Prevalence, age-of-onset, and course of mental disorders among 72,288 first-year university students from 18 countries in the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative

Andre Mason; Charlene Rapsey; Nancy Sampson; Sue Lee; Yesica Albor; Ahmad N. Al-Hadi; Jordi Alonso; Nouf Al-Saud; Yasmin Altwaijri; Claes Andersson; Lukoye Atwoli; Randy P. Auerbach; Caroline Ayuya; Patricia M. Báez-Mansur; Laura Ballester; Jason Bantjes; Harald Baumeister; Marcus Bendtsen; Corina Benjet; Anne H. Berman; Erik Bootsma; Silver C.N. Chan; Irina Cohut; María Anabell Covarrubias Díaz Couder; Pim Cuijpers; Oana David; Dong Dong; David D. Ebert; Mireia Felez Nobrega; Jorge Gaete; Carlos García Forero; Margalida Gili; Raúl Gutiérrez-García; Josep Maria Haro; Penelope Hasking; Kristen Hudec; Xanthe Hunt; Petra Hurks; Mathilde Husky; Florence Jaguga; Leontien Jansen; Fanny Kählke; Elisabeth Klinkenberg; Ann Marie Küchler; Álvaro I. Langer; Irene Léniz; Yan Liu; Scarlett Mac-Ginty; Vania Martínez; Muthoni Mathai; Margaret McLafferty; Andrea Miranda-Mendizabal; Elaine Murray; Catherine M. Musyoka; Catalin Nedelcea; Chun Ho Ngai; Daniel Núñez; Siobhan O'Neill; Jose A. Piqueras; Codruta A. Popescu; Kealagh Robinson; Tiscar Rodriguez-Jimenez; Damian Scarf; Oi Ling Siu; Dan J. Stein; Sascha Y. Struijs; Cristina Tomoiaga; Karla Patricia Valdés-García; Sanne van Luenen; Daniel V. Vigo; Angel Y. Wang; Reinout Wiers; Samuel Y.S. Wong; Ronald C. Kessler; Ronny Bruffaerts; Rodrigo Antunes Lima; Elsie Breet; Nadia Garnefski; Karen Jacobs; Vivian Kraaij; Lonna Munro; Richard J. Munthali; Ana Paula Prescivalli; Marisa Rebagliato; Miquel Roca; Elske Salemink; Claudia van der Heijde

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.02.016

Prevalence, age-of-onset, and course of mental disorders among 72,288 first-year university students from 18 countries in the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative

Andre Mason, Charlene Rapsey, Nancy Sampson, Sue Lee, Yesica Albor, Ahmad N. Al-Hadi, Jordi Alonso, Nouf Al-Saud, Yasmin Altwaijri, Claes Andersson, Lukoye Atwoli, Randy P. Auerbach, Caroline Ayuya, Patricia M. Báez-Mansur, Laura Ballester, Jason Bantjes, Harald Baumeister, Marcus Bendtsen, Corina Benjet, Anne H. BermanErik Bootsma, Silver C.N. Chan, Irina Cohut, María Anabell Covarrubias Díaz Couder, Pim Cuijpers, Oana David, Dong Dong, David D. Ebert, Mireia Felez Nobrega, Jorge Gaete, Carlos García Forero, Margalida Gili, Raúl Gutiérrez-García, Josep Maria Haro, Penelope Hasking, Kristen Hudec, Xanthe Hunt, Petra Hurks, Mathilde Husky, Florence Jaguga, Leontien Jansen, Fanny Kählke, Elisabeth Klinkenberg, Ann Marie Küchler, Álvaro I. Langer, Irene Léniz, Yan Liu, Scarlett Mac-Ginty, Vania Martínez, Muthoni Mathai, Margaret McLafferty, Andrea Miranda-Mendizabal, Elaine Murray, Catherine M. Musyoka, Catalin Nedelcea, Chun Ho Ngai, Daniel Núñez, Siobhan O'Neill, Jose A. Piqueras, Codruta A. Popescu, Kealagh Robinson, Tiscar Rodriguez-Jimenez, Damian Scarf, Oi Ling Siu, Dan J. Stein, Sascha Y. Struijs, Cristina Tomoiaga, Karla Patricia Valdés-García, Sanne van Luenen, Daniel V. Vigo, Angel Y. Wang, Reinout Wiers, Samuel Y.S. Wong, Ronald C. Kessler^*, Ronny Bruffaerts, Rodrigo Antunes Lima, Elsie Breet, Nadia Garnefski, Karen Jacobs, Vivian Kraaij, Lonna Munro, Richard J. Munthali, Ana Paula Prescivalli, Marisa Rebagliato, Miquel Roca, Elske Salemink, Claudia van der Heijde

