AP, mtvU study shows connections between mental health, technology

Facebook and texting are affecting more than just how college students communicate with one another.

A study published on Oct. 7 by mtvU, MTV's college network, The Jed Foundation and the Associated Press, found that technology is changing the mental health landscape of college students in many ways.

The survey was conducted from Sept. 20 through Sept. 24 of this year. Interviewees were 2,207 randomly selected undergraduate students from four-year colleges across the country with minimum enrollments of 1,000 students. It was a part of mtvU and The Jed Foundation's "Half of Us" campaign.

"Half of Us" was launched in 2007 and is working in suicide prevention and improving mental health, said Jason Rzepka, vice president of public affairs for MTV.

"The big thing we really want is for students to continue to chip away at the stigma around mental health," Rzepka said.

Rzepka worked closely with the research team to develop the study. Studies have been conducted by mtvU and the AP since 2007.

He said the goal is to better understand the state of college students' mental health. Last year's study focused on young veterans. This year, the focus was on technology, which Rzepka said was influenced slightly by MTV's A Thin Line campaign. A Thin Line is a campaign aiming to combat and prevent digital abuse.

Rzepka said there were three key headlines for him from the study's findings.

"Technology makes college students very connected, but we're also seeing increased isolation," he said.

According to the study, only 11 percent of students surveyed feel comfortable reaching out to the majority of their Facebook or Myspace friends during a difficult time, regardless of the potentially high number of friends.

He said the second key finding was that technology is not simply a good thing or a bad thing.

"Technology is very much a lifeline, but also can be a source of conflict," he said.

Lastly, Rzepka said there is a high level of stress among students, but also optimism. This means the two are not necessarily always related.

"They can coexist," he said.

Rzepka said MTV wants to make it very clear that if students are struggling with mental health problems, they are not alone and there are resources available. Rzepka encourages students to visit halfofus.com.

Amy Chatelain, a psychologist for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Counseling and Psychological Services, said technology is a component almost on a case-to-case basis at the University Health Center.

Chatelain said she often has to ask students to specify the method by which students were communicating with others when they are talking to her about situations. She said, as a recent graduate, she has a pretty good understanding of the technological language students use.

Chatelain said posts on social networking websites that could be cries for help allow too much room for interpretation. Friends may think that "someone closer" to the person will reach out. Or they may simply not know how to go about addressing the potential problem. Phone or in-person conversations, on the other hand, are very straightforward.

"If it's one-on-one, there's no option," she said.

Chatelain said she has read the study and it is pretty accurate based on her experiences at the health center. She said the study balances both the good and the bad effects technology has on the mental health of college students.

As a psychologist, Chatelain said she feels very comfortable helping students who may have problems related to technology. But different staff members have different levels of comfort. She said at staff meetings, terminology is often discussed and clarified. Chatelain said she recognizes how important technology is and how efficient it can be. But it's not always enough.

"It doesn't replace the art of conversation," she said.

Chatelain said she also talks to students about understanding how public the Internet is and how things posted at the age of 18 really do affect individuals later in life.

Technology is always evolving, just as the mental health of college students is changing. The mtvU and AP study proved the two are very much connected.

HAILEYKONNATH@

DAILYNEBRASKAN.COM