Prevalence of Psychological Symptoms Among Undergraduate Students in an Ethnically Diverse Urban Public College

Abstract

The levels of psychological symptoms (anger, anxiety, and depression) among 595 college students in an ethnically diverse urban public college were surveyed. The students reported a wide range of symptoms that were quite similar to those reported by a representative sample of adults in the United States in the 1990s. Among these Asian, Black/African American, Latino/Hispanic, White, and other ethnic minority students, women's levels of symptoms were higher than men's (although the differences were small). Older students reported lower levels of anger and depression (the differences were even smaller), and ethnic groups did not differ in manifestations of psychological symptoms. Some of these students, however, reported problematic levels of psychological symptoms that were similar to those reported by more traditional college and university students.

Key Words:

• anger
• anxiety
• college students
• depression
• ethnic groups

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Beth Spenciner Rosenthal

Beth Spenciner Rosenthal is an associate professor of social work, and Arleen Cedeno Schreiner is a professor in counseling at York College of The City University of New York, Jamaica.