Skip to main content

Mental Health in College Populations: A Multidisciplinary Review of What Works, Evidence Gaps, and Paths Forward

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research

Abstract

The mental health of students has become one of the top concerns in higher education. The number of students reporting distress and seeking services has dramatically increased, and colleges and universities are struggling to address these challenges. A rich and growing body of research documents the scope of the problem and potential interventions to address it, but this literature is scattered across a variety of academic fields. This chapter aims to bring coherence to this large volume of information through a detailed review of programs, services, practices, and policies that influence student mental health. The review is organized around a socioecological framework, considering interventions at the individual, interpersonal, community, institutional, and public policy levels. It highlights strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in the evidence. The chapter concludes with recommendations for enhancing how research and data can inform practice moving forward. A more evidence-informed approach is needed to address the growing challenges of student mental health in higher education.

Nicholas A. Bowman was the Associate Editor for this chapter.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 299.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Identified by the mentee, not assigned

  2. 2.

    GKTs are similar in many ways to bystander interventions, a term applied in prevention efforts involving mental health and sexual assault, substance abuse, discrimination, and other contexts. Bystander interventions focus on recognizing a potentially harmful situation or interaction and training individuals to respond in a way that could positively influence the outcome. The book chapter “The Role of Active Bystander Training Within a Comprehensive Prevention Framework” provides an overview of bystander interventions in college settings (Jacobsen, 2018).

References

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sara Abelson .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Section Editor information

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Abelson, S., Lipson, S.K., Eisenberg, D. (2022). Mental Health in College Populations: A Multidisciplinary Review of What Works, Evidence Gaps, and Paths Forward. In: Perna, L.W. (eds) Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research. Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research, vol 37. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76660-3_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics