About The Study: In this serial cross-sectional study including a national sample of U.S. college students, researchers found a notable increase in the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acute stress disorder, rising by 4.1 percentage points and 0.5 percentage points from 2017 to 2022, respectively. These trends highlight the escalating mental health challenges among college students, which is consistent with recent research reporting a surge in psychiatric diagnoses. Factors contributing to this rise may include pandemic-related stressors (e.g., loss of loved ones) and the effect of traumatic events (e.g., campus shootings, racial trauma).
About The Study: In this serial cross-sectional study including a national sample of U.S. college students, researchers found a notable increase in the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acute stress disorder, rising by 4.1 percentage points and 0.5 percentage points from 2017 to 2022, respectively. These trends highlight the escalating mental health challenges among college students, which is consistent with recent research reporting a surge in psychiatric diagnoses. Factors contributing to this rise may include pandemic-related stressors (e.g., loss of loved ones) and the effect of traumatic events (e.g., campus shootings, racial trauma).
Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Yusen Zhai, Ph.D., email yzhai@uab.edu.
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(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.13874)
Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.
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Cite Scienmag News
Ophelia Keating. (May 30, 2024). Trends in diagnosed PTSD and acute stress disorder in college students. Scienmag. https://scienmag.com/trends-in-diagnosed-ptsd-and-acute-stress-disorder-in-college-students/
Ophelia Keating. "Trends in diagnosed PTSD and acute stress disorder in college students." Scienmag, 30 May 2024, https://scienmag.com/trends-in-diagnosed-ptsd-and-acute-stress-disorder-in-college-students/. Accessed 5 September 2026.
Ophelia Keating. "Trends in diagnosed PTSD and acute stress disorder in college students." Scienmag. May 30, 2024. https://scienmag.com/trends-in-diagnosed-ptsd-and-acute-stress-disorder-in-college-students/
