Inside Higher Ed | "Only one-third of college students have positive mental health"

Inside Higher Ed interviewed Dr. Daniel Eisenberg, professor in the UCLA Fielding School's Department of Health Policy and Management, about the 2024-2025 Healthy Minds Survey.

College students continue to report poor mental health, with more than one in three students saying they experience moderate anxiety or depression.

Data from the most recent Survey found that only 36 percent of college students are thriving—reporting high levels of success in relationships, self-esteem, purpose and optimism—down slightly from 38 percent the previous year.

But in some areas, the data shows slight improvement since the COVID-19 pandemic, with fewer students reporting anxiety, self-harm and suicidal ideation than in 2021–22. Student usage of mental health resources also continues to climb; 37 percent of all respondents said they’d accessed therapy or counseling in the past 12 months, compared to 30 percent in 2018–19.

"We should be encouraged that we’re seeing some signs of a positive trend, but we also should keep in mind that the levels are very high,” said Eisenberg, the study’s lead author.

Read the Inside Higher Ed article.