Examining the Mental Health Needs of Post-secondary Students with Child-maltreatment Histories Seeking Campus Counseling Services

ABSTRACT Our study sought to provide a more nuanced understanding of the significant issues experienced by young adult survivors of child-maltreatment (CM) prior to seeking counseling services. More specifically, we examined differences between survivors of CM and participants with no CM histories related to non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt, and scores on the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS). In our sample of N = 2604 post-secondary students seeking counseling services, CM histories were significantly associated with higher frequencies of NSSI, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt. Further, results indicated that survivors of CM reported significantly higher mean scores on all CCAPS subscales and were more likely to report scores that were considered “elevated” when compared to peers with no reported CM history. Implications for college counseling centers and college mental health providers are discussed.