. 2025 Mar:183:225-236.

doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.02.016. Epub 2025 Feb 18.

Prevalence, age-of-onset, and course of mental disorders among 72,288 first-year university students from 18 countries in the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative

Andre Mason¹, Charlene Rapsey², Nancy Sampson³, Sue Lee⁴, Yesica Albor⁵, Ahmad N Al-Hadi⁶, Jordi Alonso⁷, Nouf Al-Saud⁸, Yasmin Altwaijri⁹, Claes Andersson¹⁰, Lukoye Atwoli¹¹, Randy P Auerbach¹², Caroline Ayuya¹³, Patricia M Báez-Mansur¹⁴, Laura Ballester¹⁵, Jason Bantjes¹⁶, Harald Baumeister¹⁷, Marcus Bendtsen¹⁸, Corina Benjet¹⁹, Anne H Berman²⁰, Erik Bootsma²¹, Silver C N Chan²², Irina Cohut²³, María Anabell Covarrubias Díaz Couder²⁴, Pim Cuijpers²⁵, Oana David²⁶, Dong Dong²⁷, David D Ebert²⁸, Mireia Felez Nobrega²⁹, Jorge Gaete³⁰, Carlos García Forero³¹, Margalida Gili³², Raúl Gutiérrez-García³³, Josep Maria Haro³⁴, Penelope Hasking³⁵, Kristen Hudec³⁶, Xanthe Hunt³⁷, Petra Hurks³⁸, Mathilde Husky³⁹, Florence Jaguga⁴⁰, Leontien Jansen⁴¹, Fanny Kählke⁴², Elisabeth Klinkenberg⁴³, Ann-Marie Küchler⁴⁴, Álvaro I Langer⁴⁵, Irene Léniz⁴⁶, Yan Liu⁴⁷, Scarlett Mac-Ginty⁴⁸, Vania Martínez⁴⁹, Muthoni Mathai⁵⁰, Margaret McLafferty⁵¹, Andrea Miranda-Mendizabal⁵², Elaine Murray⁵³, Catherine M Musyoka⁵⁴, Catalin Nedelcea⁵⁵, Chun Ho Ngai⁵⁶, Daniel Núñez⁵⁷, Siobhan O'Neill⁵⁸, Jose A Piqueras⁵⁹, Codruta A Popescu⁶⁰, Kealagh Robinson⁶¹, Tiscar Rodriguez-Jimenez⁶², Damian Scarf⁶³, Oi Ling Siu⁶⁴, Dan J Stein⁶⁵, Sascha Y Struijs⁶⁶, Cristina Tomoiaga⁶⁷, Karla Patricia Valdés-García⁶⁸, Sanne van Luenen⁶⁹, Daniel V Vigo⁷⁰, Angel Y Wang⁷¹, Reinout Wiers⁷², Samuel Y S Wong⁷³, Ronald C Kessler⁷⁴, Ronny Bruffaerts⁷⁵; WMH-ICS collaborators

Collaborators, Affiliations

Collaborators

WMH-ICS collaborators:
Rodrigo Antunes Lima, Elsie Breet, Nadia Garnefski, Karen Jacobs, Vivian Kraaij, Lonna Munro, Richard J Munthali, Ana Paula Prescivalli, Marisa Rebagliato, Miquel Roca, Elske Salemink, Claudia van der Heijde

