Graduate Student Mental Health:
Metrics, Trends, and Resources
Scott Becker, Ph.D., Acting Director
MSU Counseling Center
COGS Meeting
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
Graduate Student Mental Health
METRICS:
2012 NCHA SURVEY
Source: 2012 National College Health Assessment (NCHA)
Sorted by Allyson Rogers, MA, Olin Health Center
Sense of Loneliness: 43% Total
Ever felt lonely:
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
Total
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
16.9
100.0
Anxiety Symptoms: 44% Total
Ever felt overwhelming anxiety:
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
Total
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
20.7
100.0
Sense of being Overwhelmed: 88% Total
Ever felt overwhelmed:
No, never
No, not in last 12
months
Yes, in the last 2
weeks
Yes, in the last 30
days
Yes, in the last 12
months
Total
Overall Percent %
Int’l Student
11.5
21.1
Non Int’l
Student
6.8
8.6
16.6
5.2
45.3
31.5
51.4
13.6
13.1
14.2
21.0
17.7
22.4
100.0
100.0
100.0
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
Depression: 32% Total
Ever felt so depressed it was difficult to function:
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
Total
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
15.3
100.0
Suicidal Ideation: 5% Total
Ever seriously considered:
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
NCHA, 2012, MSU Graduate Students
100.0
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
Last 12 months diagnosed/treated:
Overall Percent %
No
97.2
Yes, diagnosed but not treated
0.7
Yes, treated with medication
0.7
Yes, treated with
psychotherapy
Yes, treated with medication &
psychotherapy
0.7
Total
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
0.7
100.0
Other Sleep Disorders: 4% Total
Last 12 months diagnosed/treated:
Overall Percent %
No
96.7
Yes, diagnosed but not treated
0.7
Yes, treated with medication
0.6
Yes, treated with
psychotherapy
Yes, treated with medication &
psychotherapy
0.4
Yes, other treatment
1.4
Total
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
0.4
100.0
Diagnosed with Anxiety: 12% Total
Last 12 months diagnosed/treated, anxiety:
Overall Percent %
No
87.5
Yes, diagnosed but not treated
2.4
Yes, treated with medication
5.8
Yes, treated with
psychotherapy
Yes, treated with medication &
psychotherapy
1.4
Yes, other treatment
0.8
Total
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
2.1
100.0
Diagnosed with Depression: 11% Total
Last 12 months diagnosed/treated, depression:
Overall Percent %
No
88.6
Yes, 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
0.3
Total
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
100.0
History of Depression: 19% Total
Ever diagnosed with depression:
% Yes
% No
Overall
19.1
80.9
International
student
Non-International
student
10.0
90.0
23.4*
76.6
*U.S. Students more than twice as likely to have a history of diagnosed
depression
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
Stress Level:
12% Report “Tremendous Stress”
57% Report “More than Average Stress”
During Last 12 months:
Overall %
White %
Other %
1.0
0.6
1.5
Less than
average stress
12.9
6.3
21.3
Average stress
29.0
30.0
27.7
More than
average stress
Tremendous
stress
Total
44.6
47.8
40.7
12.4
15.3
8.8
100.0
100.0
100.0
No stress
NCHA, 2012 - MSU Graduate Students
Graduate Student Mental Health
METRICS:
MSU COUNSELING CENTER DATA
Source: MSUCC 2012-2013 Annual Report
Graduate/Professional Students at MSUCC
Junior
18%
Senior
19%
Sophomore
23%
First-year
23%
MSUCC 2012-2013 Annual Report
<No Response>
1%
Graduate /
professional
15% (426)
Non-student
0%
Non-degree student
0%
Other
1%
Graduate/Professional Students
at MSUCC:
International Status
United States
289 (68%)
48 Countries of Origin
International: 137
(32% of 426)
Top 5 Countries of Origin
Country of Origin # Grad/Prof.
Clients
China
21
% of Intl.
Grad/Prof. Clients
15%
Korea
11
8%
Iran
10
7%
India
9
7%
Saudi Arabia
7
5%
% of Clients* by Diagnostic Clusters
Psychosis
Mania
Bereavement
ADHD
Developmental
Eating Disorder
Substance Abuse
Relational
Panic
Trauma
Academics
Anxiety
Depression
0
10
20
30
40
*Total numbers for graduate and undergraduate students
50
60
70
National Prevalence in UCCs
Compared to MSUCC
Condition
Anxiety
Depression
Relationship issues
Psychotropic medication
Suicidal thoughts
Significant prior treatment
Alcohol abuse/dependence
ADHD
Sexual/physical assault
Self-injurious behavior
Eating disorders
Oppression (racism, sexism,
homophobia)
Source: AUCCCD survey, 2012
National
42
36
36
24
16
14
10
9
9
9
6
6
MSUCC
58
61
25
28
36
23
20
8
17
15
11
9
% Diff.
+16
+25
-11
+4
+20
+9
+10
-1
+8
+6
+5
+3
Academic Performance and Retention
Negative 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:




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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



Collective/cultural anxiety





Financial stressors due to parental unemployment
Competition for grades, internships, jobs postgraduation
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.


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


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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
Graduate Student Mental Health
RESOURCES & PROPOSED
ACTIONS
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



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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

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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 Data
Note: all data includes undergraduate and graduate students
Gender Identity
Female
59%
Male
41%
Self-Identified
<1%
Transgender
<1%
Racial Identity
AfricanAmerican / Black
11%
White
72%
American Indian
or Alaskan
Native
<1%
Asian-American
/ Asian
8%
Multi-Racial
4%
Hawaiian or
Pacific Islander
<1%
Latino/a
5%
53% (960) Report Mental Health Had Negative Impact
on Academic Performance
No impact 31%
Unchecked
16%
Negative impact
960 (53%)
12% (290) Considered Leaving School Due to Mental Health
Did not consider
leaving school
88%
Considered leaving
school
12%
8% (183) Presented in Crisis
at Initial Appointment
Not Crisis
Presentation
92%
Crisis
Presentation
8%
26% (606) Report a History of
Traumatic Experiences
No trauma history
60%
Trauma history:
26%
No response
14%
17% (424) Report History of Unwanted Sexual
Experience/Assault
No Previous
Unwanted Sexual
Experience
78%
1 time
10%
<No Response>
5%
2-3 times
4%
> 5 times
2%
4-5 times
1%
23% (564) Report at Least One
Prior Psychiatric Hospitalization
Never
73%
1 time
12%
<No Response>
4%
> 5 times
1%
4-5 times
2%
2-3 times
8%
28% Prescribed Psychiatric Medication
No psychiatric
medication
72%
Psychiatric
medication
28%