بهداشت روانی دانش آموزان در دنیای جهانی شده: شیوع شکایات و اختلالات، روش ها و موثر بودن و سودمندی مشاوره، ساختار خدمات بهداشت روانی برای دانشجویان

In our globalized world the necessity for student flexibility is increasing. Psychological problems and mental disorders are frequent, and students seek help at the places where they study. This special issue presents data on the prevalence of complaints and disorders reported by students around the world. Examples of counseling services and the methods they employ are given. Proposals for the structure and the methods of mental health services for students are derived from international perspectives.

Since the classical period in European culture, there has been no shortage of descriptions of psychological crises, adjustment disorders, anxiety and depressive episodes recorded by young people studying at colleges and universities. The most detailed reports of psychological problems besetting university students can be found in the letters and autobiographical notes of the politician, scientist and poet J. W. v. Goethe (Holm-Hadulla, Hofmann, & Roussel, 2008). Academic disillusion and rejection by a young lady caused states of anxiety and melancholic moods that led to a depressive episode. During this episode, which lasted more than a year, he was forced to return to parental custody, as his mother and father feared that his suicidal ideations could become reality. Fortunately, he developed coping and self-therapeutic strategies that helped him to overcome his crisis. Like modern counselors, he made use of helping alliances, cognitive-behavioral techniques, psychodynamic reflection, and existential understanding (Holm-Hadulla, 2011). In masterpieces like ”The Sufferings of Young Werther“ and ”Faust: A Tragedy“, he described his melancholic moods and suicidal ideas and transformed them into art. But not every student can draw upon the talent and the favorable circumstances that helped Goethe to cope with crisis creatively. A famous example is pop icon Jim Morrison, who consulted a counselor or psychotherapist. He had only one session and could not be prevented from killing his creativity and himself with alcohol and drugs (Holm-Hadulla & Bertolino, 2014). Many students need professional assistance to cope with psychosocial conflicts and mental disorders.

Psychological and mental disorders in students are frequent. Effective methods of counseling exist that are designed to to prevent tragic outcomes, help to cope with crises, and treat certain disorders. Counseling services should be available at every college and every university. Counselors should be psychologically qualified academics. They should be able to offer qualified assessments, diagnoses, crisis intervention, individual counseling, and counseling in groups, and in many centers also short-term psychotherapy. Discretion and confidentiality are central issues. Flexible opening hours and services free of charge lower the inhibition threshold preventing students from consulting the service. Online counseling and telephone counseling are helpful in certain cases. Consultations with tutors and the initiation and supervision of student-to-student coaching are also helpful. Cooperation with psychotherapists and psychiatrists in private practice is important. In severe and acute cases, close cooperation with the psychiatric departments of the universities is necessary. Collaboration with psychiatric/psychological departments and with psychotherapeutic training institutes provide opportunities for research.