January 30, 2003
Dramatic Decrease in College Students Mental Health
The American Psychological Association reports that college students have far more mental health problems than 11 years ago. How can this be? Every child is wanted now, so shouldn't their mental well being be getting better? Or perhaps this excerpt provides a clue:
"This comes at a time when students are finding fewer options for counseling and mental health care in the community, leaving the role of providing care primarily in the hands of university counseling center staff, according to the researchers."
Could it be shrinks are trying to drum up business? Or could it be with less stigma, people are more willing to turn to mental health professionals? Chronic mental illness didn't change over the period studied, thankfully.
Via Science Blog.
Posted by Kevin Murphy at January 30, 2003 01:02 PM | CultureSome possibilities occur to me: (a) Increasing divorce rate, thus both more problems and less family to support them, (b) slightly decreased church/synagogue attendence which is linked in studies to increased problems.
Cute comment about every child being wanted. Every parent is now free to befulfilled, unencumbered by old mores of fidelity. And soon, perhaps, many children will be designed as requested. Perhaps that'll finally fix it. :-)
Posted by: Tim at January 31, 2003 12:48 AM