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background: The college years are a developmentally sensitive period for mental disorder onset. Reliable epidemiological data are critical for informing public health responses. This study aimed to estimate prevalence and socio-demographic distributions of common DSM-5 mental disorders among first-year university students from 77 universities across 18 countries. Methods: Data were collected 2017–2023 in the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative with n = 72,288 university students. Online surveys assessed alcohol use, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, bipolar, drug use, generalized anxiety, major depression, panic, and post-traumatic stress disorders with validated screening scales. Socio-demographics included student age, sex at birth, gender modality, sexual orientation, and parent education. Results: The weighted mean response rate was 20.8%. Data were calibrated for differential response rates by sex at birth and age. 65.2% of respondents screened positive for lifetime mental disorders and 57.4% for 12-month mental disorders. Females had higher prevalence of internalizing disorders and males of substance and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders. Older age was associated with lower prevalence of most 12-month but not lifetime mental disorders. Non-heterosexual sexual orientation and identifying as transgender were associated with highest prevalence of most mental disorders. Parent education was for the most part uncorrelated with prevalence. Conclusions: Although prevalence might have been overestimated due to the low response rate and possible screening scale miscalibration, results nonetheless suggest that mental disorders are highly prevalent among first-year university students worldwide and are widely distributed with respect to socio-demographic characteristics. These findings highlight the need to implement effective interventions to better support first-year university student mental health.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	225-236
Number of pages	12
Journal	Journal of Psychiatric Research
Volume	183
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.02.016
State	Published - Mar 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025

Keywords

College students
Mental disorders
WMH-ICS

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.02.016

Cite this

Mason, A., Rapsey, C., Sampson, N., Lee, S., Albor, Y., Al-Hadi, A. N., Alonso, J., Al-Saud, N., Altwaijri, Y., Andersson, C., Atwoli, L., Auerbach, R. P., Ayuya, C., Báez-Mansur, P. M., Ballester, L., Bantjes, J., Baumeister, H., Bendtsen, M., Benjet, C., ... van der Heijde, C. (2025). Prevalence, age-of-onset, and course of mental disorders among 72,288 first-year university students from 18 countries in the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 183, 225-236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.02.016

@article{b647fec1d65948d29c4c1f87efa66db2,

title = "Prevalence, age-of-onset, and course of mental disorders among 72,288 first-year university students from 18 countries in the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative",

abstract = "Background: The college years are a developmentally sensitive period for mental disorder onset. Reliable epidemiological data are critical for informing public health responses. This study aimed to estimate prevalence and socio-demographic distributions of common DSM-5 mental disorders among first-year university students from 77 universities across 18 countries. Methods: Data were collected 2017–2023 in the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative with n = 72,288 university students. Online surveys assessed alcohol use, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, bipolar, drug use, generalized anxiety, major depression, panic, and post-traumatic stress disorders with validated screening scales. Socio-demographics included student age, sex at birth, gender modality, sexual orientation, and parent education. Results: The weighted mean response rate was 20.8%. Data were calibrated for differential response rates by sex at birth and age. 65.2% of respondents screened positive for lifetime mental disorders and 57.4% for 12-month mental disorders. Females had higher prevalence of internalizing disorders and males of substance and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders. Older age was associated with lower prevalence of most 12-month but not lifetime mental disorders. Non-heterosexual sexual orientation and identifying as transgender were associated with highest prevalence of most mental disorders. Parent education was for the most part uncorrelated with prevalence. Conclusions: Although prevalence might have been overestimated due to the low response rate and possible screening scale miscalibration, results nonetheless suggest that mental disorders are highly prevalent among first-year university students worldwide and are widely distributed with respect to socio-demographic characteristics. These findings highlight the need to implement effective interventions to better support first-year university student mental health.",