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, 135 Park St, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand; School of Psychological and Social Sciences, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand. Electronic address: Andre.mason@waikato.ac.nz.
² Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, 135 Park St, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand. Electronic address: charlene.rapsey@otago.ac.nz.
³ Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, 180 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. Electronic address: sampson@hcp.med.harvard.edu.
⁴ Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, 180 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. Electronic address: sue_lee@hcp.med.harvard.edu.
⁵ Center for Global Mental Health, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Av. Ramón de la Fuente 495, Mexico City, C.P. 14370, Mexico. Electronic address: yesicaalbor@outlook.es.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry, & SABIC Psychological Health Research & Applications Chair (SPHRAC), College of Medicine, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2925, Riyadh, 11461, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: alhadi@ksu.edu.sa.
⁷ Health Services Research Unit, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, C/ del Doctor Aiguader, 88 08003, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Carrer del Doctor Aiguader, 88 08003, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Carrer del Doctor Aiguader, 88 08003, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: jalonso@researchmar.net.
⁸ Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, P.O. Box 3354, Riyadh, 11211, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: nbalsaud@kfshrc.edu.sa.
⁹ Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, P.O. Box 3354, Riyadh, 11211, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: yasmint@kfshrc.edu.sa.
¹⁰ Department of Criminology, Malmö University, Nordenskiöldsgatan 10, 211 19, Malmö, Sweden. Electronic address: claes.andersson@mau.se.
¹¹ Brain and Mind Institute and Medical College of East Africa, The Aga Khan University, 3rd Parklands Avenue, Nairobi, Kenya. Electronic address: lukoye.atwoli@aku.edu.
¹² Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Dr, New York, NY, 10032, USA. Electronic address: rpa2009@cumc.columbia.edu.
¹³ Department of Psychology & Counselling, Daystar University, P.O. Box 10195, Nairobi, Kenya. Electronic address: cvihenda@daystar.ac.ke.
¹⁴ Coordinación de Desarrollo Académico y Servicios Educativos, Universidad la Salle Ciudad Victoria, Av. Universidad 300, Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, C.P. 87000, Mexico. Electronic address: patricia.baez@ulsavictoria.edu.mx.
¹⁵ Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Carrer del Doctor Aiguader, 88 08003, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Carrer del Doctor Aiguader, 88 08003, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: lballester@researchmar.net.
¹⁶ Mental Health, Alcohol, Substance Use and Tobacco (MAST) Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Francie van Zijl Dr, Cape Town, 7500, South Africa; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, P.O. Box 19070, Observatory, 7725, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: Jason.Bantjes@mrc.ac.za.
¹⁷ Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Helmut-G.-Walther-Str. 3, 89081, Ulm, Germany. Electronic address: harald.baumeister@uni-ulm.de.
¹⁸ Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden. Electronic address: marcus.bendtsen@liu.se.
¹⁹ Center for Global Mental Health, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Av. Ramón de la Fuente 495, Mexico City, C.P. 14370, Mexico. Electronic address: cbenjet@gmail.com.
²⁰ Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, 752 36, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: anne.h.berman@psyk.uu.se.
²¹ Center for Public Health Psychiatry, Universitair Psychiatrisch Centrum - Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: ronny.bruffaerts@uzleuven.be.
²² Counseling and Wellness Center, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. Electronic address: sasilver@ust.hk.
²³ Career Counseling and Guidance Center, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Str. Memorandumului 28, 400114, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address: psih.ococ@ococ.utcluj.ro.
²⁴ Coordinación de Investigación, Universidad la Salle Noroeste, Av. 5 de Febrero 809, Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, C.P. 85000, Mexico. Electronic address: Anabell.covarrubias@lasallenoroeste.edu.mx.
