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English 1302-Essay 3 Final Portfolio 1
English 1302-Essay 3 Final Portfolio 1
Hannah Flores
English 1302
11 April 2023
The controversial impact university mental health services have on the mental wellbeing
of students has been determined to be a significant factor in their education. At times, many
believe that the institution’s methods are effective in outreaching to the students who are in dire
need when experiencing an isolated and lonely time at a university. University outreach, on the
other hand, fails to provide proper mental health depression measures to help their own college
campus. Since there are not enough culturally diverse mental health professionals on campus to
discuss the discriminatory consequences of college life, the lack of suitable resources on campus
to engage with Latino and Black students has an exponential influence, instilling the same in
future generations. Shengyu Guo, Feiyue Liu, and Jing Shen contend that given the frequency of
depressed college students nowadays, "many students have acquired low expectation perceptions
about themselves and their education throughout the collegiate level experience" (2). The lack of
mental health services on campuses does not allow students a place to discuss their despair.
Additionally, on campus education has proven to be immense to college students' mental health
as Zhang et al. argues, “Universities are the epicenter of depression, and the frequency of
depression among college students is significantly higher than that of the general population”
(120). Furthermore, the resources on the TAMIU campus urgently require systematic review to
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address how they are affecting students on campus. In order to combat elevated levels of
depression among its population of Black and Latino students, TAMIU must hire mental health
professionals on campus. Given the negative consequences of universities being unable to fulfill
their college students with sufficient mental health treatment for depression, it represents a
setback not only for the students concerned but also an essential requirement in the growth of
prevalence of depression among college students on campus amidst the significant changes in
life that occur during the university years. According to Heyam F. Dalky and Assel Gharaibeh
“depression is the number one mental health issue in university settings,” resulting in “increased
demand for counseling services provided by highly certified and trained professionals” (206).
Although students must take responsibility for their own mental health and seek out resources
when needed, universities have a responsibility to provide accessible and effective mental health
resources to their students. Dalky and Gharaibeh argue that “The majority of students entering
university are between 18 and 21 years old, and, at this stage, dramatic changes in life are
occurring resulting in depression” (206). Because of the high incidence of depression in this age
range, depressed college students at TAMIU experience significant changes in their lives on their
own. Due to the emphasis on academics and the establishment of the study and life balance,
depression rates grow in the college context, which can be lonely and isolating. Yet, the negative
impact of depression on students’ lives can be reduced by universities like TAMIU through
Current depression among students on campus has been led by a lack of understanding
of available mental health facilities at TAMIU. Since mental health is a persistent concern on
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campus, particularly depression, students at TAMIU find difficulty reaching out to resources that
do not prioritize them first. In the same regard, students experiencing depression have not yet
been addressed by mental health programs since they appear to be unaware of resources for
mental health concerns and psychological therapies that prevent the negative-linked
consequences that come with it. Negative coping mechanisms such as sleep deprivation
however with the element of depression experienced by TAMIU students the use of social
services on campus can reduce the amount of depressed college students by advocating for
mental health and assessing student's needs. Moreover, the importance of being educated about
the significance of seeking help when experiencing mental health challenges needs to be
Significant barriers to accessing adequate treatment for college students are presented by
the cultural norms and stigmas surrounding mental health care in Black and Latino communities.
college students in institutions like TAMIU, "puts them under pressure on both a racial and an
academic level, interfering with their mental health"(89). Additionally, Black students who
encounter racism, imposter syndrome, and cultural adversity frequently turn to university
institutions' resources, but because "Black college students’ perceptions of mental health care are
affected by cultural and familial norms regarding help-seeking," these individuals do not feel
welcome in university resources to discuss cultural differences (90). Cultural obstacles prevent
students from seeking treatment due to the cultural belief that mental health challenges indicate
weakness. Further studies indicate that Latino academics are similarly impacted by the cultural
norm of suppressed emotions, which hinders students from seeking aid. For example, Ashley L.
