University life is often touted as a time for freedom, adventure, and self-discovery – but for many students in England, it can also be a recipe for disaster. A new study from University College London (UCL) has found that university students are at a greater risk of experiencing depression and anxiety compared to their non-student peers.
The research, published in The Lancet Public Health and commissioned by the Department for Education, challenges long-held assumptions about student mental health. According to Dr. Tayla McCloud, first author and researcher in UCL's psychiatry department, previous studies had failed to definitively establish a link between university attendance and poorer mental health.
The study suggests that financial pressures and worries about achieving high results may be contributing factors – particularly given the current cost of living crisis and unprecedented rent increases averaging 8%. This can leave students struggling to make ends meet in many UK cities, where maintenance loans often fall short.
What's more, the findings are concerning given that students often come from more privileged backgrounds, which might be expected to correlate with better mental health outcomes. Dr. McCloud notes that this unexpected result underscores the need for further investigation into the specific risks impacting students.
The research indicated a small but significant difference in symptoms of depression and anxiety at ages 18-19 between students and non-students – even after accounting for factors such as socioeconomic status, parental education, and alcohol consumption. Dr. Gemma Lewis, lead author and Associate Professor at UCL's School of Psychiatry, highlights the potential long-term repercussions of poor mental health during higher education.
The study utilised data from the Longitudinal Studies of Young People in England, examining two cohorts born in 1989-90 and 1998-99. It found that by the age of 25, the initial mental health disparity between graduates and non-graduates had disappeared – but with a caveat: if the risks associated with higher education could be mitigated, the incidence of depression and anxiety among 18-19 year olds could be reduced by 6%. Separate research from King's College London supports this notion, observing a near-tripling of reported mental health problems among university students between 2016-17 and 2022-23.