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A Simple Method for Assessing the Mental Health Status of Students in Higher Education

Author

Listed:
  • Éva Bíró

    (Division of Health Promotion, Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, University of Debrecen, H-4028 Debrecen, Hungary)

  • Róza Ádány

    (Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, University of Debrecen, H-4028 Debrecen, Hungary
    Present Affiliation: Public Health Research Institute University of Debrecen, H-4028 Debrecen, Hungary; MTA-DE Public Health Research Group, Public Health Research Institute, University of Debrecen, H-4028 Debrecen, Hungary.)

  • Karolina Kósa

    (Division of Health Promotion, Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, University of Debrecen, H-4028 Debrecen, Hungary
    Present affiliation: Department of Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.)

Abstract

Mental health problems are common among students in higher education all over the world, so identifying those who are at higher risk would allow the targeted provision of help. Our goal was to develop an assessment tool to identify students at risk for vulnerable mental health status. This tool was created from the 12-item General Health Questionnaire and Antonovsky’s abbreviated sense of coherence scale and was tested to distinguish between those with high or low mental resilience. Predictive ability was characterized by likelihood ratios taking the Beck Depression Inventory and perceived health as references. One-quarter (95% CI 21.1% to 29.7%) of the students had been in vulnerable mental health characterized by low sense of coherence and high distress, whereas 28.4% (95% CI 24.2% to 33.1%) seemed resilient, having high sense of coherence and low distress. The high negative predictive value of the assessment tool reliably identified resilient students in comparison with both the Beck Depression Inventory (98.6%) and perceived health status (83.9%). Use of the assessment tool is recommended for students to distinguish between those at decreased and increased risk in terms of mental health. Mental health services should be offered to students at higher risk.

Suggested Citation

  • Éva Bíró & Róza Ádány & Karolina Kósa, 2019. "A Simple Method for Assessing the Mental Health Status of Students in Higher Education," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-10, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:23:p:4733-:d:291275
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Konttinen, Hanna & Haukkala, Ari & Uutela, Antti, 2008. "Comparing sense of coherence, depressive symptoms and anxiety, and their relationships with health in a population-based study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(12), pages 2401-2412, June.
    2. Lidia Perenc & Mieczyslaw Radochonski, 2016. "Psychological Predictors of Seeking Help from Mental Health Practitioners among a Large Sample of Polish Young Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-9, October.
    3. Jorge Arias-de la Torre & Tania Fernández-Villa & Antonio José Molina & Carmen Amezcua-Prieto & Ramona Mateos & José María Cancela & Miguel Delgado-Rodríguez & Rocío Ortíz-Moncada & Juan Alguacil & Su, 2019. "Psychological Distress, Family Support and Employment Status in First-Year University Students in Spain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-11, April.
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