Literature Review blog post #4

Citation

Lattie, Emily G., et al. “Technology and College Student Mental Health: Challenges and Opportunities.” Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol. 10, 2019, doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00246.

Summary

In this work, the authors discuss how technology can be both beneficial and negative to college students. For starters, researchers have seen a drastic increase in the number of mental health diagnoses in the past few years. Because of this increase, many colleges are unable to meet the demand which makes them unable to help their students. One reason they looked at that could explain this increase is the use of technology use. It has changed how people communicate which could lead some students to feel left out leading to an effect on their mental health. Additionally, although this may affect their mental health, the researchers also discussed how technology could be positive in helping mental health problems. It could replace the need to wait for an appointment at an on campus clinician. But, many clinicians are not using it because they fear there are many privacy issues to this method and would prefer meeting with their students in person. 

Author(s) 

There are three authors for this work. The first author, Emily Lattie, went to the University of Miami to study Clinical Health Psychology. She has also done an extensive amount of psychological research, her latest being at Northwestern University at the Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies. Next, is Sara Ketchen Lipson, who is an assistant professor in the Department of Health Law Policy and Management at the Boston University School of Public Health. She has also done extensive research on addressing mental health in college students. Lastly, is Daniel Eisenberg who currently works at the University of Michigan and does research on how to improve the mental health of young students. 

Key terms 

• Technology-enabled mental health services: Online or phone apps that offer the possibility to expand treatment options and help reduce the barriers for students who are unable to make it into the counseling centers. 
• Privacy: a common concern for clinicians which leads them to not use the technology-based mental health services. They fear that their students won’t be protected and choose to not provide these resources because of it. 

Three Quotes

“In recent years, there has been an increase in reported symptoms of mental illnesses in college student populations. A large, epidemiological study recently demonstrated that mental health diagnoses have risen from 22% to 36% among college student respondents over the last 10 years (3). In a survey of college counseling center directors, more than 95% reported that the number of students with significant psychological problems was a growing concern on their campus (4). Across the country, more and more college students appear to be suffering” (Lattie EG, Lipson SK and Eisenberg D 1).

“There are a number of challenges and opportunities for college student mental health afforded by personal computing technologies such as smartphones. We are living in a time of unprecedented social connection and access to educational resources. Some may argue that we are simultaneously living in a time of unprecedented awareness of social exclusion and information overload. This has been made apparent by the emergence of ‘fear of missing out’ or FoMO, which was first discussed by a marketing strategist (16), and since has become the subject of several empirical investigations on mental health and social media use (17–19)”(Lattie EG, Lipson SK and Eisenberg D 2). 

“While students could theoretically access these types of programs without involvement from their campus community, counseling centers are unlikely to see reductions in their everincreasing workload without coordinated efforts to educate students on, and direct them to, technology-enabled programs. Because college counseling centers across the United States are frequently understaffed, have limited budgets, and operate on waitlists for much of the year (8), it may be in their best interest to support the incorporation of technology-enabled mental health programs into routine practice, as a supplement to their core services” (Lattie EG, Lipson SK and Eisenberg D 3).

Value

This material helps me explore my research because it gives a potential reason for why mental health has drastically increased. Also, it also gives a possible solution on how to improve mental health services. Although many clinicians do not like using technology for treatment, it may be the best next option to help decrease the rise in numbers.

Research Blog #4: Research Proposal

Working Title: Mental Health: A Growing Epidemic Among College Students

Topic

For my paper, I will be researching several topics involving mental health. The main topic I will be focusing on is mental health and stress problems in college. I will also be including the issues that first generation students face when it comes to mental health. I will also be looking into the different resources (or lack of resources) for mental health, and the growing epidemic of mental health challenges on college campuses. As a college student, it is a very important issue to look at because we are all experiencing these issues whether it be personally or we have a friend that is going through it. The government has also started to get involved in this growing problem, which makes it even more important to explore. 

Research Question

How is college affecting students’ mental health, in particular the mental health of first-generation students? What resources do schools have to help these students that are experiencing mental health challenges? Why are mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, at an all time high? 

Theoretical Frame

In the literature review, Mental Health and Academic Performance of First-Generation College Students and Continuing Generation College Students, Melissa Becerra looks at a variety of studies that focus on the problem of mental health issues facing first-generation students. Beccerra tells us that although there is still a lot of research to be done on this topic, the research that has been done shows that first-generation students are more likely to experience symptoms of depression, more stress, and lower levels of life satisfaction. These students do not know how to go about getting the support they need and often times, can not afford it. Even continuing generation students struggle to find the mental health support they need. Mental health has become such a growing topic in America, that colleges are unable to keep up with providing support to their students. 

