Rahal Danny, Perry Kristin J, Lanza Stephanie T
Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California.
Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania.
J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2025 May;86(3):424-435. doi: 10.15288/jsad.23-00382. Epub 2024 Aug 19.
The present study aimed to characterize profiles of mental health, incorporating indicators of both psychopathology and well-being, among college students and determine whether institutional belonging differentially relates to past-month substance use by mental health profile.
Students ( = 4,018; 59.5% female, 74.7% White) completed a survey regarding mental health (i.e., anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, stress, flourishing, academic confidence), institutional belonging, and whether they had engaged in any binge drinking of alcohol and use of cannabis and nicotine products, including nicotine vaping, over the past month.
Latent profile analyses indicated five profiles of mental health with differing levels of psychopathology and well-being. Greater institutional belonging was only related to higher odds of binge drinking among students in profiles characterized by average or high well-being, irrespective of psychopathology. Among students with overall poor mental health, higher institutional belonging was related to higher odds of nicotine use. Results were generally invariant to campus and year in college.
Our findings highlight that both positive and negative aspects of mental health should be considered when assessing college students' substance use. Greater institutional belonging may incur risk for substance use differentially by mental health, with respect to binge drinking for those with high levels of positive well-being and nonvaping nicotine use for those with overall poor mental health. Because associations emerged between belonging and substance use risk, institutions could consider implementing or raising awareness of alcohol-free, inclusive activities to ensure that students can feel a sense of belonging while abstaining from drinking.
本研究旨在描述大学生心理健康状况，纳入精神病理学和幸福感指标，并确定机构归属感是否因心理健康状况不同而与过去一个月的物质使用存在差异关联。
学生（n = 4018；59.5%为女性，74.7%为白人）完成了一项关于心理健康（即焦虑症状、抑郁症状、压力、蓬勃发展、学业信心）、机构归属感以及他们在过去一个月是否有过任何酗酒行为以及是否使用过大麻和尼古丁产品（包括尼古丁电子烟）的调查。
潜在剖面分析表明存在五种心理健康状况剖面，其精神病理学和幸福感水平各不相同。更高的机构归属感仅与幸福感处于平均或较高水平的剖面中的学生酗酒几率较高有关，而与精神病理学无关。在心理健康总体较差的学生中，更高的机构归属感与使用尼古丁的几率较高有关。结果在不同校园和大学年级中总体保持不变。
我们的研究结果强调，在评估大学生的物质使用情况时，应同时考虑心理健康的积极和消极方面。更高的机构归属感可能因心理健康状况不同而导致物质使用风险存在差异，对于幸福感较高的学生来说是酗酒风险，对于心理健康总体较差的学生来说是非电子烟尼古丁使用风险。由于归属感与物质使用风险之间存在关联，各机构可以考虑开展或提高对无酒精、包容性活动的认识，以确保学生在戒酒的同时能有归属感。
