Person: Mortier, Philippe
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Publication Mental disorders among college students in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys
(Cambridge University Press (CUP), 2016) Auerbach, Randy; Alonso, Jose; Axinn, W. G.; Cuijpers, P.; Ebert, D. D.; Green, J. G.; Hwang, Irving; Kessler, Ronald; Liu, Howard; Mortier, Philippe; Nock, Matthew; Pinder-Amaker, Stephanie; Sampson, Nancy; Aguilar-Gaxiola, S.; Al-Hamzawi, A.; Andrade, L. H.; Benjet, C.; Caldas-de-Almeida, J. M.; Demyttenaere, K.; Florescu, S.; de Girolamo, G.; Gureje, O.; Haro, J. M.; Karam, E. G.; Kiejna, A.; Kovess-Masfety, V.; Lee, S.; McGrath, J. J.; O, S.; Pennell, B.-E.; Scott, K.; ten Have, M.; Torres, Y.; Zaslavsky, Alan; Zarkov, Z.; Bruffaerts, R.Background
Although mental disorders are significant predictors of educational attainment throughout the entire educational career, most research on mental disorders among students has focused on the primary and secondary school years.
Methods
The World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys were used to examine the associations of mental disorders with college entry and attrition by comparing college students (n = 1,572) and nonstudents in the same age range (18–22; n = 4,178), including nonstudents who recently left college without graduating (n = 702) based on surveys in 21 countries (4 low/lower-middle income, 5 upper middle-income, 1 lower-middle or upper-middle at the times of two different surveys, and 11 high income). Lifetime and 12-month prevalence and age-of-onset of DSM-IV anxiety, mood, behavioural and substance disorders were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview.
Results
One-fifth (20.3%) of college students had 12-month DSM-IV/CIDI disorders. 83.1% of these cases had pre-matriculation onsets. Disorders with pre-matriculation onsets were more important than those with post-matriculation onsets in predicting subsequent college attrition, with substance disorders and, among women, major depression the most important such disorders. Only 16.4% of students with 12-month disorders received any 12-month healthcare treatment for their mental disorders.
Conclusions
Mental disorders are common among college students, have onsets that mostly occur prior to college entry, in the case of pre-matriculation disorders are associated with college attrition, and are typically untreated. Detection and effective treatment of these disorders early in the college career might reduce attrition and improve educational and psychosocial functioning.
Publication The impact of lifetime suicidality on academic performance in college freshmen
(Elsevier BV, 2015) Mortier, Philippe; Demyttenaere, K.; Auerbach, Randy; Green, J.G.; Kessler, Ronald; Kiekens, G.; Nock, Matthew; Bruffaerts, R.Background
While suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) among college students are common, the associations between STB and academic performance are not well understood.
Methods
As part of the World Mental Health Surveys International College Student project, web-based self-reported STB of KU Leuven (Leuven, Belgium) incoming freshmen (N=4921; response rate=65.4%) was collected, as well as academic year percentage (AYP), and the departments to which students belong. Single- and multilevel multivariate analyses were conducted, adjusted for gender, age, parental educational level, and comorbid lifetime emotional problems.
Results
Lifetime suicide plan and attempt upon college entrance were associated with significant decreases in AYP (3.6% and 7.9%, respectively). A significant interaction was found with average departmental AYP, with STB more strongly associated with reduced AYP in departments with lower than higher average AYP.
Limitations
Limited sample size precluded further investigation of interactions between department-level and student-level variables. No information was available on freshman secondary school academic performance.
Conclusions
Lifetime STB has a strong negative association with academic performance in college. Our study suggests a potential role for the college environment as target for treatment and prevention interventions.