²⁵ Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorstraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: p.cuijpers@vu.nl.
²⁶ Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeş-Bolyai University, Str. Treboniu Laurian, 400271, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address: oanadavid@psychology.ro.
²⁷ School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. Electronic address: dongdong@cuhk.edu.hk.
²⁸ Professorship Psychology and Digital Mental Health Care, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, München, Germany. Electronic address: david.daniel.ebert@tum.de.
²⁹ Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute, Carrer de Santa Rosa, 39-57, 08950, Esplugues del Llobregat, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBERSAM), Paseo del Prado, 20 28014, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: mireia.felez@sjd.es.
³⁰ Millennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths (Imhay), Av. Presidente Kennedy, 5700, Santiago, Chile; Centro de Investigación en Salud Mental Estudiantil (ISME), Universidad de los Andes, Av. Presidente Kennedy, Las Condes, 5700, Santiago, Chile. Electronic address: jgaete@uandes.cl.
³¹ Departamento de Medicina, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Carrer de Urgell 236, 08036, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: cgarciaf@uic.es.
³² Universitat Illes Balears (UIB), Crta. de Valldemossa, Km 7.5, 07122, Palma, Mallorca, Spain. Electronic address: margalida.gili@gmail.com.
³³ Universidad De La Salle Bajío, Campus Salamanca, Carr. a la Victoria, km 1.5, Salamanca, Gto, 36810, Mexico. Electronic address: raulgutierrezgarcia7@gmail.com.
³⁴ Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute, Carrer de Santa Rosa, 39-57, 08950, Esplugues del Llobregat, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBERSAM), Paseo del Prado, 20 28014, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: josepmaria.haro@sjd.es.
³⁵ School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Perth, Australia. Electronic address: penelope.hasking@curtin.edu.au.
³⁶ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2255 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada. Electronic address: kristen.hudec@ubc.ca.
³⁷ Institute for Life Course Health Research, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, 7600, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Electronic address: xanthe@sun.ac.za.
³⁸ Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, Maastricht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: pm.hurks@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
³⁹ INSERM U1219, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, ACTIVE Team, University of Bordeaux, 146 Rue Léo Saignat, 33076, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: mathilde.husky@u-bordeaux.fr.
⁴⁰ Department of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Rehabilitation Services, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, P.O. Box 3, 30100, Eldoret, Kenya. Electronic address: flokemboi@gmail.com.
⁴¹ Center for Public Health Psychiatry, Universitair Psychiatrisch Centrum - Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: leontien.jansen@kuleuven.be.
⁴² Professorship Psychology and Digital Mental Health Care, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, München, Germany. Electronic address: fanny.kaehlke@tum.de.
⁴³ Department of Education and Innovation, in Holland University of Applied Sciences, Molenweide 24, 2034 ZH, Haarlem, the Netherlands. Electronic address: lisa.klinkenberg@inholland.nl.
⁴⁴ Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Helmut-G.-Walther-Str. 3, 89081, Ulm, Germany. Electronic address: ann-marie.kuechler@uni-ulm.de.
⁴⁵ Millennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths (Imhay), Av. Presidente Kennedy, 5700, Santiago, Chile; Facultad de Psicología y Humanidades, Universidad San Sebastián, Avenida Picarte 1610, Valdivia, Chile. Electronic address: alvaro.langer@gmail.com.
⁴⁶ Dirección de Salud Mental, Universidad de O'Higgins, Av. O'Higgins 130, Rancagua, Chile. Electronic address: irene.leniz@uoh.cl.
⁴⁷ School of Public Health, Jining Medical University, 25 South Zhongshan Rd, Jining, Shandong, China. Electronic address: hakunaly@163.com.
⁴⁸ Millennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths (Imhay), Av. Presidente Kennedy, 5700, Santiago, Chile; Department of Health Service & Population Research, King's College London, 125 Coldharbour Ln, London, SE5 9NP, United Kingdom. Electronic address: scarlettmf@u.uchile.cl.
