The 2023-2024 Healthy Minds Study, which surveyed more than 100,000 college students across 200 U.S. universities, shows encouraging trends in student mental health perceptions, as well as increases in the number of students receiving mental health support and treatment.
Conducted by the Healthy Minds Network (HMN), a research organization comprised of principal investigators from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); the University of Michigan (UM); Wayne State University; and Boston University, the annual study provides a detailed snapshot of mental health trends within college populations, enabling institutions to benchmark against peers, identify areas for improvement, and advocate for better resources.
“Mental health problems continue to be highly prevalent in college student populations, but the reports from students for this year’s study are promising,” says Justin Heinze, PhD, a professor of health behavior and health equity at UM and a co-principal investigator of the study. “The Healthy Minds Study serves as a barometer for student mental health across the nation. While we’re excited to see this progress, higher education institutions need to continue to prioritize their students’ mental well-being and ensure they have the support services they need to succeed.”
The study reveals positive trends in the public perception of those who receive mental health diagnoses and treatment or services compared to prior years, which correlates with an increase in the number of students seeking treatment for mental health concerns.
This data comes when institutions across the country are increasingly focusing on mental health and implementing campus wide programs to support student well-being. With a collection of more than 15 years of data, HMN researchers are confident that these improvements are due to the ongoing monitoring and tailored interventions used by colleges to respond to changing student needs.
“This positive trend probably reflects more stability and social connection after the pandemic, as well as institutions’ greater efforts to support student mental health,” writes Daniel Eisenberg, PhD, a professor of health policy and management at the UCLA and another co-principal investigator on the study. “One of our major goals in the coming years is to help clarify which population-level strategies are most effective for supporting student mental health.”
To address the growing demand for mental health resources, the network is building a national open-access database of best practices tailored to college campuses. This collection will consolidate and critically assess evidence supporting various mental health programs, allowing campus administrators, mental health professionals, and researchers to quickly identify effective interventions.
Unlike other databases, this repository will feature an active learning network, connecting users with mental health experts to discuss the practicalities of implementing programs.
“As the campus mental health task force uses the repository and network to select and implement a program, they will become part of the growing network, and their input will be invited to help improve the content and useability of the repository moving forward,” HMN researchers wrote in a summary.
The project addresses a pressing need as mental health challenges continue to disproportionately impact students of color, low income students, and others facing discrimination or housing and food insecurity. By synthesizing a vast body of research into a single, accessible platform, HMN aims to offer both immediate support and long-term solutions for improving student mental health outcomes.
