Why So Many College Students Are in Mental Distress, and What Parents Can Do About It

More supervision, less autonomy, and social media influences while growing up could be making college students more prone to anxiety and depression

A 2018 survey by the American College Health Association found that 63 percent of college students reported feeling overwhelming anxiety over the previous year. Shutterstock

With college classes underway for the fall semester, parents may worry about how their children will navigate campus life, balance academics and social pressures, and find their pathway to a meaningful career.

While parents of college students have long shared these common worries, they now confront new concerns.