How do university students cope? An exploration of the health theory of coping in a US sample

Abstract

Objective

Despite the increasing prevalence of psychological distress in university and college students, little is known about their use of coping strategies. This study explored healthy and unhealthy coping strategies in this population. Participants: A representative sample of 509 students at a large public university in the US. Methods: This study analyzed survey data from a special version of the Healthy Minds Study. Results: The most frequently used healthy strategies were distraction, deep breathing, relaxation and social activity. The most frequently used unhealthy coping strategies were spending time alone and eating. Students who used more unhealthy coping and fewer healthy strategies were more likely to have clinical levels of depression and anxiety symptoms. Relatively few students with clinical symptoms used professional support as a coping strategy. Conclusions: The results suggest that population-level monitoring and coping interventions may be promising avenues to improve university student wellbeing.

Keywords:

• College
• coping
• help-seeking
• mental health
• stress

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the USA and received approval from the University of Michigan.

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.