Initial research has indicated that college students have experienced numerous stressors as a result of the pandemic. The current investigation enrolled the largest and most diverse sample of college students to date ( N = 4714) from universities in New York (NY) and New Jersey (NJ), the epicenter of the North American pandemic in Spring 2020. We described the impact on the psychological, academic, and financial health of college students who were initially most affected and examined racial/ethnic group differences. Results indicated that students’ mental health was severely affected and that students of color were disproportionately affected by academic, financial, and COVID-related stressors. Worry about COVID-19 infection, stressful living conditions, lower grades, and loneliness emerged as correlates of deteriorating mental health. COVID-19’s mental health impact on college students is alarming and highlights the need for public health interventions at the university level.

Background: Colleges have turned to digital mental health interventions to meet the increasing mental health treatment needs of their students. Among these, chatbots stand out as artificial intelligence–driven tools capable of engaging in human-like conversations that have demonstrated some effectiveness in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms. Objective: This study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of using Wayhaven, an artificial intelligence chatbot, among college students with elevated depression or anxiety symptoms. We also aimed to examine the preliminary effectiveness of Wayhaven in improving symptoms of anxiety and depression, hopelessness, agency, and self-efficacy among students. Methods: Participants were 50 racially and ethnically diverse college students with elevated depression or anxiety symptoms (n=45, 80% female; mean age 22.12 , SD 4.42 years). Students were asked to use Wayhaven over the course of 1 week and completed assessments at preintervention, after 1 session, and 1 week. Results: Wayhaven use was associated with a significant decrease in depression (β=−1.62; P <.001), anxiety (β=−2.15; P <.001), and hopelessness (β=−.64; P <.001) and a significant increase in agency (β=.64; P =.32), self-efficacy (β=.53; P =.02), and well-being ( t ₄₀ =2.90; P =.006; d =0.45) across the study period. Most students also reported being satisfied with Wayhaven and it being a tool they would recommend to their peers. Conclusions: Findings suggest that Wayhaven may be a viable mental wellness resource for diverse students with elevated depression or anxiety symptoms.

Mental health apps (MHAs) and online interventions have considerable potential for addressing the unmet mental health needs of college students at-risk for suicide. We examined attitudes about MHAs and reported use of online treatment (online interventions and MHAs) among at-risk college students using a diverse sample of 827 students. About 65% of students were inclined to use MHAs, with over a third preferring MHAs to in-person treatment. Despite positive attitudes, actual use of online treatment was low. The full potential of online treatment on college campuses has not been fully realized due to low student awareness and uptake.

Over the past decade, mental health problems have disproportionately increased among U.S. ethnoracially minoritized college students, though explanations for this disparity remain understudied. In the present study, we examined the direct and indirect associations between online racial/ethnic discrimination, suicidal ideation (SI), and alcohol misuse. We also investigated whether internalized racism helps explain the association between online racial/ethnic discrimination (i.e., individual or vicarious exposures) and SI and alcohol misuse. Lastly, we examined the moderating role of ethnic identity dimensions (i.e., exploration and commitment) in this indirect association. Participants included 494 ethnoracially minoritized college students ages 18–30 years ( M = 19.62, SD = 2.08; 79% female; 60% Latine; 83% U.S.-born) from the U.S. who completed an online survey. Findings revealed that online racial/ethnic discrimination (i.e., individual and vicarious exposures) was directly associated with increased SI and alcohol misuse. The indirect association of online racial/ethnic discrimination (i.e., individual and vicarious) on SI via internalized racism was statistically significant. These indirect associations, however, were not observed with alcohol misuse. Ethnic identity commitment moderated the indirect association of vicarious, though not individual, online racial/ethnic discrimination on SI via internalized racism. These findings underscore the impact of online racial/ethnic discrimination on ethnoracially minoritized college students’ mental health, identify internalized racism as a potential pathway through which this type of discrimination may confer risk for SI, as well as ethnic identity commitment as a potential protective factor that may buffer these harmful effects.