Mental Health of College Students

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Abstract
A random sample of college sophomores was studied regarding their mental health status, mental health service use, and attitudes toward mental health professionals. Data were collected through home interviews and a search of the students' service records at the university. Mental health status was measured by the 22-item Midtown Mental Health Scale. Religious affiliation and performance satisfaction were both found to be significantly related to mental health status. Catholics had higher scores on the mental health symptom scale, while protestant scores were lower. This pattern was reversed in service use. Catholics used mental health services proportionately less than protestants, although this difference did not reach an acceptable level of significance. Performance satisfaction was negatively related to need for mental health services. The relationship between need and use of mental health services was significant only when students' self-report of use of counseling services outside the university system was included. Mental health professionals were seen as more caring, but less helpful than health professionals. “Impaired” students rated mental health professionals as significantly less caring for their patients than “well” students. Implications of these results are discussed.

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