⁴⁹ Millennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths (Imhay), Av. Presidente Kennedy, 5700, Santiago, Chile; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Av. Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 1058, Santiago, Chile. Electronic address: vmartinezn@uchile.cl.
⁵⁰ Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya. Electronic address: muthonimathai@gmail.com.
⁵¹ School of Medicine, Ulster University, 100 University Ave, Derry/Londonderry, Derry, BT47 6AL, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Margaret.McLafferty@atu.ie.
⁵² Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute, Carrer de Santa Rosa, 39-57, 08950, Esplugues del Llobregat, Spain; rather Than Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, IRSJD, Carrer del Celler, 08130, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Spain. Electronic address: andrea.miranda@sjd.es.
⁵³ Personalised Medicine Centre, School of Medicine, Ulster University, C-TRIC, Altnagelvin Hospital, Derry, 100 University Ave, Derry, BT47 6AL, United Kingdom. Electronic address: e.murray@ulster.ac.uk.
⁵⁴ Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya. Electronic address: camulundu2011@gmail.com.
⁵⁵ Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Bucharest, Str. Bdul. Regina Elisabeta 4-12, 030018, Bucharest, Romania. Electronic address: catalin.nedelcea@fpse.unibuc.ro.
⁵⁶ School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. Electronic address: alfonsengai@cuhk.edu.hk.
⁵⁷ Millennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths (Imhay), Av. Presidente Kennedy, 5700, Santiago, Chile; Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Talca, Av. Marcelino Núñez 045, Talca, Chile. Electronic address: dnunez@utalca.cl.
⁵⁸ School of Psychology, Ulster University, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, United Kingdom. Electronic address: sm.oneill@ulster.ac.uk.
⁵⁹ Universidad Miguel Hernandez (UMH), Elche, 03202, Alicante, Spain. Electronic address: jpiqueras@umh.es.
⁶⁰ Department of Human Sciences, ''Iuliu Hatieganu'' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Str. Victor Babeș 8, 400012, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address: cpopescu@umfcluj.ro.
⁶¹ School of Psychology, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand. Electronic address: k.robinson2@massey.ac.nz.
⁶² Universidad de Zaragoza (UNIZAR), Calle Pedro Cerbuna, 12, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain. Electronic address: trodriguez@unizar.es.
⁶³ Department of Psychology, University of Otago, 135 Park Street, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand. Electronic address: damian.scarf@otago.ac.nz.
⁶⁴ Department of Psychology, Lingnan University, 8 Castle Peak Road, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. Electronic address: siuol@ln.edu.hk.
⁶⁵ Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, P.O. Box 19070, Observatory, 7725, Cape Town, South Africa; South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, University of Cape Town, P.O. Box 19070, Observatory, 7725, South Africa. Electronic address: dan.stein@uct.ac.za.
⁶⁶ Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorstraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: s.y.struijs@vu.nl.
⁶⁷ Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeş-Bolyai University, Str. Treboniu Laurian, 400271, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address: cristinalorint@psychology.ro.
⁶⁸ Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Av. Universidad 250, Ciudad Universitaria, 25280, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico. Electronic address: karlavaldes@uadec.edu.mx.
⁶⁹ Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, the Netherlands. Electronic address: s.van.luenen@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.
⁷⁰ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2255 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada. Electronic address: daniel.vigo@ubc.ca.
⁷¹ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2255 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada. Electronic address: angel.wang@ubc.ca.
⁷² Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Roetersstraat 15, 1018 WB, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: R.W.H.J.Wiers@uva.nl.
⁷³ School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. Electronic address: yeungshanwong@cuhk.edu.hk.
⁷⁴ Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, 180 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. Electronic address: kessler@hcp.med.harvard.edu.
⁷⁵ Center for Public Health Psychiatry, Universitair Psychiatrisch Centrum - Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: ejhl.bootsma@gmail.com.