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Merianos’ and fellow colleagues argue, “"The cultural stigma experienced by Hispanic family
members is associated with mental health help seeking behaviors, which may lead to
underutilization of such services” (81). More than ever, the majority of Latino scholars that
attend TAMIU repress their feelings due to the cultural norms inflicted upon them by both
health resources at the University of TAMIU is caused by the stigma of the culture due to the
influence of Black and Latino students’ cultural backgrounds, resulting in the university not
having enough mental health services for students. The study of Udeh and Merianos et al.
illustrates how representation in institutional mental health programs leads to the discriminatory
sensations that students globally feel in response cultural norms experienced in Black and Latino
communities. Evidently, the resources on college campuses are inefficient due to the lack of
adequate mental health treatment that breaks the barrier of cultural normality experienced on
More students experience the collegiate support needed if academic institutions, like
TAMIU, allow access to mental health professionals on campus since accessibility is crucial to
mental health. In Kate Paton's and peers' observation, doctors concur that improving access to
mental health services is advantageous for the educational system and the mental health of
students in university systems (Paton et al. 6). With the use of on campus professionals, TAMIU
students have the opportunity to communicate with individuals that are equipped with the proper
training to diagnose mental health illness and relieve college students from the depression and
psychological strain school can have. Rosie Mansfield and her coworkers claim that "new policy
directions in England call for schools to play a stronger part in promoting and protecting
children's and teens' mental health” (Mansfield et al. 1622). Mansfield suggests that “more has to
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be done to enhance the mental health services offered in schools," emphasizing the focus on
England’s targeted interventions for teenagers who have previously been classified as troubled or
shows that the use of on-campus mental health professionals can have a significant positive
impact on the mental health of students and manage mental health and academic demands
seeking behaviors and raise attitudes toward supporting people who are coping with mental
health concerns, Kristian Low and colleagues add upon the previous study by demonstrating how
interventions in mental health education aid in easy access to universities institutions. The lack
accessibility in the connections between university students and Low and peers' study (Low et al.
167). The influence that easy access to mental health services has on students highlights the
significance for the usage of medical professionals in university environments and promotes
To achieve optimal mental health effectiveness at TAMIU, students must have easy
access to expert mental health care through a paid psychiatrist. With one of the largest donations
in history of forty million dollars from Mackenzie Scott, access to TAMIU mental health
resources should not be limited, but rather expanded. As of December 2020, Dr. Pablo Arenaz
describes the contribution of funds as a "defining moment for the University" (TAMIU Named
Recipient of Historic $40 Million Gift). TAMIU’s primary response should be to safeguard
college students' cognitive wellbeing, as these are critical years of education building. Instead,
the resources will be used to expand the campus with new complexes and buildings, rather than
properly utilizing the necessary means for TAMIU students to flourish. It is crucial for mental
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health care for students to be prioritized by universities to support student success and achieve
institutional growth. While it is true that more students are attracted and retained by a successful
institution, which leads to increased enrollment and revenue, it is equally important that students
are supported in all aspects of their well-being, including mental health. Despite arguments from
some critics that students should “suck it up” and that those who cannot drop out, it must be
recognized by universities that supporting mental health should be given top priority. By doing
so, an environment that promotes academic success and personal growth with a psychiatrist on
campus can be fostered by universities, leading to a more sustainable and thriving institution in
the long term. The academic and future success of generations to come is based on TAMIU's
university health institution and professional support because of social isolation and depression
students feel on campus. Because not addressing mental health as a young adult immensely
damages a college student's maturation process, Texas A&M International University should
make mental health services a priority response to encourage students to seek treatment in a
college students, and they are expected to cater to the mental health needs of their students. With
the understanding of depression on campus, and the crucial stage in life students experience
through college, universities must adapt the mental health resources provided on campus. The
lack of culturally diverse mental health professionals to discuss the unique challenges faced by
Latino and Black students, and help them to overcome the cultural stigmas around mental health
that they experience, negatively affects the mental health services that universities must provide
to ensure equity in providing for student success. Additionally, the decline of mental health
services on campuses has produced an ongoing norm for college students’ disparaging
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environment, and on campus education has proven to be immense to college students' mental
health. Texas A&M International University has the responsibility to expand their resources with
access to a paid psychiatrist on campus, further improving students' academic success as they
Works Cited
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