Jump to a section:
Impact
Part of our mission at Counseling Services is to conduct and disseminate research on critical issues related to college student mental health. We prioritize data-informed approaches to improving our clinical services and clinic operations. We also believe that staying up to date on and contributing to the current literature on college student mental health helps us provide the best quality care to University of Nevada, Reno students. At CS, we work to achieve these goals by 1) fostering a work climate that values and understands the importance of research in clinical practice, 2) promoting the use of ongoing multidimensional program evaluation as a common practice within CS, and 3) embracing a proactive research agenda to understand the needs of our students and promote practices to meet those needs.
Data about our campus
Counseling Services has collaborated with researchers at other institutions to gather data on the well-being of University students through national surveys (e.g., the Healthy Minds Study). The University's participation in this research supports the field in identifying trends in college student mental health across the United States. Much of this national data is publicly available and is linked within each research study below.
National survey collaborations
The Healthy Minds Study is a yearly, national online survey that examines college students’ mental health, service utilization, and help-seeking behaviors. The University Counseling Services has been participating in the study since 2016 to better understand the University’s students’ mental health needs, the stigma around seeking mental health services, and knowledge around campus resources. See also: national data from university students across the county.
2021-22 Highlights
- 1,619 University students participated
- 55% reported depression and/or anxiety symptoms (higher than the national average)
- 41% reported a mental health diagnosis
(lower than the national average) - 49% agreed or strongly agreed that they needed help for emotional or mental health problems over the past year
- 35% reported receiving counseling over the past year (comparable to the national average)
- 49% reported accessing Counseling Services (higher than the national average)
- 76% were satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of therapists available
- 93% were satisfied or very satisfied with respect for privacy concerns
- 92% were satisfied or very satisfied with respect and consideration for cultural/racial background
- 73% reported being confident they would complete their degree (lower than the national average)
iAIM EDU is a mental health screening, prevention and referral program funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The study aimed to assess whether mobile mental health applications can be used instead of a usual referral care to improve mental health. On campus, iAIM EDU team distributed surveys to University students to identify students in need and refer them to the mobile application or to receive standard care at a clinic on campus. Note that the iAIM EDU study used the same national Health Minds Study data for comparison.
2020-2021 Highlights
- 1,090 students participated
- 38% reported clinically significant anxiety and depression symptoms
- 19% reported currently being in therapy (lower than the national average)
Data about our center
At Counseling Services, we have a Program Evaluation and Research Committee that regularly evaluates our services based on the utilization of, the effectiveness of, and client satisfaction with our offered services. This data helps us make informed decisions about where to allocate resources and how to best support our students. It also helps us share important data about how much students use our services, as well as how effective and well-received they are.
Services provided (2022-2023)
1,420
students attended therapy
9,733
hours of services provided
779
hours of outreach events
9,370
attendees at outreach events
36
groups offered
~45
psychological assessments completed
Effectiveness of services (2022-2023)
CS was more effective than 88% of other counseling centers in helping distressed students
85%
agreed services helped them stay in school
79%
agreed CS increased their sense of belonging
77%
were satisfied agreed with the duration of their care
Client satisfaction (2022-2023)
92%
were satisfied with services
91%
were satisfied with individual therapy
84%
were satisfied with group therapy
90%
would recommend services to a friend
94%
would use services again
96%
agreed services were culturally sensitive
Staff diversity (2023-2024)
29%
are people of color
32%
are LGBTQIA+
39%
are first-generation students
21%
have a physical/mental disability
16%
speak 2+ languages
14
spiritual/religious identities represented
Research at Counseling Services
Counseling Services has a history of receiving federal funding to conduct research on college student mental health and has become an epicenter for research in this area. Faculty and staff at Counseling Services focus on conducting research on clinical interventions that can improve the well-being of college students at the University and at the national level.
Our research involvement
eBridge Study
Electronic Bridge to Mental Health for College Students (eBridge) aimed to identify students with elevated levels of known suicide risks who were not actively in treatment and facilitate these students' linkage to mental health services, via a Web-based intervention (feedback on a screening measure and online counseling) that followed Motivational Interviewing principles. Students from the following institutions participated in the study: University of Michigan, the University of Iowa, the University of Nevada-Reno, and Stanford University.
