Introduction to the special issue: The WHO World Mental Health International College Student (WMH‐ICS) initiative

Cuijpers, Pim; Auerbach, Randy P.; Benjet, Corina; Bruffærts, Ronny; Ebert, David Daniel; Karyotaki, Eirini; Kessler, Ronald C.

doi:10.1002/mpr.1762

Cited by 47 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…This study was carried out as part of the WHO World Mental Health International College Student (WMH‐ICS) initiative (WMH‐ICS, ). The WMH‐ICS aims to obtain accurate cross‐national information on the prevalence, incidence, and correlates of mental, substance, and behavioural problems among college students worldwide; to describe patterns of service use, barriers to treatment, and unmet need for treatment; to investigate the associations of these disorders with role function in academic and other life domains; to evaluate the effects of a wide range of preventive and clinical interventions on student mental health, functioning, and academic performance; and to develop precision medicine clinical decision support tools to help select the right interventions for the right students (see Cuijpers et al, ). The WHM‐ICS's meta‐analysis initiative and this specific study have both been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42017068758; CRD42018090259).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Internet interventions for mental health in university students: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Harrer

Adam

Baumeister

et al. 2018

Int J Methods Psych Res

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Objectives Mental health disorders are highly prevalent among university students. Universities could be an optimal setting to provide evidence‐based care through the Internet. As part of the World Mental Health International College Student initiative, this systematic review and meta‐analysis synthesizes data on the efficacy of Internet‐based interventions for university students' mental health. Method A systematic literature search of bibliographical databases (CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO) for randomized trials examining psychological interventions for the mental health (depression, anxiety, stress, sleep problems, and eating disorder symptoms), well‐being, and functioning of university students was performed through April 30, 2018. Results Forty‐eight studies were included. Twenty‐three studies (48%) were rated to have low risk of bias. Small intervention effects were found on depression (g = 0.18, 95% confidence interval [CI; 0.08, 0.27]), anxiety (g = 0.27, 95% CI [0.13, 0.40]), and stress (g = 0.20, 95% CI [0.02, 0.38]). Moderate effects were found on eating disorder symptoms (g = 0.52, 95% CI [0.22–0.83]) and role functioning (g = 0.41, 95% CI [0.26, 0.56]). Effects on well‐being were non‐significant (g = 0.15, 95% CI [−0.20, 0.50]). Heterogeneity was moderate to substantial in many analyses. After adjusting for publication bias, effects on anxiety were not significant anymore. Discussion Internet interventions for university students' mental health can have significant small‐to‐moderate effects on a range of conditions. However, more research is needed to determine student subsets for which Internet‐based interventions are most effective and to explore ways to increase treatment effectiveness.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Internet interventions for mental health in university students: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Harrer

Adam

Baumeister

et al. 2018

Int J Methods Psych Res

Self Cite

324

250

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“…In preparation for developing a series of interventions to address these problems, we carried out a survey to estimate prevalence of common mental disorders and correlates of mental healthcare utilisation among first-year students at two historically "White" universities in SA. This work was carried out as part of the WHO World Mental Health International College Student Initiative (WMH-ICS) [10]. We were particularly interested in potential inequalities in service utilisation among groups of students that have been historically marginalized from higher education in SA, including those who identify as Black, female, disabled, and firstgeneration students.…”

Section: Inequality and Mental Healthcare Utilisation Among First-yeamentioning

confidence: 99%

Inequality and mental healthcare utilisation among first-year university students in South Africa

