A systematic mental health assessment of first-year students at a historically Black college

Jessica Moore, David E. Pollio, Carol Tamminga, Preston Wiles, Carol S North

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: A systematic diagnostic mental health assessment was conducted with first-year students at Paul Quinn College, a small historically Black college/university (HBCU) in Dallas, Texas. METHODS: A sample of 128 students was assessed with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for DSM-5 and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. RESULTS: Nearly one-third of students were diagnosed with a current psychiatric disorder, most commonly substance use disorders (17%) and major depressive disorder (9%). Despite these findings, few students had ever received psychiatric treatment, and considering their substantial trauma histories, few developed posttraumatic stress disorder, reflecting protective factors in the HBCU. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of psychiatric disorders in this HBCU study is consistent with findings of studies conducted at predominately White institutions. However, the relatively low access to treatment of these HBCU students suggests relevant mental health care disparities in this population. Further research is needed to develop interventions designed to help connect HBCU students to mental health care.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)176-182
Number of pages7
JournalAnnals of clinical psychiatry : official journal of the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists
Volume34
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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