Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) has completed a report on the results of the third phase of its College Student Mental Health Survey. The survey is a long-term project undertaken by CAPS, a unit within the Division of Student Affairs, to describe, inform, and extend knowledge and understanding of college student mental health.
CAPS started the survey in 2004 with the two-fold purpose of covering the broad range of college student mental health issues and collecting information from a diverse sample of all U-M students. Each phase of the survey has standard sections as well as a unique focus — the Phase III focus is on students’ experiences of “stigma.”
“The use of data to inform our work is one of the tenets of university life,” says CAPS Director Todd Sevig, who also chairs the U-M Mental Health Work Group. “We are eager to share the data with our colleagues across the university community so that they are more aware of mental health issues and perceptions among our students. The information helps all of us to be better at understanding and supporting students who may need help dealing with anxiety, stress, low self-esteem, depression and other mental health issues.”
The results of the latest survey, as well as the summaries of the two previous surveys, are available at www.umich.edu/~caps/research.html.
Sevig hopes that the report will be shared by faculty and staff to help address concerns and issues of student mental health. Additionally, the Mental Health Work Group – a collaboration of several campus units – has developed a website of student mental health resources: www.umich.edu/~mhealth.
