Distinguishing the need for crisis mental health services among college students.

Abstract

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported online in Psychological Services on Aug 19 2021 (see record 2021-78000-001). In the original article, the Method heading that appears above the Crisis Walk-In Sessions heading should appear instead as the Results. All versions of this article have been corrected.] The increasing frequency of college students' use of crisis mental health services at college counseling centers is exacerbating the existing challenges college counseling centers face to meet students' growing demand for mental healthcare on campus. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether any clinical or demographic variables distinguished between students in the clinical population who did and did not use crisis services, including crisis walk-in sessions and transport to the hospital for emergency psychiatric evaluation. Clinical and demographic data from the intake paperwork of 408 students who received services from a university counseling center over a 2-year time-period were collected and analyzed to determine whether any variables were associated with significantly higher levels of crisis service use. Only prior use of self-harm as a coping strategy was associated with both increased likelihood of accessing crisis walk-in sessions and hospital transports. Black students were more likely to use crisis walk-in sessions than White students and students with a history of prior counseling were more likely to attend multiple crisis walk-in sessions. A higher likelihood of being transported to the hospital was associated with history of prior counseling, suicidal ideation at intake, higher scores on the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 depression and social anxiety subscales, and use of one versus multiple crisis walk-in sessions. Results are discussed in the context of how counseling centers might employ these findings to identify students who are more likely to require crisis services and target interventions proactively to mitigate this need. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).