Funding details
- Title: Electronic Bridge to Mental Health for College Students (eBridge)
- Co-Investigator: Jacqueline Pistorello, Ph.D., University of Nevada, Reno
- Funding Period: 2014-2019
- Funding Source: R01MH103244; Sponsor: National Institute of Mental Health of NIH
CAMPUS Study
The Comprehensive Adaptive Multisite Prevention of University Student Suicide (CAMPUS) trial aims to test targeted, adaptive strategies to better treat the range of students experiencing suicidal ideation at college counseling centers. Researchers are evaluating four sequences of treatment among college students at risk of suicide who are seeking treatment at university counseling centers. The institutions participating in this trial include Duke University, Rutgers University, the University of Nevada-Reno and the University of Oregon.
Funding details
- Title: 1/4 Adapting Treatments for Suicidal College Students: A Multisite Trial
- Principal Investigator: Jacqueline Pistorello, Ph.D., UNR; Co-Investigator: Francesca Kassing, Ph.D., UNR
- Funding Period: 2019-2024
- Funding Source: R01MH116052; Sponsor: National Institute of Mental Health of NIH
Our staff have diverse areas of expertise and have contributed to research over the years in many areas. See a sample of staff publications related to college student mental health below:
- Bornheimer, L. A., Czyz, E., Jung Koo, H., Li Verdugo, J., Eisenberg, D., Zheng, K., Pistorello, J., Albucher, R. C., Coryell, W., Favorite, T., & King, C. (2022). Suicide risk profiles and barriers to professional help-seeking among college students with elevated risk for suicide. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 152, 305-312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.06.028
- King, C. A., Eisenberg, D., Pistorello, J., Coryell, W., Albucher, R. C., Favorite, T., Horwitz, A., Bonar, E. E., Epstein, D., & Zheng, K. (2022). Electronic bridge to mental health for college students: A randomized controlled intervention trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000709
- Horwitz, Hong, V., Eisenberg, D., Zheng, K., Albucher, R., Coryell, W., Pistorello, J., Favorite, T., & King, C. A. (2021). Engagement with personalized feedback for emotional distress among college students at elevated suicide risk. Behavior Therapy, doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2021.10.001
- Coryell, W., Horwitz, A., Albucher, R., Zheng, K., Pistorello, J., Eisenberg, D., Favorite, T., & King. C. (2021): Alcohol intake in relation to suicidal ideation and behavior among university students. Journal of American College Health, doi: 10.1080/07448481.2021.1950160.
- Busby, D. R., Zheng, K., Eisenberg, D., Albucher, R. C., Favorite, T., Coryell, W., Pistorello, J., King, C. A. (2021). Black college students at elevated risk for suicide: Barriers to mental health service utilization. Journal of American College Health, 69:3, 308-314. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2019.1674316
- Sociodemographic differences in barriers to mental health care among college students at elevated suicide risk AG Horwitz, T McGuire, DR Busby, D Eisenberg, K Zheng, J Pistorello, ... 2020 Jun 15:271:123-130.
doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.03.115. Epub 2020 Apr 18. - Kassing, F., Dodd, C. G., Palmer, L. E., Hill, R. M., (2020). Comfort expressing emotions and suicide ideation: Evidence of indirect effects via perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Archives of Suicide Research. 2022 Apr-Jun;26(2):886-895. doi: 10.1080/13811118.2020.1841053. Epub 2020 Oct 30.
- Pistorello, J., Jobes, D. A., Gallop, R., Compton, S. N., Locey, N. S., Au, J. S., ... & Dickens, Y. (2020). A randomized controlled trial of the collaborative assessment and management of suicidality (CAMS) versus treatment as usual (TAU) for suicidal college students. Archives of Suicide Research, 1-25. doi: 10.1080/13811118.2020.1749742. Epub 2020 Apr 10.
- Pistorello, J., Jobes, D., Gallop, R., Compton, S. N., Locey, N. S., Au, J., Noose, S. K., Walloch, J. C., Johnson, J., Young, M., Dickens, Y., Chatham, P., Jeffcoat, T. (2018) Developing adaptive treatment strategies to address suicidal risk in college students: A pilot sequential, multiple assignment, randomized trial (SMART). Archives of Suicide Research, 22(4), 644-664. 2017 Oct-Dec;22(4):644-664. doi: 10.1080/13811118.2017.1392915. Epub 2018 Feb 12.