Mental health service utilization, knowledge, stigma, and protective factors in a college student sample: The influence of racial categories and student-athlete status

Students of color and student-athletes undergo unique stressors in college, such as discrimination and time constraints, that impact their mental health needs. They have shown more mental health stigma and less service utilization. This study explored these variables and groups using secondary data analyses from the 2019-2020 Healthy Minds Study (HMS). The current study hypothesized that utilization would be associated with stigma, knowledge, and resilience. Additionally, student-athletes and students of color would report less utilization and more stigma and resilience. Results indicated that students of color reported no difference in utilization and less stigma and resilience than White students. Student-athletes reported less utilization and more stigma and resilience. Resilience was found to be a moderator between mental health difficulties and utilization. Resiliency is an important component among aspects of mental health in college students. As such, this research provides important information about help-seeking habits and considerations for interventions in these populations