PMID: 40010072
PMCID: PMC11926851 (available on 2026-03-01)
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.02.016

Prevalence, age-of-onset, and course of mental disorders among 72,288 first-year university students from 18 countries in the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative

Andre Mason et al. J Psychiatr Res. 2025 Mar.

. 2025 Mar:183:225-236.

doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.02.016. Epub 2025 Feb 18.

Authors

Collaborators

WMH-ICS collaborators:
Rodrigo Antunes Lima, Elsie Breet, Nadia Garnefski, Karen Jacobs, Vivian Kraaij, Lonna Munro, Richard J Munthali, Ana Paula Prescivalli, Marisa Rebagliato, Miquel Roca, Elske Salemink, Claudia van der Heijde

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, 135 Park St, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand; School of Psychological and Social Sciences, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand. Electronic address: Andre.mason@waikato.ac.nz.
² Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, 135 Park St, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand. Electronic address: charlene.rapsey@otago.ac.nz.
³ Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, 180 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. Electronic address: sampson@hcp.med.harvard.edu.
⁴ Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, 180 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. Electronic address: sue_lee@hcp.med.harvard.edu.
⁵ Center for Global Mental Health, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Av. Ramón de la Fuente 495, Mexico City, C.P. 14370, Mexico. Electronic address: yesicaalbor@outlook.es.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry, & SABIC Psychological Health Research & Applications Chair (SPHRAC), College of Medicine, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2925, Riyadh, 11461, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: alhadi@ksu.edu.sa.
⁷ Health Services Research Unit, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, C/ del Doctor Aiguader, 88 08003, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Carrer del Doctor Aiguader, 88 08003, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Carrer del Doctor Aiguader, 88 08003, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: jalonso@researchmar.net.
⁸ Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, P.O. Box 3354, Riyadh, 11211, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: nbalsaud@kfshrc.edu.sa.
⁹ Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, P.O. Box 3354, Riyadh, 11211, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: yasmint@kfshrc.edu.sa.
¹⁰ Department of Criminology, Malmö University, Nordenskiöldsgatan 10, 211 19, Malmö, Sweden. Electronic address: claes.andersson@mau.se.
¹¹ Brain and Mind Institute and Medical College of East Africa, The Aga Khan University, 3rd Parklands Avenue, Nairobi, Kenya. Electronic address: lukoye.atwoli@aku.edu.
¹² Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Dr, New York, NY, 10032, USA. Electronic address: rpa2009@cumc.columbia.edu.
¹³ Department of Psychology & Counselling, Daystar University, P.O. Box 10195, Nairobi, Kenya. Electronic address: cvihenda@daystar.ac.ke.
¹⁴ Coordinación de Desarrollo Académico y Servicios Educativos, Universidad la Salle Ciudad Victoria, Av. Universidad 300, Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, C.P. 87000, Mexico. Electronic address: patricia.baez@ulsavictoria.edu.mx.
¹⁵ Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Carrer del Doctor Aiguader, 88 08003, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Carrer del Doctor Aiguader, 88 08003, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: lballester@researchmar.net.
¹⁶ Mental Health, Alcohol, Substance Use and Tobacco (MAST) Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Francie van Zijl Dr, Cape Town, 7500, South Africa; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, P.O. Box 19070, Observatory, 7725, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: Jason.Bantjes@mrc.ac.za.
¹⁷ Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Helmut-G.-Walther-Str. 3, 89081, Ulm, Germany. Electronic address: harald.baumeister@uni-ulm.de.
¹⁸ Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden. Electronic address: marcus.bendtsen@liu.se.
¹⁹ Center for Global Mental Health, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Av. Ramón de la Fuente 495, Mexico City, C.P. 14370, Mexico. Electronic address: cbenjet@gmail.com.
²⁰ Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, 752 36, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: anne.h.berman@psyk.uu.se.
²¹ Center for Public Health Psychiatry, Universitair Psychiatrisch Centrum - Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: ronny.bruffaerts@uzleuven.be.
²² Counseling and Wellness Center, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. Electronic address: sasilver@ust.hk.
