University student mental health research: look back to move forward

AI Summary

Rising common mental disorders among young people make university students a large, crucial group; academic success strongly influences individual and societal health and prosperity.
COVID-19 intensified research interest via campus closures, remote learning and social restrictions, exposing new risks to student well-being and accelerating inquiry.
Evidence gaps remain on determinants for scalable prevention and early intervention; research must guide university policies, practices and benchmarks for effective support.

BJPsych Open. 2026 Jun 16;12(4):e164. doi: 10.1192/bjo.2026.12024.

ABSTRACT

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of BJPsych Open, this Editorial highlights papers published in BJPsych Open over the past decade that have focused on university student mental health. Common mental disorders are increasing in young people and those going on to higher education make up an important and sizeable sector of this population. At the same time, success in university studies is a major determinant of individual and societal health and prosperity. As a field of inquiry, university student mental health research gained momentum through the COVID-19 pandemic and associated campus closures, pivot to remote learning and social restrictions. Although research describing student well-being and mental health burden align globally, not enough is known about determinants that inform sustainable and scalable prevention and early intervention. Furthermore, research evidence should inform university policies, practices and benchmarks to ensure responsive and effective student well-being and mental health support that underpins academic and life success.

PMID:42298952 | DOI:10.1192/bjo.2026.12024

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