Bantjes

Saal

Löchner

et al. 2020

Int J Ment Health Syst

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Background: Addressing inequalities in mental healthcare utilisation among university students is important for socio-political transformation, particularly in countries with a history of educational exclusion. Methods: As part of the WHO World Mental Health International College Student Initiative, we investigated inequalities in mental healthcare utilisation among first-year students at two historically "White" universities in South Africa. Data were collected via a web-based survey from first-year university students (n = 1402) to assess 12-month mental healthcare utilisation, common mental disorders, and suicidality. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate associations between sociodemographic variables and mental healthcare utilisation, controlling for common mental disorders and suicidality. Results: A total of 18.1% of students utilised mental healthcare in the past 12 months, with only 28.9% of students with mental disorders receiving treatment (ranging from 28.1% for ADHD to 64.3% for bipolar spectrum disorder). Of those receiving treatment, 52.0% used psychotropic medication, 47.3% received psychotherapy, and 5.4% consulted a traditional healer. Treatment rates for suicidal ideation, plan and attempt were 25.4%, 41.6% and 52.9%, respectively. In multivariate regression models that control for the main effects of mental health variables and all possible joint effects of sociodemographic variables, the likelihood of treatment was lower among males (aOR = 0.57) and Black students (aOR = 0.52). An interaction was observed between sexual orientation and first generation status; among second-generation students, the odds of treatment were higher for students reporting an atypical sexual orientation (aOR = 1.55), while among students with atypical sexual orientations, the likelihood of mental healthcare utilisation was lower for first-generation students (aOR = 0.29). Odds of treatment were significantly elevated among students with major depressive disorder (aOR = 1.88), generalised anxiety disorder (aOR = 2.34), bipolar spectrum disorder (aOR = 4.07), drug use disorder (aOR = 3.45), suicidal ideation (without plan or attempt) (aOR = 2.00), suicide plan (without attempt) (aOR = 3.64) and suicide attempt (aOR = 4.57). Likelihood of treatment increased with level of suicidality, but not number of mental disorders. Conclusion: We found very low mental healthcare treatment utilisation among first-year university students in South Africa, with enduring disparities among historically marginalised groups. Campus-based interventions are needed to

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“…A different approach has been taken in the WHO World Mental Health International College Student (WMH‐ICS) initiative which takes its starting point in the collection, analysis and dissemination of epidemiological information using bona fide instruments on student mental health and targeting a defined sampling frame of students (see Cuijpers et al, ). Based on a sample of 13,984 students with a weighted mean response rate of 45.5%, Bruffaerts et al () reported the lifetime prevalence of depression and anxiety to be 21.2% and 18.6%, respectively.…”

Section: Definitions: Psychological Wellbeing and Mental Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The mental health of students in national and international higher education (HE) settings is recognised as an important public health issue (e.g., Brown, ; Holm‐Hadulla & Koutsoukou‐Argyraki, ; also see comprehensive review by Sharp & Theiler, ). A range of organisations in Australia (Orygen & The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, ), Canada (Beckett, Bertolo, MacCabe, & Tulk, ) and the US (American College Health Association, ) have produced reports raising concerns about students’ wellbeing and mental health, in addition to reports and surveys published in the UK—for example The Insight Network and Dig‐in ()—and also recent special issues of journals devoted to student mental health (see Brown, ; Cuijpers et al, ). In the UK, key initiatives have included funding from UK Research and Innovation to support a research network focusing specifically on student mental health (see Student Mental Health Research Network; SMarTeN, https://www.smarten.org.uk/), as well as a 2018 government‐initiated directive to establish a University Mental Health Charter (Student Minds, ; https://www.studentminds.org.uk/charter.html).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards an evidence‐base for student wellbeing and mental health: Definitions, developmental transitions and data sets

Barkham

Broglia

Dufour

et al. 2019

Couns and Psychother Res

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Against a background of huge changes in the world of university and college students since the turn of the millennium, together with a multitude of reports on student mental health/wellbeing, this article argues that the field of student mental health is hampered by the imprecise use of terms, a rush to action by universities in the absence of a robust evidence-base, and a lack of overall coordination and collaboration in the collection and use of data. In response, we argue for clearer and more consistent use of definitions of, as well as differentiations between, student wellbeing and mental health, for a longitudinal approach to the student body that captures their developmental transitions to and through university, and a strategic and systematic approach to the use of bona fide measures in the collection of data on wellbeing and on the process of outcomes in embedded university counselling services. Such a coordinated approach will provide the necessary evidence-base upon which to develop and deliver appropriate support and interventions to underpin and enhance the quality of students' lives and learning while at university or college. K E Y W O R D S student mental health, wellbeing, university embedded counselling services, transitions, outcome measures | 357 BARKHAM et Al.

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Introduction to the special issue: The WHO World Mental Health International College Student (WMH‐ICS) initiative

Cited by 47 publications

References 12 publications

Internet interventions for mental health in university students: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Internet interventions for mental health in university students: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Inequality and mental healthcare utilisation among first-year university students in South Africa

Towards an evidence‐base for student wellbeing and mental health: Definitions, developmental transitions and data sets

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