Black college students contend with culturally specific concerns (e.g., -ism’s, discrimination, and marginalization), which can undermine their mental health and academic performance. Yet, they are less likely to receive support from mental health professionals in college counseling centers. The reasons for service underutilization among Black college students are wide-ranging, and include mental health stigma, cultural mistrust, and the underrepresentation of Black counseling professionals.
Our project integrated secondary data from a multi-institutional survey and primary qualitative data from Black students at two unique institutions.
- First, we utilized existing nationally representative survey data from the Healthy Minds Study (HMS), which included responses from over 2,009 Black college students at 15 racially diverse institutions across the United States. The HMS includes a range of demographic items, as well as measures that assess students’ perceptions of institutional climate (e.g., faculty/student relationships, experiences of discrimination, diversity/inclusion climate, and mental health climate).
- Second, we conducted one-on-one semi-structured interviews with 48 Black college students at a predominantly white institution (PWI) and minority serving institution (MSI) to further explore similarities and differences in the perceived institutional barriers and supports to mental health service utilization and wellness across Black students attending a PWI and MSI.