keywords = "College students, Mental disorders, WMH-ICS",

author = "Andre Mason and Charlene Rapsey and Nancy Sampson and Sue Lee and Yesica Albor and Al-Hadi, {Ahmad N.} and Jordi Alonso and Nouf Al-Saud and Yasmin Altwaijri and Claes Andersson and Lukoye Atwoli and Auerbach, {Randy P.} and Caroline Ayuya and B{\'a}ez-Mansur, {Patricia M.} and Laura Ballester and Jason Bantjes and Harald Baumeister and Marcus Bendtsen and Corina Benjet and Berman, {Anne H.} and Erik Bootsma and Chan, {Silver C.N.} and Irina Cohut and {Covarrubias D{\'i}az Couder}, {Mar{\'i}a Anabell} and Pim Cuijpers and Oana David and Dong Dong and Ebert, {David D.} and Nobrega, {Mireia Felez} and Jorge Gaete and Forero, {Carlos Garc{\'i}a} and Margalida Gili and Ra{\'u}l Guti{\'e}rrez-Garc{\'i}a and Haro, {Josep Maria} and Penelope Hasking and Kristen Hudec and Xanthe Hunt and Petra Hurks and Mathilde Husky and Florence Jaguga and Leontien Jansen and Fanny K{\"a}hlke and Elisabeth Klinkenberg and K{\"u}chler, {Ann Marie} and Langer, {{\'A}lvaro I.} and Irene L{\'e}niz and Yan Liu and Scarlett Mac-Ginty and Vania Mart{\'i}nez and Muthoni Mathai and Margaret McLafferty and Andrea Miranda-Mendizabal and Elaine Murray and Musyoka, {Catherine M.} and Catalin Nedelcea and Ngai, {Chun Ho} and Daniel N{\'u}{\~n}ez and Siobhan O'Neill and Piqueras, {Jose A.} and Popescu, {Codruta A.} and Kealagh Robinson and Tiscar Rodriguez-Jimenez and Damian Scarf and Siu, {Oi Ling} and Stein, {Dan J.} and Struijs, {Sascha Y.} and Cristina Tomoiaga and Vald{\'e}s-Garc{\'i}a, {Karla Patricia} and {van Luenen}, Sanne and Vigo, {Daniel V.} and Wang, {Angel Y.} and Reinout Wiers and Wong, {Samuel Y.S.} and Kessler, {Ronald C.} and Ronny Bruffaerts and Lima, {Rodrigo Antunes} and Elsie Breet and Nadia Garnefski and Karen Jacobs and Vivian Kraaij and Lonna Munro and Munthali, {Richard J.} and Prescivalli, {Ana Paula} and Marisa Rebagliato and Miquel Roca and Elske Salemink and {van der Heijde}, Claudia",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025",

