Widespread loneliness on campus is worsening student mental health and undermining academic performance, claims a new report from Trellis Strategies, a higher education consulting firm.
Over half (57%) of the 43,519 undergraduate students surveyed reported being “sometimes” or “always” lonely. Students aged 25 and younger or who identified as LGBTQIA+ or faced basic needs insecurity reported higher rates.
Students who felt lonely were up to four times more likely to be experiencing a mental health disorder. Sixty percent met the criteria for anxiety disorder, compared with 24% of those who “never” or “rarely” felt lonely. Similarly, nearly half (48%) of lonely students showed signs of depression, compared to just 12% of other classmates.
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The signs that a student is struggling are often hidden. Students are generally uncomfortable about reaching out for mental health support despite their knowledge of resources on campus. Furthermore, a significant portion of students reported feeling little or no connection to their residential community.
Psychological distress can deeply impact students’ retention and graduation. Among the roughly 1,000 students surveyed by Trellis Strategies who stopped out for personal reasons, more than half cited emotional or mental health challenges, and 30% said they felt lonely or isolated.
In a public advisory declaring loneliness a national epidemic, then-Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy wrote that “the lack of quality social connections inhibits student progression … in higher education settings. For example, among medical students, feeling socially isolated is associated with dropping out. The lack of social connection is cited as a prime reason for leaving a program.”
The Trellis Strategies report also found that lonely students were less likely to recommend their institution to other potential students.
“A strong sense of belonging is often tied to students’ overall satisfaction with their institution, and these findings find that loneliness may erode that connection,” the report stated.
