Student Estimation of Campus Mental Health Service Use

• In Event: 435 - Section on Sociology of Education Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 03. Health and Education

Abstract

This study assesses student estimation of use of campus Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). Estimation of use is important because it is indicative of whether students are likely to use CAPS themselves. If students estimate higher use of CAPS, they are more likely to see services as endorsed by other students on campus and use them when needed. Using an electronic survey focused on college student perceptions of mental illness and treatment options, we collected data from a sample of students enrolled in campus-based programs at a mid-sized regional university in the southeastern United States during the spring 2014 semester (n=598). Findings indicate that closer proximity to mental illness and campus services is associated with higher estimation of student use of CAPS. Specifically, students who have used CAPS in the past estimated higher student use of CAPS. Students who have lower social distance toward people with mental illness estimated higher student use of CAPS. Students who said their mental health was better than other students on campus estimated lower student use of CAPS. And freshman and sophomores, who are more likely to live on campus, estimated higher student use of CAPS. These findings suggest that campus-based mental health programs should reach out to students who live off campus, are unaware of services offered, feel heightened social distance to people with mental illness, and perceive they have better mental health than other students on campus because these groups may be at risk of not seeking services when they need them.

Authors

• Kathleen M. Brennan, Western Carolina University

• Jalen Brown, Western Carolina University

• Kim Gorman, Western Carolina University