Black students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) experience better mental health outcomes in several key areas compared to their peers at other institutions, while also facing distinct challenges that require attention, say University of Michigan School of Public Health researchers involved in a new report published this week.
Titled "Community, Culture, and Care: A Cross-Institutional Analysis of Mental Health Among HBCU and PBI Students," the report was developed in partnership with the United Negro College Fund Institute for Capacity Building, the Steve Fund, and the Healthy Minds Network.
Since 2007, the Healthy Minds Network, based at the University of Michigan, has administered the Healthy Minds Study-an annual survey of college student mental health. More than 850,000 college students across 600-plus colleges and universities have participated. Researchers from the University of California-Los Angeles, Wayne State University, and Boston University partner with the University of Michigan on the annual survey.
To provide additional insight into the Black college student experience, the team collaborated to develop and administer a supplemented version of the Healthy Minds Study with a new module specifically assessing themes, constructs, risk factors, and protective factors.
It is essential to elevate the unique experiences, strengths, and challenges of HBCU students in conversations about mental health and wellbeing. At this pivotal moment in college student wellbeing, the voices of Black students should not only be heard, but also supported and acted upon. This research paves the way for more action."
Akilah Patterson, a PhD student in the Department of Health Behavior & Health Equity, University of Michigan School of Public Health and the lead researcher for the report
Examining responses from 2,504 students across 16 HBCUs and two PBIs revealed significant differences in mental health metrics compared to national averages:
- 45% of HBCU/PBI students reported flourishing mentally, compared to 36% of college students nationally
- 83% reported a sense of belonging in their campus community, versus 73% nationally
- HBCU/PBI students showed significantly lower rates of anxiety, eating disorders, and substance use compared to national averages
In addition to national averages, the report details comparative data on Black students at small, predominantly white institutions. The HBCU/PBI sample of students generally reported higher rates of mental health and well-being when compared to this group as well.
Despite these notably positive outcomes in several areas, crucial gaps and pressing challenges emerged from the data.
Financial concerns topped the list of stressors, with more than half of students reporting their financial situation as "always" or "often" stressful. The impact proved significant: 78% of financially stressed students experienced mental health problems, compared to just 26% of those who were financially secure. More than a quarter of students reporting high levels of financial stress also reported suicidal ideation in the past year.
A crucial gap in mental health support was also identified, with 54% of HBCU students reporting unmet mental health needs-significantly higher than the national average of 41%.
Based on these findings, several opportunities for colleges and universities to enhance student support include:
- Addressing the high rate of unmet mental health needs
- Developing strategies to alleviate financial stress
- Expanding on-campus mental health resources
- Strengthening connections between students and faculty support
According to Justin Heinze, co-principal investigator of the Healthy Minds Network and an associate professor of Health Behavior & Health Equity at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, student voices from HBCUs and other PBIs have been historically underrepresented in mental health research. "Findings from this study do point to important differences from our national sample which tells me we can't implement a 'one size fits all' approach to addressing college student mental health," he said.
In addition to Patterson, the authors of the new report are Healthy Minds Study team members Erin Voichoski and Juliana Fucinari of the University of Michigan; and Victoria Smith from the United Negro College Fund Institute for Capacity Building. Voichoski, Fucinari, and Smith were integral in the data analysis process, report writing, and qualitative data collection.
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