How to Crush Anxiety in College
According to a study published in the Journal of College Counseling, academic distress is the greatest predictor of anxiety among college students (Jones et al., 2018). The authors of the journal article used the Center for Collegiate Mental Health data from 2013-2014, which included 80,509 college students from counseling centers in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. These college students completed self-report questionnaires regarding mental health concerns and psychological symptoms (e.g., anxiety), as well as life circumstances (e.g., financial stress, family and peer support). Additional results of the study included the following: female college students experience more anxiety than male college students, LGBTQ college students experience more anxiety than heterosexual college students, similar rates of anxiety are experienced across college students of varying races and ethnicities, greater anxiety is related to greater financial stress, and greater peer and family support is related to less anxiety. This study has implications for the prevention and treatment of anxiety, one of the most common mental health concerns among college students.
How is Anxiety Related to Academic Distress, Financial Stress, and Social Support?
College students are experiencing more anxiety and related concerns, such as stress, exhaustion, and hopelessness. Increased anxiety is related to a number of negative outcomes, including lower academic performance. In college, students face the pressure to succeed and compete with their peers academically, as well as to determine postgraduation plans. While some level of anxiety can be helpful for academic achievement, heightened levels of anxiety can actually hinder academic performance. Feelings of stress due to financial circumstances (e.g., not having enough money to cover tuition and living expenses, having to work multiple jobs to pay for college) not only increases anxiety, but can also contribute to less time for academic work, further contributing to lower academic achievement. With the rise in tuition and living costs, college students are often faced with a lack of financial resources, which can negatively impact access to housing, nutrition, and health insurance. Despite increased rates of anxiety among college students, social support from family and friends serves as a protective factor. College students who can rely on their family and friends for emotional support and/or direct academic assistance experience less academic distress and financial stress and are better able to adjust to college.
Ways to Alleviate Anxiety
Learn skills for increasing academic performance: Take time to learn and consistently practice study skills (e.g., note-taking, memorization techniques, study schedule) and time management strategies (e.g., goal setting, prioritizing, using a planner) that may help decrease concerns about academic performance. Meeting with a professor and/or college advisor about additional instructional supports (e.g., tutoring) and guidance in academic planning (e.g., class schedule, career goals) can improve confidence in school success.
Connect with your social support system: Stay in touch with those people in your life who provide emotional support when needed. Communicate feelings of stress and anxiety related to academic performance and pressures with family and friends who can lend an empathetic ear. Regularly connecting with your social support systems can decrease feelings of isolation.
Seek support from a professional: When anxiety becomes overwhelming, reach out to a college counseling center or psychologist who can provide Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This type of counseling focuses on increasing skills for decreasing anxiety and empowering students to effectively cope with life stressors, like academic pressure. Student Success Psychological Services offers online CBT that can help. Click here to learn more.
Find the link to the full research article here: https://doi.org/10.1002/jocc.12107
Jones, P. J., Park, S. Y., & Lefevor, G. T. (2018). Contemporary college student anxiety: The role of academic distress, financial stress, and support. Journal of College Counseling, 21(3), 252-264.