Mental Health Issues Faced by Minority College Students

      College presents numerous challenges for students, and this transition can be particularly daunting for minority students, as it often amplifies underlying issues that contribute to feelings of isolation, stress, and anxiety. Kodish et al. (2021) mentioned that in 2019, 42% of U.S. college students reported high rates of depression, with 63.6% experiencing overwhelming anxiety. Furthermore, a recent article from ScienceBeta in 2023 highlighted a significant increase in the rate of depression among minority students at predominantly white colleges compared to their white peers (Demetre, 2023).
     First-generation students especially often go through various obstacles like financial stress, lack of familial support, racial disparity, social challenges, and so on. Demetre (2023) further emphasizes the impact of lack of belongingness on the mental health of college students. Navigating some of these issues can be hard for this group of college students, especially without appropriate access or support. 
      Racial inequality in colleges can also exacerbate the feeling of isolation and stress among minority groups. This may come in the form of a lack of faculty members of color dealing with student affairs, microaggression, discrimination, and stigmatization. Lack of representation may burden students with isolation or feelings of inadequacy. Subtle forms of racism or racial-driven situations take a toll on the mental health of minority students especially when constantly exposed to these types of situations. 
    Lack of appropriate support particularly in areas like intersectionality and identity. The interconnected nature of social categorizations like race, gender, and class adds another layer to the mental health experiences of minority college students. The CDC reported in a 2021 article that feelings of distress were found to be more common among LGBTQ+ students, female students, and students across racial and ethnic groups. Navigating multiple facets of identity while trying to find a sense of belonging can be particularly daunting.
      In conclusion, while college is a time of growth and learning, it is essential to recognize and address the specific mental health challenges faced by minority students. By acknowledging the unique pressures, they experience, from the burden of representation to navigating microaggressions and accessing support, we can work towards creating a more inclusive and supportive college environment. Empowering students to embrace their identities and providing them with the resources they need to thrive is crucial in ensuring that all students have equal opportunities for success in their academic and personal journey.

References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024). Mental health. Retrieved July 20, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/mental-health/index.htm
Demetre, D. C. (2023). Depression among minority college students. ScienceBeta. Retrieved July 20, 2024, from https://sciencebeta.com/depression-rminority-college-students/
Kodish, T., Lau, A. S., Gong-Guy, E., Congdon, E., Arnaudova, I., Schmidt, M., Shoemaker, L., & Craske, M. G. (2022). Enhancing racial/ethnic equity in college student mental health through innovative screening and treatment. Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 49(2), 267-282. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-021-01163-1