New Survey Finds College Students Nearly 50% More Likely Than High Schoolers to Self-Report High-Risk Mental or Behavioral Health Concerns – and Parents May Not Know

UnitedHealthcare today announced new survey findings from its second annual Student Behavioral Health Report, revealing college students are more likely to self-report they or a roommate/friend encountered high-risk mental or behavioral health concerns in the past year compared to high school students.

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Tips to Support Student Mental Health. UnitedHealthcare Student Behavioral Health Report. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Findings further show a significant gap remains between what college students self-report and what parents of college students perceive. In contrast, parents of high schoolers report perceptions closely aligned with the experiences high school students self-report.

Data reveal among college students, 77% self-reported they or a classmate or friend encountered at least one mental or behavioral health concern in the past year, including anxiety/stress (55%), depression (41%) and suicidal ideation and intent* (13%). These figures represent a near-50% jump compared to self-reported high school student experiences with the same concerns (35%, 20% and 9%, respectively). Further, data show parent perceptions of these concerns do not change from high school to college – highlighting a possible “perception gap” that may impact parent-child conversations.

The Student Behavioral Health Report also reveals additional insights, including:

• An association between more frequent discussions of students’ mental or behavioral health and significant increases in students self-reporting feeling “supported.”
• Trends in the influencing factors that may surround students’ mental and behavioral health across high school and college years.
• Key differences in the way parents understand challenges facing high school vs. college students.

“Youth mental and behavioral health remains an urgent priority. The challenges students experience increase dramatically during college and parents may not realize it,” said Dr. Donald Tavakoli, national medical director for behavioral health, UnitedHealthcare. “Recognizing the potential gaps between parent perceptions and student experiences, especially in the transition from high school to college, can help parents stay connected and supportive.”