Case(s) or Examples

The same literature review can be used when looking at examples and different statistics. For example, Becerra tells us “Empirical work that addresses symptoms of depression includes the survey method by Stebleton, Soria, & Huesman (2014), which claimed that “first-generation students at large public research universities reported higher levels of depression/stress on average compared with continuing generation students’ (p.13)” (Becerra 7). This finding is very beneficial in my research. Not only does it tell us that first-generation students report higher depression and stress levels, but it also shows us that we need to start making a step forward in order to solve this growing issue. 

Another great source I found with examples is from the National Council on Disability. They wrote a whole study and addressed it to the president stating that something must be done. This organization's focus was on mental health in general and found that there is a college campus mental health crisis going on in the United States. They noted that, “students with mental health disabilities who do not receive assistance are not as academically successful as their peers, with lower GPAs and higher dropout rates; however, when students get support, they are successful”(US Congress 15). This finding makes it clear that mental health is an issue which is greatly affecting students' lives. Students are going to college to follow a path they want and to become successful. But, often times when students enter college, they are unable to handle the stress and it impacts their performance. The main way students can succeed when struggling with a mental illness is by seeking help. Lately, it has been found that “colleges are struggling to provide adequate mental health services and support for students with mental health disabilities due largely to increased number of students with mental health challenges attending college and a lack of financial resources” (US Congress, 16). This is clearly an issue that America is facing because if students are unable to get the support they need, there is no way they will be able to succeed. 

Bibliography

Becerra, M. (2017). Mental Health and Academic Performance of First-Generation College Students and Continuing-Generation College Students. UC Merced: Library. Retrieved From https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4691k02z

Castillo, Linda G., and Seth J. Schwartz. “Introduction to the Special Issue on College Student Mental Health.” Journal of Clinical Psychology, vol. 69, no. 4, Apr. 2013, pp. 291–97, doi:10.1002/jclp.21972.

Hunt, Justin, and Daniel Eisenberg. “Mental Health Problems and Help-Seeking Behavior Among College Students.” Journal of Adolescent Health, vol. 46, no. 1, 2010, pp. 3–10., doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.08.008.

Iarovici, Doris. Mental Health Issues and the University Student. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014.

United States, Congress, “Mental Health on College Campuses: Investments, Accommodations Needed to Address Student Needs.” Mental Health on College Campuses: Investments, Accommodations Needed to Address Student Needs, National Council on Disability, 2017.

Research Blog #6: Visual

This visual is from the Mental Health Guide on Collegestats.org. I think this would be a good visual to start my oral presentation. It gives quick statistics on the lives of college students and how their mental health is affecting their academics. Additionally, the website also goes into detail on different mental health topics which can be useful. 

Source: https://collegestats.org/resources/mental-health-guide/

Research Blog #5: Bibliography

My research questions still stay the same as they previously were. These questions were how is college affecting students' mental health, in particular, the mental health of first-generation students? Why are depression and anxiety at an all-time high? What resources do students have to cope with their mental health challenges? 

Becerra, M. (2017). Mental Health and Academic Performance of First-Generation College Students and Continuing-Generation College Students. UC Merced: Library. Retrieved From https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4691k02z

Castillo, Linda G., and Seth J. Schwartz. “Introduction to the Special Issue on College Student Mental Health.” Journal of Clinical Psychology, vol. 69, no. 4, Apr. 2013, pp. 291–97, doi:10.1002/jclp.21972.

Hunt, Justin, and Daniel Eisenberg. “Mental Health Problems and Help-Seeking Behavior Among College Students.” Journal of Adolescent Health, vol. 46, no. 1, 2010, pp. 3–10., doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.08.008.

Iarovici, Doris. Mental Health Issues and the University Student. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014.

Levine, Heidi. College Student Mental Health: New Directions for Student Services, Number 156. Jossey-Bass, 2017.

United States, Congress, “Mental Health on College Campuses: Investments, Accommodations Needed to Address Student Needs.” Mental Health on College Campuses: Investments, Accommodations Needed to Address Student Needs, National Council on Disability, 2017.

Literature Review 2

Hunt, Justin, and Daniel Eisenberg. “Mental Health Problems and Help-Seeking Behavior Among College Students.” Journal of Adolescent Health, vol. 46, no. 1, 2010, pp. 3–10., doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.08.008.