year = "2025",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.02.016",

language = "English",

volume = "183",

pages = "225--236",

journal = "Journal of Psychiatric Research",

issn = "0022-3956",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",

}

Mason, A, Rapsey, C, Sampson, N, Lee, S, Albor, Y, Al-Hadi, AN, Alonso, J, Al-Saud, N, Altwaijri, Y, Andersson, C, Atwoli, L, Auerbach, RP, Ayuya, C, Báez-Mansur, PM, Ballester, L, Bantjes, J, Baumeister, H, Bendtsen, M, Benjet, C, Berman, AH, Bootsma, E, Chan, SCN, Cohut, I, Covarrubias Díaz Couder, MA, Cuijpers, P, David, O, Dong, D, Ebert, DD, Nobrega, MF, Gaete, J, Forero, CG, Gili, M, Gutiérrez-García, R, Haro, JM, Hasking, P, Hudec, K, Hunt, X, Hurks, P, Husky, M, Jaguga, F, Jansen, L, Kählke, F, Klinkenberg, E, Küchler, AM, Langer, ÁI, Léniz, I, Liu, Y, Mac-Ginty, S, Martínez, V, Mathai, M, McLafferty, M, Miranda-Mendizabal, A, Murray, E, Musyoka, CM, Nedelcea, C, Ngai, CH, Núñez, D, O'Neill, S, Piqueras, JA, Popescu, CA, Robinson, K, Rodriguez-Jimenez, T, Scarf, D, Siu, OL, Stein, DJ, Struijs, SY, Tomoiaga, C, Valdés-García, KP, van Luenen, S, Vigo, DV, Wang, AY, Wiers, R, Wong, SYS, Kessler, RC, Bruffaerts, R, Lima, RA, Breet, E, Garnefski, N, Jacobs, K, Kraaij, V, Munro, L, Munthali, RJ, Prescivalli, AP, Rebagliato, M, Roca, M, Salemink, E & van der Heijde, C 2025, 'Prevalence, age-of-onset, and course of mental disorders among 72,288 first-year university students from 18 countries in the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative', Journal of Psychiatric Research, vol. 183, pp. 225-236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.02.016

Prevalence, age-of-onset, and course of mental disorders among 72,288 first-year university students from 18 countries in the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative. / Mason, Andre; Rapsey, Charlene; Sampson, Nancy et al.
In: Journal of Psychiatric Research, Vol. 183, 03.2025, p. 225-236.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Prevalence, age-of-onset, and course of mental disorders among 72,288 first-year university students from 18 countries in the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative

AU - Mason, Andre

AU - Rapsey, Charlene

AU - Sampson, Nancy

AU - Lee, Sue

AU - Albor, Yesica

AU - Al-Hadi, Ahmad N.

AU - Alonso, Jordi

AU - Al-Saud, Nouf

AU - Altwaijri, Yasmin

AU - Andersson, Claes

AU - Atwoli, Lukoye

AU - Auerbach, Randy P.

AU - Ayuya, Caroline

AU - Báez-Mansur, Patricia M.

AU - Ballester, Laura

AU - Bantjes, Jason

AU - Baumeister, Harald

AU - Bendtsen, Marcus

AU - Benjet, Corina

AU - Berman, Anne H.

AU - Bootsma, Erik

AU - Chan, Silver C.N.

AU - Cohut, Irina

AU - Covarrubias Díaz Couder, María Anabell

AU - Cuijpers, Pim

AU - David, Oana

AU - Dong, Dong

AU - Ebert, David D.

AU - Nobrega, Mireia Felez

AU - Gaete, Jorge

AU - Forero, Carlos García

AU - Gili, Margalida

AU - Gutiérrez-García, Raúl

AU - Haro, Josep Maria

AU - Hasking, Penelope

AU - Hudec, Kristen

AU - Hunt, Xanthe

AU - Hurks, Petra

AU - Husky, Mathilde

AU - Jaguga, Florence

AU - Jansen, Leontien

AU - Kählke, Fanny

AU - Klinkenberg, Elisabeth

AU - Küchler, Ann Marie

AU - Langer, Álvaro I.

AU - Léniz, Irene

AU - Liu, Yan

AU - Mac-Ginty, Scarlett

AU - Martínez, Vania

AU - Mathai, Muthoni

AU - McLafferty, Margaret

AU - Miranda-Mendizabal, Andrea

AU - Murray, Elaine

AU - Musyoka, Catherine M.

AU - Nedelcea, Catalin

AU - Ngai, Chun Ho

AU - Núñez, Daniel

AU - O'Neill, Siobhan

AU - Piqueras, Jose A.

AU - Popescu, Codruta A.

AU - Robinson, Kealagh

AU - Rodriguez-Jimenez, Tiscar

AU - Scarf, Damian

AU - Siu, Oi Ling

AU - Stein, Dan J.

AU - Struijs, Sascha Y.

