Abstract
Mental health issues are prevalent and increasing on college campuses. Prior research indicates that students’ depression, anxiety, and stress are all related negatively with academic achievement, but little research identifies reasons why students with psychological difficulties do not perform as well as their peers without these difficulties. This research proposed that students with poor psychological well-being (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress) may be less inclined to communicate in class. Participants (N = 204) completed a survey and reported on their own depression, anxiety, stress, and interaction involvement in class. Results indicated that students who were more depressed, anxious, and stressed reported less interaction involvement in a college course.
Notes
Previous research suggests that people with diagnosed psychological difficulties may actually pay more attention to others’ behaviors and feelings toward them (Chow, Berenbaum, & Flores, Citation2013; Wilhelm, Boyce, & Brownhill, Citation2004), which is due in part to their already low self-esteem and fragile self-concept.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Shannon T. Carton
Shannon T. Carton (MA, DePaul University, 2012) is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Communication Studies at West Virginia University.
Alan K. Goodboy
Alan K. Goodboy (PhD, West Virginia University, 2007) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at West Virginia University.