²³ Career Counseling and Guidance Center, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Str. Memorandumului 28, 400114, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address: psih.ococ@ococ.utcluj.ro.
²⁴ Coordinación de Investigación, Universidad la Salle Noroeste, Av. 5 de Febrero 809, Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, C.P. 85000, Mexico. Electronic address: Anabell.covarrubias@lasallenoroeste.edu.mx.
²⁵ Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorstraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: p.cuijpers@vu.nl.
²⁶ Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeş-Bolyai University, Str. Treboniu Laurian, 400271, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address: oanadavid@psychology.ro.
²⁷ School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. Electronic address: dongdong@cuhk.edu.hk.
²⁸ Professorship Psychology and Digital Mental Health Care, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, München, Germany. Electronic address: david.daniel.ebert@tum.de.
²⁹ Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute, Carrer de Santa Rosa, 39-57, 08950, Esplugues del Llobregat, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBERSAM), Paseo del Prado, 20 28014, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: mireia.felez@sjd.es.
³⁰ Millennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths (Imhay), Av. Presidente Kennedy, 5700, Santiago, Chile; Centro de Investigación en Salud Mental Estudiantil (ISME), Universidad de los Andes, Av. Presidente Kennedy, Las Condes, 5700, Santiago, Chile. Electronic address: jgaete@uandes.cl.
³¹ Departamento de Medicina, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Carrer de Urgell 236, 08036, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: cgarciaf@uic.es.
³² Universitat Illes Balears (UIB), Crta. de Valldemossa, Km 7.5, 07122, Palma, Mallorca, Spain. Electronic address: margalida.gili@gmail.com.
³³ Universidad De La Salle Bajío, Campus Salamanca, Carr. a la Victoria, km 1.5, Salamanca, Gto, 36810, Mexico. Electronic address: raulgutierrezgarcia7@gmail.com.
³⁴ Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute, Carrer de Santa Rosa, 39-57, 08950, Esplugues del Llobregat, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBERSAM), Paseo del Prado, 20 28014, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: josepmaria.haro@sjd.es.
³⁵ School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Perth, Australia. Electronic address: penelope.hasking@curtin.edu.au.
³⁶ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2255 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada. Electronic address: kristen.hudec@ubc.ca.
³⁷ Institute for Life Course Health Research, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, 7600, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Electronic address: xanthe@sun.ac.za.
³⁸ Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, Maastricht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: pm.hurks@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
³⁹ INSERM U1219, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, ACTIVE Team, University of Bordeaux, 146 Rue Léo Saignat, 33076, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: mathilde.husky@u-bordeaux.fr.
⁴⁰ Department of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Rehabilitation Services, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, P.O. Box 3, 30100, Eldoret, Kenya. Electronic address: flokemboi@gmail.com.
⁴¹ Center for Public Health Psychiatry, Universitair Psychiatrisch Centrum - Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: leontien.jansen@kuleuven.be.
⁴² Professorship Psychology and Digital Mental Health Care, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, München, Germany. Electronic address: fanny.kaehlke@tum.de.
⁴³ Department of Education and Innovation, in Holland University of Applied Sciences, Molenweide 24, 2034 ZH, Haarlem, the Netherlands. Electronic address: lisa.klinkenberg@inholland.nl.
⁴⁴ Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Helmut-G.-Walther-Str. 3, 89081, Ulm, Germany. Electronic address: ann-marie.kuechler@uni-ulm.de.
⁴⁵ Millennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths (Imhay), Av. Presidente Kennedy, 5700, Santiago, Chile; Facultad de Psicología y Humanidades, Universidad San Sebastián, Avenida Picarte 1610, Valdivia, Chile. Electronic address: alvaro.langer@gmail.com.
⁴⁶ Dirección de Salud Mental, Universidad de O'Higgins, Av. O'Higgins 130, Rancagua, Chile. Electronic address: irene.leniz@uoh.cl.
⁴⁷ School of Public Health, Jining Medical University, 25 South Zhongshan Rd, Jining, Shandong, China. Electronic address: hakunaly@163.com.
