Mental health is a problem across the United States, especially among college students. A variety of national studies have sought to quantify the mental health of college students.
Three in five students experience “overwhelming” anxiety, according to the American College Health Association.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among individuals aged 15-24, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Gen Z, or individuals aged 18-22, are significantly more likely to be lonely than any other generation in the US, according to Cigna.
Another statistic inspired Bernice Pescoslido, Ph.D., to enter the field of mental health research.
Dr. Pescosolido explains her rationale for beginning a career in the field of mental health research.
Dr. Pescosolido now serves as the director of the Irsay Family Research Institute, a new research institute at IU to research the stigma around mental health.
In Dec. 2021, the Jim Irsay family announced a $3 million dollar gift to the University for a new research institute. The gift is an extension of Kicking the Stigma, the Irsay family’s initiative to provide support for those who need help with mental health disorders.
Dr. Pescosolido says the involvement of the Irsay family, who own the Indianapolis Colts, is a big step forward for reaching groups who predominantly have distanced themselves from discussions around mental health.
“There is stigma in sports, particularly with the sort of masculine image, strength, people are afraid to show weakness,” Dr. Pescosolido said. “It’s hard to get men in the door, it’s sometimes hard to get people of color in the door.”
Kicking the Stigma is the philanthropic cause supported by the Colts, and the gift establishes a connection between Indiana University and the in-state NFL franchise.
With construction ongoing on the second and third floors of Morrison Hall, the Irsay Family Research Institute will bring together IU’s existing experts into a shared space.
“There was a lot of health expertise in the social sciences, but they were spread all over campus,” Dr. Pescosolido, said. “The Irsay is about bringing those issues and ideas to health and medicine, to the study of disease, to the study of treatment, and to the improvement of systems.”
Located on a college campus, the Irsay Family Research Institute will allow students to work with health experts on campus. The club U Bring Change to Mind will be directly involved, according to Co-President Wisdom Ibikunle.
UBC2M offers outreach efforts to help reduce stigma among students currently enrolled at IU. Ibikunle describes an event UBC2M held at First Thursdays where students built Lego structures to answer questions based on stigma around mental health. The goal was to promote positive reactions and feelings towards mental health and those who struggle with it. The Irsay Family Research Institute will help allow UBC2M to engage more in research into mental health at IU.
“Hopefully it means we’ll be more directly connected with resources and researchers who study mental health,” Ibikunle said. “There would be more direct connection between the club and people who engage in this kind of research professionally.”
Long term, Ibikunle believes research into mental health needs to stretch beyond the individual.
Wisdom Ibikunle explains what she would like to see long-term in mental health research.
Construction in Morrison is anticipated to be completed in early 2023, when students and professionals can begin to use the space. Dr. Pescosolido says a launch event is also planned for the spring of 2023, which will involve mental health experts from across the country as well as members of Kicking the Stigma.
Beyond learning more about mental health through research and outreach, Dr. Pescosolido hopes the Irsay Family Research Institute produces graduates capable of helping society advance in mental health.
“A college program would… teach people and create the next generation of leaders that would know something about mental health,” Dr. Pescosolido said.
The funding from the Irsay family gift offers Dr. Pescosolido and her team a platform to research the broader issues around mental health, rather than focusing on the individual.
Dr. Pescosolido describes the goals of stigma research.
The Irsay Family Research Institute has the chance to think big, and allow Indiana to be a national leader.
“We can not only change stigma on college campuses, but stigma in the state of Indiana,” Dr. Pescosolido said. “And maybe have Indiana be a national model for how other states can do this.”
