About one-third of college students in the U.S. have a mental health condition. The challenges of studying abroad and living interculturally can exacerbate the symptoms of some conditions such as depression, anxiety, or eating disorders, or prompt the development of new symptoms and conditions, according to Laura Dupont-Jarrett, Ph.D., L.P., a licensed psychologist and the University of Minnesota’s assistant director for education abroad mental health. She tells faculty and staff who are leading programs abroad to expect that up to 50 percent of students on a program could face mental health challenges and need some degree of support.
Dupont-Jarrett’s job is to prepare program leaders and on-site staff to help students, who can feel overwhelmed by loneliness or anxiety, given the many changes that come with living abroad. She says one key is getting students to intentionally think about how they will care for their mental health and wellbeing — before they even get on a plane.
Read more about the University's efforts to support mental health abroad
