Summary
This paper examines the prevalence of treated and untreated psychological distress as measured by various indices within subgroups of a student population. Comparisons are made on these indices between a random sample of the college population of 1502 respondents and applicants from the same population seeking psychiatric and counseling assistance. As anticipated, we found high levels of reported distress in the random sample although it is difficult to assess the clinical significance of such reports. Forty-five per cent of students in the random sample scored six or higher on the Langner 22-item scale as compared with 75 % among psychiatric applicants and 66 % among counseling applicants. While half of the psychiatric sample, and a third of the counseling sample, reported that their problems often prevent activities, only a tenth of the random sample gave comparable responses. Forty-seven predictors of levels of reported distress were examined. Most socio-demographic factors have either modest or no effect on reported distress; women, younger students and unmarried students were more likely to report distress. Other variables found to be correlated with reported distress include: having a high proportion of friends with emotional problems, identifying with introspective others and a low sense of self-efficacy and control. The significance of these and other findings is evaluated in light of methodological issues and uncertainties in the measurement of distress in community populations.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson, O., Andersen, R.: Patterns of use of health services. Pp. 386–406 in Freeman, H. et al. (eds.), Handbook of Medical Sociology (2nd edition), Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall 1972
Bradburn, N.: The Structure of Psychological Well-Being, Chicago: Aldine 1969
Coelho, G., Hamburg, D., Murphy, E.: Coping strategies in a new learning environment. Arch. gen. Psychiat. 9, 433–443 (1963)
Dohrenwend, B. P., Crandell, D. L.: Psychiatric symptoms in community, clinic, and mental hospital groups. Amer. J. Psychiat. 126, 78–97 (1970)
Dohrenwend, B. P., Dohrenwend, B. S.: Social Status and Psychological Disorder, New York: Wiley-Interscience 1969
Dohrenwend, B. P., Dohrenwend, B. S.: Social and cultural influences on psychopathology. Ann. Rev. Psychol. 25, 417–452 (1974)
Dohrenwend, B. P. et al.: Measures of psychiatric disorder in contrasting class and ethnic groups: a preliminary report of ongoing research. Pp. 159–202 in Hare, E.H. and Wing, J. K. (eds.), Psychiatric Epidemiology: An International Symposium, London: Oxford University Press 1970
Gove, W. R., Tudor, J. F.: Adult sex roles and mental illness. Amer. J. Sociol. 78, 812–835 (1973)
Greenley, J., Mechanic, D.: Social factors in seeking psychiatric care. Paper presented at the meetings of the American Psychiatric Association, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1973
Gurin, G., Veroff, J., Feld, S.: Americans View Their Mental Health, New York: Basic Books 1960
Kadushin, C.: The friends and supporters of psychotherapy. Amer. Sociol. Rev. 31, 786–802 (1966)
Langner, T. S.: A twenty-two item screening score of psychiatric symptoms indicating impairment. J. Hlth. soc. Behav. 3, 269–276 (1962)
Langner, T. S. et al.: Life Stress and Mental Health: The Midtown Manhattan Study, New York: Free Press 1963
Linn, L.: Social characteristics and social interaction in the utilization of a psychiatric outpatient clinic. J. Hlth. soc. Beh. 8, 3–14 (1967)
Mechanic, D.: The influence of mothers on their children's health attitudes and behavior. Pediatrics 33, 444–453 (1964)
National Center for Health Statistics: Selected Symptoms of Psychological Distress — United States, Series 11, Number 37, Washington, D. C.: Government Printing Office 1970
Phillips, D. L., Clancy, K. J.: Response biases in field studies of mental illness. Amer. Sociol. Rev. 35, 503–515 (1970)
Reifler, C. B., Liptzin, M. B.: Epidemiological studies of college mental health. Arch. gen. Psychiat. 20, 528–540 (1969)
Robins, L. N.: Deviant Children Grown Up: A Sociological and Psychiatric Study of Sociopathic Personality, Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins 1963
Scheff, T.: Users and non-users of a student psychiatric clinic. J. Hlth. soc. Behav. 7, 114–121 (1966)
Segal, B. E.: Epidemiology of emotional disturbance among college undergraduates: a review and analysis. J. nerv. ment. Dis. 143, 348–362 (1966)
Seiler, L. H.: The 22-item scale used in field studies of mental illness: a question of method, a question of substance, and a question of theory. J. Hlth. soc. Behav. 14, 252–264 (1973)
Shepherd, M. et al.: Childhood Behavior and Mental Health, London: University of London Press 1971
Smith, W. G., Hansell, N., English, J. T.: Psychiatric disorder in a college population. Arch. gen. Psychiat. 9, 63–73 (1963)
Srole, L. et al.: Mental Health in the Metropolis: The Midtown Manhattan Study, New York: McGraw-Hill 1962
Weiss, R. J., Segal, B. E., Sokol, R.: Epidemiology of emotional disturbance in a men's college. J. nerv. ment. Dis. 141, 240–250 (1965)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported in part by Public Health Service Grant MH 20708 and by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mechanic, D., Greenley, J.R. The prevalence of psychological distress and help-seeking in a college student population. Soc Psychiatry 11, 1–14 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00578795
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00578795