Mind-body Practice in Undergraduates: User involvement in undergraduate mental healthcare setting

Abstract

Mental health issues, particularly anxiety and depression, have risen nationally in frequency and severity among college students. The Vanderbilt University Psychological & Counseling Center (PCC) has also experienced this phenomenon. As a result, wait times for therapist appointments are often several weeks. In response to these trends, the PCC dedicated a room within its building to Mind-Body Practices (MBPs) called the Mind-Body Lab (MBL). The room, despite a significant national rise in MBPs, a surge in research indicating the therapeutic and preventative effectiveness of MBPs, and its availability to all undergraduates, is under-booked and infrequently used. This study investigated potential explanations for this occurrence through surveys of the student body and MBL users as well as Vanderbilt student interest in MBPs. Female respondents engaged in more MBPs than male respondents. Additionally, stigma and demographic background may play a role in underuse of the MBL. Overwhelmingly, Vanderbilt students desire university support for MBPs.