By: Mary Anne Beecher, Ph.D.

Is psychological well-being really a problem on college campuses?

The Department of Design takes the mental health and happiness of students and faculty very seriously. In January 2016, USA Today presented an alarming set of statistics about the mental health of students on college campuses in America. Half of all students at universities express feelings of hopelessness at some point, they reported, and two-thirds of students who struggle with mental health challenges do not seek help. Suicide was the second most common cause of death among persons aged 15-34 in 2016, according to the Center for Disease Control, and one in twelve college students makes a suicide plan at some time during their time as a university student, according to the newspaper.[1]

Many students in universities already have mental health problems when they arrive on campuses. An international 2018 World Health Organization survey of 14,000 first year students in colleges found that one third of them dealt with mental health disorders in the years that preceded their college enrollment.[2]There is no reason to imagine that students at Ohio State do not fit the profile of these international averages. In fact, our university increased the number of mental health clinicians on campus by twelve in 2016-17. It now provides one therapist for every 1,500 students on campus… a number that exceeds the national average, but that is only the recommended minimum. 

Other efforts that are in the works at Ohio State include the creation of an app that makes it easier for students to schedule appointments with clinicians and to contact the mental health clinic in cases of emergency. The app also teaches about stress management by providing breathing exercises and other information about mental health management best practices. Even with these treatment options and support system in place, the mental health of Buckeyes continues to be a topic of concern on campus.

Of course, stress and anxiety on campuses is not restricted to students. The process for faculty members to secure tenure can be riddled with pressure, as is the on-going need to excel in research and teaching. When even one faculty member in a group is dysfunctional for reasons related to mental health, an entire departmental culture can be derailed. Chronic reductions to workforces can lead employees to experience increasing tension and stress as their responsibilities swell to overwhelming. And while universities like Ohio State have expanded the attention they pay to the mental health of faculty and staff, those resources are still often insufficient or hard to access.