pandemic have disrupted important years of social development for current students.
“Some of our social development as humans continues into our 20s after high school and middle school, and the pandemic has left a huge gap,” Collinger said.
“There are many skills that have been disrupted by the pandemic, such as the ability to understand and develop one’s own identity and one’s own personal understanding of one’s relationships with others,” he continued. These problems became prevalent when social distancing restrictions were eased and students returned to college campuses. For many students, living on a college campus was their first experience.
“Social skills, such as the ability to make friends and build healthy relationships, are skills that require practice. But you may not be as ready as you thought you were,” Collinger said. “It affects the mental health of students.”
Specifically, tensions rose among students emerging from isolation, Collinger said, with institutions pointing to a decline in students’ ability to “resolve conflicts” and a lack of “conflict resolution skills.” The student affairs team Collinger interviewed said the escalation of the conflict was a gap between academic achievement and social resilience.
“Academically, students are returning to what they were before the pandemic,” Collinger said. “But in terms of social relationships, the same thing didn’t happen.”
Justin Kollinger, Senior Risk Management Consultant, United Educators
How Universities Are Stepping Up
Student mental health issues were already a key concern for universities to address, but the pandemic has made that issue well-defined.
Collinger said one of the main ways universities provide support to students is by incorporating policies and procedures that focus on mental health. Some colleges are now beginning adaptation processes for students struggling with mental health issues.
“When you think about the accommodation process for students, they [typically] Seek them for learning,” Collinger said. “But those policies are not always written with mental health conditions in mind.”
With regard to mental health, Collinger said, “institutions now have clear accommodations processes and procedures to ensure that students receive the accommodations they are entitled to.”
“Mental health conditions definitely fall under the category of disability, and agencies are getting better at managing it,” he said.
Universities are also improving their mental health services for students, including access to telemedicine services.
Elizabeth Marks, Senior Strategy Consultant, Academic Health Plans, Student Health Operations, Risk Strategies, Inc. Discussed the benefits of incorporating telemedicine approaches in colleges, especially citing difficulties associated with securing on-campus therapists.
“The use of telemedicine has surged due to demand and lack of resources,” she said. A Risk Strategies survey also found that 62% of her students using telemedicine said they were not using telemedicine for emergency treatment in the event of a physical injury, but rather for behavioral reasons. used to address the health problems of
Marks also noted that Risk Strategies data showed that 47% of students who used telemedicine to speak to a counselor used the service for only one visit, and these students were not eligible for ongoing treatment. I pointed out that it simply indicates that you don’t need someone to talk to.
Another way universities can provide assistance to students is through a 24/7 Crisis Hotline.
Collinger also noted the various ways colleges are providing services to students in response to the shortage of counselors.
“We have seen some [universities] Be creative,” he said. As mentioned earlier, students may not be progressing socially as normal due to the pandemic. Collinger said some universities are starting to introduce apps and programs “to help students focus on developing extracurricular social skills, such as making new friends and building deeper relationships.”
Additionally, to address issues with self-identity, the university established what Collinger called an “identity-focused resource center.” These include women’s health centers, multicultural centers and LGBTQ+ centers.
Links between academic and social success
The consensus is that academic success should take precedence over successful social life, but the two are closely intertwined at the college level. In a way, their progress depends on each other.
“Students learn best when they are healthy and energetic, so there is a close relationship between achieving their academic mission, fostering a healthy social life, and facilitating growth outside the classroom. There is,” says Collinger. &
To learn more about how mental health impacts different student demographics across a wide range of topics such as student activism, social life and finances, keep an eye on our Mental Health in Higher Education series.
