Wave One Findings | Transitions

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Sample Characteristics

First-generation students represented 17.4% of our sample, close to the 18.9% reported by UNC for the overall population of first-year students.
16.3% of students were classified as sexual/gender minorities, a category characterized by non-binary constructs of sexual orientation, gender, and/or sex.
65.4% of respondents identified as female and 33.5% identified as male. 67% reported being assigned the female sex at birth (33.0% for male sex assignment). The overall population of UNC first-years is reported to be 60.4% female and 39.6% male.
Racial/ethnic breakdown of respondents closely mirrored that of the broader UNC population. See figures below.

Mental Health Prevalence

52.6% of respondents were classified as having minimal anxiety symptoms, 28.4% had mild anxiety symptoms, and 19.0% had moderate to severe anxiety symptoms. See figures below.
44.0% of respondents reported no symptoms of depression, 35.0% reported mild symptoms, and 21% reported moderate to severe symptoms.
11.5% of our sample experienced both anxiety and depression comorbidly, while 16.5% exhibited symptoms of anxiety or depression alone.
29% of respondents reported moderate to severe anxiety, depression or both.

Mental Health by Demographics

Mental health concerns differentially impact students of different racial/ethnic categories.
Black students and students not falling within other racial/ethnic categories reported the highest rates of anxiety and depression symptoms, between 26% and 39%.
Asian students reported the lowest levels of anxiety symptoms, while Hispanic students reported the lowest levels of depression symptoms.
Rates of depression were similar or greater than rates of anxiety symptoms in all racial/ethnic groups.

Rates of depression and anxiety in first-generation students closely mirrored those in non-first-generation students.
Students of sexual/gender minorities experienced substantially higher rates of anxiety and depression (47% versus 24% in non-sexual/gender minority students), with particularly severe elevation in the latter condition.
Students who identified as female report higher rates of anxiety and depression (31% versus 21%).

Understanding Stressors

85% of respondents indicated experiencing at least one stressor, the most common being academics.
Academics was also the most severely experienced stressor, with 40% of the sample attesting they are “very much” stressed by academics.
The second most common source of stress was the future with 79% of respondents.
Appearance, friendships, and health are the next biggest stressors, affecting around 60% of our sample.

For every identified stressor, respondents with anxiety and/or depression symptoms reported a higher prevalence on average than those with mild or no symptoms.

For many stressors, Black and Hispanic students reported higher prevalence than other racial categories.
Racial/ethnic minority students also reported higher severity of stress for many stressors.

First-generation college students in our sample have a 21 percentage point higher prevalence of experiencing finances as a stressor.
First-generation respondents are also more severely stressed, which is consistent with prior research.

Sexual/gender minority students (SGMs) are more stressed about each of the 11 stressors surveyed than non-SGMs.
SGM students are also more severely affected by 10 out of the 11 stressors.

Women in the sample have higher prevalence of each stressor except for romantic relationships.
Academics, peers, health, and appearance have the largest differences in prevalence.

Mental Health and Related Behaviors

Students with symptoms of anxiety/depression are less likely to engage in vigorous exercise at least 3 days a week (49%) compared to students who do not have anxiety/depression symptoms (61%).
52% or respondents with anxiety/depression symptoms sleep less than 7 hours a night, compared to 38% of those without anxiety/depression symptoms.

Rates of attendance at religious groups or services do not differ significantly by anxiety/depression symptoms.
However, 34% of respondents without anxiety/depression practice spiritual/religious meditation very often, compared to about 25% of those with symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Rates of anxiety/depression symptoms almost triple between students who use less than two hours of social media per day (22%) and students who use more than eight hours per day (64%).
Students with higher screen time are more likely to report anxiety/depression symptoms.

Binge drinking rates are slightly lower for those with anxiety/depression symptoms, but the opposite is true for tobacco and drug use.

Utilization of Mental Health Resources

Asian and non-Hispanic White students have the highest rates of unmet need (anxiety and/or depression without utilization of mental health resources) at 58-59%.
Hispanic students have the lowest levels of unmet need at 50%.
Rates of unmet need for first-generation college students are strikingly high at 69% compared to 55% for non-first-generation college students.
The overall level of unmet need for sexual/gender minority students is relatively low at 49% compared to 60% for non-SGMs.
There is higher unmet need among men in the sample at 66% compared to 55% for women.

Key Findings

Black and mixed-race students experience the highest rates of anxiety/depression symptoms.
- Black students reported more prevalent stressors for family, financial, and chronic illness stress.
First-generation college students have similar rates of anxiety/depression symptoms as non-first-generation college students.
- First-generation college students have a higher prevalence of experiencing finances as a stressor in comparison to non-first-generation college students.
Sexual gender minority (SGM) students have significantly higher rates of anxiety/depression symptoms than non-SGM students.
- SGMs are more stressed about each of the 11 stressors surveyed than those who did not identify as SGM.
Women students have higher rates of anxiety/depression symptoms than men.
- Women have higher prevalence of each stressor with the exception of romantic relationships.
The most common stressor in the sample population was academics, affecting 91% of the sample.
- Future was the second most common source of stressor for our sample at 79%.
Several behaviors that have been identified as coping strategies and protective or risk factors in the literature also showed up as related to anxiety/depression symptoms in our sample
- Practicing spiritual or religious techniques is related to lower levels of anxiety/depression symptoms
- Decreased sleep quantity is related to increased anxiety/depression symptoms
- Exercise is related to lower levels of anxiety/depression symptoms.
- Increased social media use is related to increased anxiety/depression symptoms.
- Substance use, including cigarettes, marijuana and other illegal drugs, are associated with increased levels of anxiety/depression symptoms, while binge drinking is slightly lower for those with anxiety/depression symptoms,
- Students with more non-academic screen time have higher levels of anxiety/depression symptoms
Among those with anxiety/depression symptoms, rates of unmet need are high.
- 58% do not get help from UNC CAPS, Student Health Services or off-campus mental health professionals
- Rates of unmet need are even higher for first-generation college students and men.