Summary:

In this journal, the authors discuss mental health problems among different college campuses. They reviewed different research that showed them the prevalence of mental health and how students reach out for help. Although this study is a few years old, they discussed how many college students are depressed and do not seek out help. When students do not reach out and get the support they need, their grades start to slip which then leads many other aspects of their lives to start slipping too. Later on in the journal, it also talks about how there are different barriers that stop students from seeking support. It has also been shown that schools are unable to keep up with the demand for mental health services. Students who seek out support will have to wait months on end to see someone because schools are unable to keep up with the demand. 

Authors: 

The authors of this journal are Justin Hunt, M.d., M.S., and Daniel Eisenberg, Ph.D. Both these authors are very knowledgeable on the topic because they are both psychiatrists. They strive to promote the mental health of young people. 

Key Terms:

• Mental disorders: Conditions that affect moods, thinking, and behaviors. These disorders are very prevalent among college students. Most mental disorders have an onset at about age twenty-four. 
• Barriers: In this case, they are obstacles stopping students from seeking help when they need it. Some of these barriers could include lack of time, privacy concerns, and financial constraints. 

Quotes:

“Mental disorders account for nearly one-half of the disease burden for young adults in the United States [5], and most lifetime mental disorders have first onset by age 24 years [6]” (Hunt, Justin, and Daniel Eisenberg,3). 

“Within the college population, certain subgroups have a significantly higher prevalence of mental health problems, which is consistent with the studies of the general population [19]. Male undergraduates are at a higher risk for suicide [20], but female students are more likely to screen positive for major depression and anxiety disorders [21]. Students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are at a higher risk for depressive and anxiety symptoms [10,21,22]” (Hunt, Justin, and Daniel Eisenberg, 4). 

“Other studies also find that, among secondary school students, depression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are negatively associated with academic measures such as grade point average [61] and verbal test scores [59,61] (Hunt, Justin, and Daniel Eisenberg,6).

Value:

This journal has been very helpful in exploring my topic. Although it is old, it gives a lot of helpful statistics on students and their mental health. Along with this, it also discussed how resources are slim which is something very important to lookout. Additionally, it was written by two prestigious physiatrists which is helpful since they are very knowledgeable on the topic.  

Literature Review 1

Citation: 

Sy, S. R., Fong, K., Carter, R., Boehme, J., & Alpert, A. (2011). Parent support and stress among

first-generation and continuing-generation female students during the transition to

College. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 13 (3), 383-398. doi:10.2190/CS.13.3.g

Summary: 

In this journal, the researchers compare first-generation and continuing-generation female students based on three different factors. The factor I was most interested in was the student's levels of stress and the relationship between parent support and the student's stress during their transition to college. They discuss how research has shown that being a first-generation student can put a significant psychological strain on a student. Additionally, it has been shown that since parents of first-generation students have not attended college, they do not understand the academic and time demands that lead to the stress their child is experiencing. Since this was a research study, the researchers found that there are very little information and support for first-generation students. Because of this, their mental health and stress levels are negatively impacted. 

Authors: 

For this journal, there are four people who contributed to it. These authors are Susan R. Sy, Kristen Fong, Rebecca Carter, Julia Boehme, and Amy Alpert. They are all knowledgeable on this topic because they work in the field of psychology and counseling at different universities.  

Key Terms: 

Parent support- parents giving support for their children which plays an important role by serving as a buffer to the negative effects of stress. This is usually only given my parents of  continuing -generation students

First-generation students: mostly ethnic minorities, from low socioeconomic backgrounds. 

Social support: relationships that help navigate environments that someone may be unfamiliar with. Under this category would fall parental social support which can help reduce negative mental health and negative academic problems 

Three quotes: 

“In particular, many first-generation students may experience psychological strain as they navigate an environment that is new to both themselves and their parents. Thus, while first-generation students gain the experience and opportunities that college affords, they often also experience the negative psychological effects of a cultural mismatch” (385).

“Parents of first-generation students, having not been through the college experience themselves, may not understand both the academic and time demands that contribute to the stress experienced by their children during this transition” (386).

Female students who are among the first generation in their family to attend college may be at even greater risk, as research has demonstrated that women experience greater overall stress during college than do men (Gandara & Osugi, 1994; see also, Larson, 2006). Female students, as compared to male students, tend to report higher levels of both academic and life stress (Abouserie, 1994)” (387).

Value:

This journal has helped me explore my research topic of college mental health and mental health in first-generation college students. The researchers conducted a study that proved that first-generation students experience more mental health problems and higher stress levels. They found that this is largely due to the lack of parental support these students are receiving. Also, it was found that female first-generation students experience these effects more opposed to their male counterparts.