Research Question: How is mental health in college students impacted by an immense course load, new environments, and the transition into independent adulthood?

Blanco C, Okuda M, Wright C, et al. Mental Health of College Students and Their Non-      College-Attending Peers: Results From the National Epidemiologic Study on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2008;65(12):1429–1437. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.65.12.1429

This is a scholarly article about a study conducted regarding the mental health of college students and their respective alcohol consumption.  Interviews showed that nearly half of the college students had experienced some type of psychiatric disorder in the past year. Alcohol-related mental health issues were far more prevalent in college students than their non-college-attending peers.  Additionally, college-attending students were far less likely to seek treatment for their alcohol-induced mental illness. The new environment of college causes students to potentially feel pressured to drink alcohol, which then sometimes leads to mental disorders.  The data displayed in the article helps to validate the information. Although this article is from ten years ago, it is likely that this is still a significant issue in college students.

Davis, Maryann, and Michelle R. Munson. “Youth and Young Adult Mental Health: Interventions, Services, Systems, and Rehabilitation.” Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, vol. 41, no. 4, Dec. 2018, pp. 253–257. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1037/prj0000338.

This article focuses on the types of mental health issues young adults tend to have.  Although it isn’t specific to college students, the age range of the young adults described is the age of typical college students.   There is an emphasis placed on the transition into adulthood, as it is often a trigger of mental illness. Learning how to be an independent adult is difficult for some.  Often, those struggling are more prone to sacrificing their mental health. This article was published in a medical journal, making it credible and reliable.

Mantel, Barbara. “Mental Health Policy.” CQ Researcher, 10 May 2013, pp. 425-48, library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2013051000.

This is an educational site with lots of different research articles on many different topics.  This specific article takes into account many different peoples’ views and opinions on the increasing number of young adults with mental health issues.  The main takeaway is that society has a broken mental health system and there is no one correct way to go about fixing it. Most of the solutions have some type of downfall (budget cuts, for example, being prevalent).  Each of the people who were quoted seems certified. Their education and current occupational status are stated, both of which are impressive.

VanKim, N. A., & Nelson, T. F. (2013). Vigorous Physical Activity, Mental Health, Perceived Stress, and Socializing among College Students. American Journal of Health Promotion, 28(1), 7–15. https://doi.org/10.4278/ajhp.111101-QUAN-395

This is the write-up from a widespread study conducted in 2013 about mental health in college students.  Nearly fifteen thousand students were watched, specifically paying attention to their stress levels, physical activities, social life, and how each relates to their mental health.  The researchers concluded that those who had higher stress levels were more likely to suffer from a mental illness. This is applicable to my research argument, as stress often comes from an immense course load.  At the end of the article, there are citations of the sources who helped put together this experiment. Most of those come from medical research textbooks, making this information valid and credible.