NCJ Number
206677
Date Published
November 2003
Length
82 pages
Annotation
This paper presents a literature review of depression, substance abuse and college student engagement.
Abstract
The objectives of this review are to present findings from a comprehensive review of available literature on college student substance abuse, depression, and engaged learning and the links among them. Secondly, to provide an analyses of several national sets examining the prevalence of the patterns in college student substance abuse, depression, and engaged learning and the links among them. And lastly, as a review of current programs and initiatives that address issues of engaged learning to assess the current evidentiary basis for the hypothesis that such programs are effective in preventing or reducing student substance abuse and depression. Late adolescence and early childhood are the most common ages for the onset of two major social/health problems: substance abuse and depression. These are also the times when many adolescents make the transition from high school to college. Students’ self-reports revealed that up to 53 percent of students had experienced depression since beginning college. The use of alcohol, tobacco, and other illicit drugs peaks between the ages of 18 and 25 years during which many people are enrolled in colleges or universities. Perhaps, not surprisingly, many first-year students feel disengaged from their schoolwork, at least occasionally turning in work that does not reflect their best efforts (47.9 percent). Despite the relatively tangential evidence for the link between student engagement and substance abuse, no data currently exist to tie together issues of engaged learning and student service with the problems of student depression and substance abuse, particularly among college students. This does not mean that there is no connection, simply that the research is too limited to support the hypothesis. Preliminary evidence of associations has been made, but further research is needed. Appendix, notes, references