Research Blog #4: Research Proposal

Working Title: Destigmatization of Mental Health in College

Topic:

I will explore the increased demand for mental health services over the past six years and the affect it has had on higher education. My aim in this paper is to link the destigmatization over mental health to the increasing rates of anxiety and depression among college students and if this is directly correlated to the increase of tuition prices caused by the privatization of higher education.

Research Question:

Why has the topic of mental health becomed destigmatized among college students over the past six years? Is the demand for mental health services due to society becoming more progressive on the issue or is it due to the alarming increase of mental health related issues such as anxiety and depression being reported among college students? How is the privatization of higher education related to this increased demand for services?

Theoretical Frame:

I will be using the academic theory on mental health provided by the WHO organization and listed in the National Council of Disability (NCD) report, where they state that “mental health and well-being are fundamental to humans’ collective and individual ability to think, emote, interact with one another, earn a living, and enjoy life. On this basis, the promotion, protection, and restoration of mental health can be regarded as a vital concern for individuals, communities, and societies throughout the world”. This theory stresses that mental health is not only fundamental for the well being and day to day function of human beings but also presents a destigmatized view on mental health that should be adopted by society. I will use this theory to analyze other case studies on mental health services provided in private education to see if this destigmatized view being presented by the NCD is also being adopted by universities.

Terms and ideas that I got from my reading are the determinants for mental health which are also defined in the NCD report. Also the idea of a link between anxiety, which is has become the number one psychiatric diagnosis among college aged adults, and the increased prices of tuition along the past six years. This topic interests me because not only  do I deal with anxiety but I am also college student who has to deal with effects of the privatization of higher education.

Research and Plan:

A specific example I will be using to explore my question and help to provide evidence for my argument is the article by Richard Balon, "College mental health: a vulnerable population in an environment with systemic deficiencies". In this article he is assessing whether colleges are adequately meeting the increased demands for mental health services and whether the services they are supplying are sufficient. He also provides evidence that although there has been a destigmatization in society’s overall approach to the topic of mental health, there is still stigma around college students because although they are more open about the topic they don't seek help and fear having a “record”. I am also looking at the report released this year by the NCD titled, “Mental Health on College Campuses: Investments, Accommodations Needed to Address Student Needs”. This report provides many of the key terms I will be using in my paper as well as statistics of the resources currently being provided on college campuses.

Working Bibliography:

1. Eisenberg, Daniel, et al. "Stigma and help seeking for mental health among college students." Medical Care Research and Review 66.5 (2009): 522-541.
2. “Mental Health on College Campuses: Investments, Accommodations Needed to Address Student Needs.” NCD.gov, National Council of Disability, 21 July 2017, www.ncd.gov/publications/2017/mental-health-college-campuses-investments-accommodations-needed-address-student.
3. Yamaguchi, Sosei, Yoshio Mino, and Shahir Uddin. "Strategies and future attempts to reduce stigmatization and increase awareness of mental health problems among young people: a narrative review of educational interventions." Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences 65.5 (2011): 405-415.
4. Kruisselbrink Flatt, Alicia. "A Suffering Generation: Six Factors Contributing to the Mental Health Crisis in North American Higher Education." College Quarterly 16.1 (2013): n1.
5. Balon, Richard, et al. "College mental health: a vulnerable population in an environment with systemic deficiencies." (2015): 495-497.