Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

Mental Health Among College Students: The Correlational Effect on Campus Involvement

Richardson Ballroom (DIGS)

Mental illness is perceived to be one of the most prevalent of illnesses among college students. We examined the relationships between public stigma, self-stigma, mental health (depression and anxiety), and campus involvement. We hypothesized that students who were more involved in campus events (athletic involvement, arts, Greek life, etc.) would have better mental health in terms of being less stressed and less prone to depression and anxiety. One hundred and twenty-one participants completed our online survey. The majority of these participants were enrolled in a southern university and recruited through general courses, some of which offered course credit for participation. Data were collected through a convenience sample, measuring perceptions of public stigma related to seeking a form of mental health treatment, self-stigma related to utilizing counseling services, school-related depression and anxiety, involvement on campus, and concluding with a symptom checklist for depression. We conducted five multiple-regression analyses to predict mental health and perceptions of mental health based on campus involvement. While campus involvement did not predict self-stigma of mental health, anxiety, or depression, it did have marginal significance on perceived public stigma of individuals with mental health related issues. From these results we can conclude campus involvement cannot predict the mental health status of college students.