Mental health characteristics of Japanese students visiting a university counseling center: Comparison by sex and grade level

To establish effective interventions, it is important to clarify the mental health characteristics of students visiting counseling centers. This study analyzed the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS) scores of Japanese university students. We examined 414 students on their first visit to the student counseling center at X University. The participants completed the CCAPS-Japanese immediately before meeting the clinical psychologists. We employed MANOVA and independent sample t-tests to explore the relationships between sex or grade level and CCAPS-Japanese scores. Male students reported higher levels of academic distress, alcohol use, and critical items, whereas, female students exhibited higher scores for eating concerns and family distress. Second- and fourth-year students reported high academic distress, whereas fourth-year students reported low levels of eating concerns. Second-year students had the highest hostility scores, and third-year students reported the highest alcohol use. First-year students scored higher on thoughts about hurting other people. These variations in psychological symptoms indicate the need for tailored mental health support strategies that consider the specific challenges faced by students at different academic stages and the distinct experiences of male and female students. By addressing these factors, university counseling services can enhance support strategies, contributing to improved student well-being and success.