Continued Deterioration in University Student Mental Health: Inevitable Decline or Skirting Around the Deeper Problems?

Scientific literature indicates a continued global decline in mental health, including among university students, with continued efforts to comprehend potential contributors. Our cross-sectional study sought to build upon our previous work and investigate the current dynamic of mental health and potential stressors reported among a sample of university students, as well as potential similarities/differences to previous years. University students (n=820 participants who met inclusion criteria; aged 18+) were administered an anonymous survey consisting of questions assessing: 1) demographics, 2) mental health (depression, anxiety, stress), and 3) potential stressors. Our results indicate a significant proportion of students reporting severe and extremely severe levels of depression, anxiety and stress, with a substantial increase in severe and extremely severe levels relative to previous years. Similar to our previous work, academic performance, pressure to succeed and quality of sleep were among the top stressors reported. Significant predictors of mental health included pressure to succeed, self-esteem, body image and relationship with friends and family. A key limitation of this study includes its cross-sectional, rather than longitudinal, design. The university student population appears to be experiencing a continued shift towards worse mental health. In addition to the traditional college-related sources of stress, consideration is also necessary of the impact of non-college-specific stressors that could linger beyond the individual's time in college. This approach, along with consideration of the deeper underlying contributors to such stressors, may potentially assist in more appropriately, proactively, and successfully addressing the global mental health pandemic.