Mental Health Treatment and First-Year Adjustment to College

The transition from high school to college can be a difficult one for many young adults. Having received mental health treatment prior to college may provide students with helpful skills and coping techniques, as well as better tools to manage stress and anxiety. It could also be that those who have sought treatment are more likely to have difficulty adjusting to college because they have struggled with their mental health before. This study measured adjustment to college by assessing first-year adjustment levels in terms of academics, social life, personality and emotionality, and affinity towards the institution, as well as demographic information specifically regarding previous mental health support. It was hypothesized that those who received mental health treatment prior to the start of college will adjust better in terms of academics, social life, personality and emotionality, and affinity towards the institution. The analysis showed that those who received mental health treatment prior to the start of college adjusted significantly better in a personal and emotional sense when compared to students who did not receive mental health treatment prior to the start of college.