A Bioecological Systems Approach for Navigating the College Mental Health Crisis
Abstract
McLean Hospital's College Mental Health Program was established four years ago as an institutional response to escalating, national college mental health concerns. The critical factors underlying the college mental health crisis in this country have been debated, examined, and addressed almost exclusively within college and university settings. McLean Hospital is the first psychiatric hospital to develop a comprehensive college student program that bridges the gap between a psychiatric hospital and multiple campus settings as an attempt to address the specific needs of college student-patients across levels of psychiatric care and diagnostic areas/programs. Using a bioecological systems framework, this review examines (1) the strategic clinical, education/outreach, and research efforts that collectively represent a paradigm shift to extend responsibility for addressing serious college mental health challenges beyond college and university campuses, (2) the challenges and benefits of creating stronger multi-campus/hospital collaborations in order to improve our understanding of college students with serious mental illness, and (3) the progress in addressing these needs more effectively and in establishing documented best practices and policies through effective and innovative partnerships.
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Increased numbers of adults, particularly university students, are experiencing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, which are exacerbated by the recent restrictions introduced because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Increased numbers of adults, particularly university students, are experiencing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression [1,2], which are exacerbated by the recent restrictions introduced because of the COVID-19 pandemic [3,4].”
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- Authors
- Pinder-Amaker, S., & Bell, C.
- Affiliations
- Harvard University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Pinder-Amaker, Stephanie
- Venue
- Harvard Review of Psychiatry
- Published
- 2012-08-21
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 174-188
- ISSN
- 1067-3229 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1964277723
- Cited by
- 31
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 3
- FWCI
- 2.18
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Harvard Review of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- McLean Hospital
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychiatric care and mental health services
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › School Health and Nursing Education
- Keywords
- college student mental health
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Mental Disorders, Cooperative Behavior, Health Policy, Health Services Needs and Demand, Health Services Research, Humans, Mental Health Services, Student Health Services, Students, United States, Practice Guidelines as Topic, Interdisciplinary Communication, Young Adult
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