AU - Tomoiaga, Cristina

AU - Valdés-García, Karla Patricia

AU - van Luenen, Sanne

AU - Vigo, Daniel V.

AU - Wang, Angel Y.

AU - Wiers, Reinout

AU - Wong, Samuel Y.S.

AU - Kessler, Ronald C.

AU - Bruffaerts, Ronny

AU - Lima, Rodrigo Antunes

AU - Breet, Elsie

AU - Garnefski, Nadia

AU - Jacobs, Karen

AU - Kraaij, Vivian

AU - Munro, Lonna

AU - Munthali, Richard J.

AU - Prescivalli, Ana Paula

AU - Rebagliato, Marisa

AU - Roca, Miquel

AU - Salemink, Elske

AU - van der Heijde, Claudia

PY - 2025/3

Y1 - 2025/3

N2 - Background: The college years are a developmentally sensitive period for mental disorder onset. Reliable epidemiological data are critical for informing public health responses. This study aimed to estimate prevalence and socio-demographic distributions of common DSM-5 mental disorders among first-year university students from 77 universities across 18 countries. Methods: Data were collected 2017–2023 in the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative with n = 72,288 university students. Online surveys assessed alcohol use, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, bipolar, drug use, generalized anxiety, major depression, panic, and post-traumatic stress disorders with validated screening scales. Socio-demographics included student age, sex at birth, gender modality, sexual orientation, and parent education. Results: The weighted mean response rate was 20.8%. Data were calibrated for differential response rates by sex at birth and age. 65.2% of respondents screened positive for lifetime mental disorders and 57.4% for 12-month mental disorders. Females had higher prevalence of internalizing disorders and males of substance and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders. Older age was associated with lower prevalence of most 12-month but not lifetime mental disorders. Non-heterosexual sexual orientation and identifying as transgender were associated with highest prevalence of most mental disorders. Parent education was for the most part uncorrelated with prevalence. Conclusions: Although prevalence might have been overestimated due to the low response rate and possible screening scale miscalibration, results nonetheless suggest that mental disorders are highly prevalent among first-year university students worldwide and are widely distributed with respect to socio-demographic characteristics. These findings highlight the need to implement effective interventions to better support first-year university student mental health.

AB - Background: The college years are a developmentally sensitive period for mental disorder onset. Reliable epidemiological data are critical for informing public health responses. This study aimed to estimate prevalence and socio-demographic distributions of common DSM-5 mental disorders among first-year university students from 77 universities across 18 countries. Methods: Data were collected 2017–2023 in the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative with n = 72,288 university students. Online surveys assessed alcohol use, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, bipolar, drug use, generalized anxiety, major depression, panic, and post-traumatic stress disorders with validated screening scales. Socio-demographics included student age, sex at birth, gender modality, sexual orientation, and parent education. Results: The weighted mean response rate was 20.8%. Data were calibrated for differential response rates by sex at birth and age. 65.2% of respondents screened positive for lifetime mental disorders and 57.4% for 12-month mental disorders. Females had higher prevalence of internalizing disorders and males of substance and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders. Older age was associated with lower prevalence of most 12-month but not lifetime mental disorders. Non-heterosexual sexual orientation and identifying as transgender were associated with highest prevalence of most mental disorders. Parent education was for the most part uncorrelated with prevalence. Conclusions: Although prevalence might have been overestimated due to the low response rate and possible screening scale miscalibration, results nonetheless suggest that mental disorders are highly prevalent among first-year university students worldwide and are widely distributed with respect to socio-demographic characteristics. These findings highlight the need to implement effective interventions to better support first-year university student mental health.

KW - College students

KW - Mental disorders

KW - WMH-ICS

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85219009006&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.02.016

DO - 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.02.016

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85219009006

SN - 0022-3956

VL - 183

SP - 225

EP - 236

JO - Journal of Psychiatric Research

JF - Journal of Psychiatric Research

ER -

Prevalence, age-of-onset, and course of mental disorders among 72,288 first-year university students from 18 countries in the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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