⁴⁸ Millennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths (Imhay), Av. Presidente Kennedy, 5700, Santiago, Chile; Department of Health Service & Population Research, King's College London, 125 Coldharbour Ln, London, SE5 9NP, United Kingdom. Electronic address: scarlettmf@u.uchile.cl.
⁴⁹ Millennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths (Imhay), Av. Presidente Kennedy, 5700, Santiago, Chile; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Av. Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 1058, Santiago, Chile. Electronic address: vmartinezn@uchile.cl.
⁵⁰ Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya. Electronic address: muthonimathai@gmail.com.
⁵¹ School of Medicine, Ulster University, 100 University Ave, Derry/Londonderry, Derry, BT47 6AL, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Margaret.McLafferty@atu.ie.
⁵² Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute, Carrer de Santa Rosa, 39-57, 08950, Esplugues del Llobregat, Spain; rather Than Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, IRSJD, Carrer del Celler, 08130, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Spain. Electronic address: andrea.miranda@sjd.es.
⁵³ Personalised Medicine Centre, School of Medicine, Ulster University, C-TRIC, Altnagelvin Hospital, Derry, 100 University Ave, Derry, BT47 6AL, United Kingdom. Electronic address: e.murray@ulster.ac.uk.
⁵⁴ Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya. Electronic address: camulundu2011@gmail.com.
⁵⁵ Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Bucharest, Str. Bdul. Regina Elisabeta 4-12, 030018, Bucharest, Romania. Electronic address: catalin.nedelcea@fpse.unibuc.ro.
⁵⁶ School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. Electronic address: alfonsengai@cuhk.edu.hk.
⁵⁷ Millennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths (Imhay), Av. Presidente Kennedy, 5700, Santiago, Chile; Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Talca, Av. Marcelino Núñez 045, Talca, Chile. Electronic address: dnunez@utalca.cl.
⁵⁸ School of Psychology, Ulster University, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, United Kingdom. Electronic address: sm.oneill@ulster.ac.uk.
⁵⁹ Universidad Miguel Hernandez (UMH), Elche, 03202, Alicante, Spain. Electronic address: jpiqueras@umh.es.
⁶⁰ Department of Human Sciences, ''Iuliu Hatieganu'' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Str. Victor Babeș 8, 400012, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address: cpopescu@umfcluj.ro.
⁶¹ School of Psychology, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand. Electronic address: k.robinson2@massey.ac.nz.
⁶² Universidad de Zaragoza (UNIZAR), Calle Pedro Cerbuna, 12, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain. Electronic address: trodriguez@unizar.es.
⁶³ Department of Psychology, University of Otago, 135 Park Street, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand. Electronic address: damian.scarf@otago.ac.nz.
⁶⁴ Department of Psychology, Lingnan University, 8 Castle Peak Road, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. Electronic address: siuol@ln.edu.hk.
⁶⁵ Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, P.O. Box 19070, Observatory, 7725, Cape Town, South Africa; South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, University of Cape Town, P.O. Box 19070, Observatory, 7725, South Africa. Electronic address: dan.stein@uct.ac.za.
⁶⁶ Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorstraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: s.y.struijs@vu.nl.
⁶⁷ Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeş-Bolyai University, Str. Treboniu Laurian, 400271, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address: cristinalorint@psychology.ro.
⁶⁸ Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Av. Universidad 250, Ciudad Universitaria, 25280, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico. Electronic address: karlavaldes@uadec.edu.mx.
⁶⁹ Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, the Netherlands. Electronic address: s.van.luenen@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.
⁷⁰ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2255 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada. Electronic address: daniel.vigo@ubc.ca.
⁷¹ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2255 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada. Electronic address: angel.wang@ubc.ca.
⁷² Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Roetersstraat 15, 1018 WB, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: R.W.H.J.Wiers@uva.nl.
⁷³ School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. Electronic address: yeungshanwong@cuhk.edu.hk.
⁷⁴ Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, 180 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. Electronic address: kessler@hcp.med.harvard.edu.
⁷⁵ Center for Public Health Psychiatry, Universitair Psychiatrisch Centrum - Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: ejhl.bootsma@gmail.com.

