New Barnes & Noble Education Report Finds Gen Z College Students Grapple with Extreme Stress, Mental Health Challenges
12 August 2019 - 9:00PM
Business Wire
Seventy-six percent of students deal with
mental health issues but only 24% have visited on-campus counseling
centers
Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (NYSE:BNED), a leading
provider of educational products and services solutions for higher
education and K-12 institutions, today announced the findings from
its “Mental Health & Well-Being on Campus: How We Better Care
for the Whole Student” report.
Conducted by Barnes & Noble College Insights℠, the report
surveyed college students and parents of current college students
to better understand the state of mental and physical well-being
among college students today.
The report found that college students are under more stress
than ever before – driven by a variety of factors like the current
political environment, academic expectations, financial concerns,
making friends and more. In addition, the report underscores the
role of universities, parents, friends and extended family members
to better assist students in addressing mental health issues. The
report also cites the perspective from three experts on this topic
– Daniel Eisenberg, Ph.D., Healthy Minds Network, University of
Michigan, said Victor Schwartz, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of The
Jed Foundation and Ron Goldman, co-founder and CEO of Kognito.
“Better understanding the current state of students’ mental
health and well-being on college campuses across the country has
become a cornerstone initiative for BNED,” said Mike Huseby, CEO of
BNED. “Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of discussing this
important topic with influential professionals in the field at the
ASU+GSV Summit, the top education technology conference. In
releasing this report, our goal is to continue this important
conversation and provide universities, parents and students
themselves with the information and best practices needed to
alleviate mental health challenges on campuses nationwide.”
Some of the top findings and trends from BNED’s report
include:
- Gen Z is at high risk for dealing with mental health
challenges while at college. According to the report,
roughly three-fourths (76%) of students say they have experienced
mental health issues such as significant stress, anxiety and
depression. These issues are more prevalent among women and
first-generation students. Among students who report mental health
issues, 89% report high levels of stress, 86% experience anxiety
and 66% experience depression. That said, it’s important to note
that mental health challenges don’t necessarily hinder students
from achieving academic success. “A lot of students still manage to
do well in classes despite struggling with mental health issues.
But research from the Healthy Minds Study shows that when students
have high levels of mental health problems (like depressive
symptoms) they are about twice as likely to depart the institution
before graduating,” said Eisenberg.
- Academic performance, tuition payments and political issues
weigh heavy on students. Getting good grades (79%) and
balancing different areas of their lives (74%) cause the most
stress for college students. Parents agreed, with 79% of parents
rating this concern as a “4” on a scale of 1-5 where 1 is not
stressful at all and 5 is extremely stressful. On a positive note,
academics are where students are also most likely to feel
fulfillment. Seventy-nine percent say they feel the most fulfilled
by pursuing a major they are personally interested/passionate about
(79%).
- Campus resources – such as counseling centers – are
underutilized. While 85% of students who responded to
the survey said their school provides resources for mental
health/student well-being, only 24% have used these resources. This
finding shines a light on why universities may want to consider
offering additional options like courses on adjusting to college,
health and wellness programs and student-led support groups. At the
same time, “It’s important to keep in mind: A lot of college mental
health facilities are seeing between 15 and 25% of the student
body, which doesn’t sound so out of line with what the need might
be. Remember, some people are getting support from other places,
like from resources at home,” said Schwartz.
- Parents contribute significantly when it comes to ensuring
student success and mental well-being. Despite
stereotypes about “helicopter parents” being prevalent even for
college students, BNED’s report found that most parents are
moderately involved in their children’s academic lives. In
examining specific ways in which they are involved, most parents
(93%) said they provide financial support – such as paying tuition
and/or room and board – and offering emotional support such as when
their child is homesick. In addition, most parents believe the
stigma around mental health has decreased in recent years – and
many feel comfortable having open conversations with the children
about managing stress and other mental health challenges. And these
conversations – whether it’s with parents, faculty members or
friends – make a difference, according to Ron Goldman, co-founder
and CEO of Kognito. “Conversations play a critical role in building
coping skills, social connectedness, and motivating those in need
to seek help. While these conversations can be difficult, they are
necessary. It is therefore critical that mental health initiatives
at universities and colleges go beyond building awareness of the
impact of psychological distress and begin to train and empower
their faculty, staff, and students with the confidence and
communication skills to seek help and effectively approach those in
need to provide support and motivation to connect with available
help.”
To access the full report, click here. For more information on
Barnes & Noble Education, visit: https://www.bned.com.
Survey Methodology Barnes & Noble College Insights℠
conducted an online quantitative survey among 762 college students
and 1,708 parents of current college students to better understand
the state of mental and physical well-being among college
students.
About Barnes & Noble Education Barnes & Noble
Education, Inc. (NYSE:BNED) is a leading provider of higher
education and K-12 educational products and solutions. Through its
Retail segment, Barnes & Noble Education operates 1,448
physical and virtual bookstores across the U.S., serving more than
6 million students and faculty. Through its Digital Student
Solutions segment, the Company offers direct-to-student products
and services that help students study more effectively and improve
academic performance, enabling them to gain the valuable skills
necessary to succeed after college. Through its Wholesale segment,
the Company operates one of the largest textbook wholesale
distribution channels in the United States. For more information
please visit www.bned.com.
BNED companies include: Barnes & Noble College Booksellers,
LLC, MBS Textbook Exchange, LLC, BNED LoudCloud, LLC, Student
Brands, LLC, and PaperRater, LLC. General information on Barnes
& Noble Education may be obtained by visiting the Company's
corporate website: www.bned.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190812005135/en/
Carolyn J. Brown Senior Vice President Corporate Communications
& Public Affairs (908) 991-2967 cbrown@bned.com
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