Mental Health in the College Classroom: Best Practices for Instructors

Mental health has become a matter of growing concern on college campuses, and the coronavirus has only amplified these trends. Whether high rates of mental health issues were always present on college campuses but went undiagnosed or whether structural and cultural conditions have prompted a true rise in mental illness, the current prevalence of these issues remains troubling. Although counseling centers can play an important role in addressing these issues, instructors are often the first point of contact for students in need. Sociologists of mental health are in a position to offer insights for these instructors and to suggest avenues of response. Drawing on epidemiological evidence and buttressed by guidance from mental health practitioners who work in a college setting, I propose a set of “best practices” for instructors who wish to better support their students’ mental flourishing.