You have /5 articles left.
Sign up for a free account or log in.

Stress can impact the ability to focus, learn and perform well in class, according to Student Voice data from Inside Higher Ed and College Pulse, creating a challenging environment for students navigating higher education. However, college students notice mental health services and say these supports positively impact their persistence.

A November survey by telehealth provider TimelyCare found 73 percent of students believe they are more likely to graduate or earn a degree due to the mental health support services offered by their college or university.

A majority of students also say they believe their institution cares about their mental health (69 percent) and that they have easy access to resources at their institution (80 percent), highlighting positive trends in well-being offerings on college campuses.

Methodology

TimelyCare’s survey was fielded in November and includes responses from 1,200 students, ages 18 to 24. The greatest share of respondents identify as white (40 percent) and female (50 percent).

Stressed out: Students today report more stress and anxiety compared to generations before them, and 71 percent of TimelyCare survey respondents reported experiencing mental health issues as they approached the end of the academic term. Over half of students said their stress had grown significantly since the summer.

When asked what, out of a list of 20 options, was causing them stress, mental health (58 percent) was the top concern, followed by the cost of living and inflation (35 percent), their physical health (32 percent), and relationship issues with friends or family (31 percent).

Related Research

A September report from Tyton Partners found students who stopped out and returned to college were less likely to know about mental health counseling on their campus, compared to their peers who never left higher education, demonstrating a relationship between communication about supports and student persistence.

When asked what factors are most important when seeking professional mental health support, the greatest share of students selected choice of providers (27 percent) and provider identity or lived experiences (26 percent), highlighting a need for diverse counseling center staff that reflect the identities of students. Convenience of the visit time or location is also important to learners (17 percent), as well as immediate access (14 percent) to remove barriers to participation.

Three in 10 respondents say academics are stressful, and a similar number say paying for college and student loan debt are causing them stress or anxiety. Paying for college was the second most popular answer students selected in the Inside Higher Ed/Generation Lab annual 2024 Student Voice survey, with 34 percent of students indicating this was one of their top stressors while in college.

Nineteen percent of TimelyCare survey respondents say career readiness or the job market are causing them anxiety, which mirrors Handshake data from fall 2024 that found graduating seniors were pessimistic about the competitive job market they’d enter following graduation.

Three in five students report experiencing mental health challenges that have impacted their success in college, 15 percentage points higher than those who noted financial challenges and twice as many as those who said they had academic challenges.

“This survey reaffirms the critical importance of accessible, inclusive mental health services in helping students overcome obstacles, stay in school and succeed in their academic journeys,” Bob Booth, chief care officer of TimelyCare, said in a press release.

On-campus help: The survey highlights the role colleges can play in addressing student anxieties. More institutions have invested in mental health interventions since the COVID-19 pandemic, hoping to improve retention and completion among learners.

Students say the mental health supports offered by their institution impact their success by helping them manage stress and anxiety (35 percent), improve their grades (27 percent), and manage depression (14 percent). Six percent of respondents say mental health supports have had no impact on their college experience, or they were unsure of the impact.

While a majority of students say wellness resources positively impact their likelihood to complete, 12 percent note no difference in their likelihood to graduate, and 15 percent say they are less likely to graduate.

Do you have a wellness tip that might help others encourage student success? Tell us about it.

Next Story

More from Health & Wellness