College student mental health improves, but significant needs remain
· Medical Xpressedited by Gaby Clark, reviewed by Andrew Zinin
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College students are reporting lower rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, continuing a multiyear pattern of improvement, according to recent findings from the 2025–2026 Healthy Minds Study.
The national student report—based on responses from 67,477 students at 107 colleges and universities—found that 34% screened positive for moderate or severe depression, down from 37% in the previous report. Moderate or severe anxiety declined from 32% to 30%, while suicidal ideation fell from 11% to 10%.
Positive mental health, measured through relationships, self-esteem, purpose and optimism, increased from 36% to 43%.
"The data are truly encouraging," said Justin Heinze, co-principal investigator of the Healthy Minds Study and an associate professor of health behavior and health equity at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.
"Not only are we seeing the continuation of a downward trend in screens for major mental health concerns, but we're also seeing general well-being improve. It's not a guarantee that decreasing depression or anxiety means an increase in positive mental health, so I'm really pleased to see that prevalence going up—but clearly there is still a lot of need."
Despite the improvements, mental health challenges remain widespread. One-quarter of students reported nonsuicidal self-injury during the past year, 28% screened positive for being at risk for an eating disorder and two-thirds said emotional or mental difficulties had affected their academic performance during the previous four weeks.
Mental health care and barriers
Among students who screened positive for depression or anxiety, 61% received counseling, psychiatric medication or both during the past year. Across all students, 36% received therapy and 30% took psychiatric medication.
Time and cost remained major barriers. Twenty-three percent cited insufficient time, 19% cited financial reasons and 12% said they were unsure where to go for care.
The report also found that 7% of students received counseling or support from an artificial intelligence chatbot such as ChatGPT, reflecting a changing landscape of informal and digital help-seeking.
"AI chatbots are becoming part of the mental health support landscape for college students, and that raises important questions about safety, effectiveness, equity and how these tools fit into the broader network of care that campuses provide," said Erin Voichoski, statistician and data manager of the Healthy Minds Study. "We need to better understand what students are seeking from these tools and how they may be able to complement—not replace—meaningful connections with mental health professionals and other sources of support."
Faculty and staff balance student support with their own needs
A companion Healthy Minds Study report surveyed 5,557 faculty and staff members at 16 institutions. Nearly half—48%—had a one-on-one conversation with a student about mental or emotional health during the previous year. However, only about half felt confident recognizing student distress, and 16% said supporting students had taken a toll on their own mental health.
Among faculty and staff, 16% screened positive for depression, 16% for anxiety and 28% reported high or very high work-related burnout. Only 30% agreed that their institution prioritized employee mental health, compared with 61% who said student mental health was an institutional priority.
Together, the reports show that campus mental health extends beyond counseling centers. It affects academic performance, employee well-being and the faculty and staff members that students often approach for support.
More information
Healthy Minds Study, healthymindsnetwork.org/wp-con … onal-Data-Report.pdf
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PsychiatryPsychology & Mental health Provided by University of Michigan Who's behind this story?
Gaby Clark
MA in English, copy editor since 2021 with experience in higher education and health content. Dedicated to trustworthy science news. Full profile →
Andrew Zinin
Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success. Full profile →
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