PMID: 40010072
PMCID: PMC11926851 (available on 2026-03-01)
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.02.016

Abstract

Background: The college years are a developmentally sensitive period for mental disorder onset. Reliable epidemiological data are critical for informing public health responses. This study aimed to estimate prevalence and socio-demographic distributions of common DSM-5 mental disorders among first-year university students from 77 universities across 18 countries.

Methods: Data were collected 2017-2023 in the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative with n = 72,288 university students. Online surveys assessed alcohol use, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, bipolar, drug use, generalized anxiety, major depression, panic, and post-traumatic stress disorders with validated screening scales. Socio-demographics included student age, sex at birth, gender modality, sexual orientation, and parent education.

Results: The weighted mean response rate was 20.8%. Data were calibrated for differential response rates by sex at birth and age. 65.2% of respondents screened positive for lifetime mental disorders and 57.4% for 12-month mental disorders. Females had higher prevalence of internalizing disorders and males of substance and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders. Older age was associated with lower prevalence of most 12-month but not lifetime mental disorders. Non-heterosexual sexual orientation and identifying as transgender were associated with highest prevalence of most mental disorders. Parent education was for the most part uncorrelated with prevalence.

Conclusions: Although prevalence might have been overestimated due to the low response rate and possible screening scale miscalibration, results nonetheless suggest that mental disorders are highly prevalent among first-year university students worldwide and are widely distributed with respect to socio-demographic characteristics. These findings highlight the need to implement effective interventions to better support first-year university student mental health.

Keywords: College students; Mental disorders; WMH-ICS.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest AM acknowledges that research was conducted during tenure of a Health Sciences Career Development Award of the Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka - University of Otago. In the past 3 years, RPA has received payment and stock options from Get Sonar, Inc. CA, MB. CB reports funding from the National Institute of Health (US), awarded to the National Institute of Psychiatry Ramon de la Fuente Muñiz, with Benjet as PI. AHB received funding for this work from the Swedish Research Council (ID, 2019–01127) as well as from a Public Health Agency in Sweden (ID 04252-2021-2.3.2), and has served as a consultant for National Board of Health and Welfare (Sweden), received financial support for conference participation from Karolinska Institutet, royalties from Gothia Fortbildning, relating to textbooks on addiction and crime, and has served as President of International Society of Behavioral Medicine (isbm.info). DD received grants from Research Grants Council (RGC) (Hong Kong); Health and Medical Research Fund; Save the Children Hong Kong and Merck & Co. Inc. and has served as a board member for several rare disease advocacy groups in Asia. DDE has served as a consultant to/on the scientific advisory boards of Sanofi, Novartis, Minddistrict, Lantern, Schoen Kliniken, Ideamed and German health insurance companies (BARMER, Techniker Krankenkasse) and a number of federal chambers for psychotherapy and is shareholder of GET.ON Institute/HelloBetter a provider of digital mental health care products and services. In Chile the study was funded by ANID-Millennium Science Initiative Program-NCS2021_081 and ANID/FONDECYT 1221230. JMH reports grant funding from Eli Lily & Co. and consulting fees from Otsuka. XH has received grants from Sexual Violence Research Institute, Volkswagen Foundation, Wellspring Philanthropies, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (UK government), PANDA Holding Limited, National Research Foundation of South Africa, Center for Inclusive Policy. XH reports consulting fees from Mastercard Foundation, Missing Billion Initiative, UNICEF, International Food Policy Research Institute and the African Union. Hunt has received funding support to attend conferences from Mastercard Foundation and Charité University (Germany). PH has received funding for this work from Suicide Prevention Australia, the Feilman Foundation, and the National Health and Medical Research Council (ID, 2032058). MH reports consulting fees from Child Mind Institute, New York. AMK has received lecture fees for mental health workshops and presentations for German statutory health insurance company, Techniker Krankenkasse. YL received grant support from Taishan Scholars Program of Shandong Province. AM acknowledges that research was conducted during tenure of a Health Sciences Career Development Award of the Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka - University of Otago. DJS reports personal fees from Discovery Vitality, Johnson & Johnson, Kanna, L'Oreal, Lundbeck, Orion, Sanofi, Servier, Takeda and Vistagen. DVV reports grant support from Health Canada, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Provincial Health Services Authority and an internal research grant from the University of British Columbia. The BC Ministry of Health and the Department of Interior Health made payments to Dr. Vigo with respect to contracts for projects related to mental health service provision. RW received lecture fees for presentations from Clinical Psychology Training, The Netherlands. In the past 3 years, RCK was a consultant for Cambridge Health Alliance, Canandaigua VA Medical Center, Child Mind Institute, Holmusk, Massachusetts General Hospital, Partners Healthcare, Inc., RallyPoint Networks, Inc., Sage Therapeutics and University of North Carolina. He has stock options in Cerebral Inc., Mirah, PYM (Prepare Your Mind), Roga Sciences and Verisense Health.

References

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Prevalence, age-of-onset, and course of mental disorders among 72,288 first-year university students from 18 countries in the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative

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Prevalence, age-of-onset, and course of mental disorders among 72,288 first-year university students from 18 countries in the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative

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