Peer-reviewed research examines 2,800 counseling cases across 36 higher education institutions, revealing how students access support for mental health, relationship concerns, and everyday stress.
WILKES-BARRE, Pa., Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Anxiety, depression, and grief were the leading reasons college students sought counseling through AllOne Health's Student Assistance Program (SAP), with mental health concerns accounting for 61% of cases, according to a pair of peer-reviewed studies published in the Journal of Education and Human Development. Students also reached out for help with personal relationships (19%) and everyday life stress (17%).
The research, announced today by AllOne Health, a leading provider of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), Student Assistance Programs (SAPs), and integrated whole health solutions, gives university presidents, student affairs professionals, healthcare service providers, and other campus leaders a data-driven view of what brings students to counseling, how quickly they connect with care, and how a Student Assistance Program can complement campus services.
"Today's college students bring a wide range of life experiences, schedules, and needs. Student Assistance Programs give institutions an innovative way to meet them," said Keith Wasley, President & CEO of AllOne Health. "When a student reaches out, fast access to high-quality clinical care and in-the-moment support makes the biggest impact. Our SAP is designed to complement campus student services by giving students a trusted place to turn, 24/7, by phone, app, or video."
What Brings Students to Counseling
The counseling study analyzed 2,800 cases from 36 colleges and universities across the United States between 2020 and 2024, examining why students sought support, how counseling was delivered, and how they used services. Students who used counseling represented a broad range of ages and life stages. Key findings include:
- Mental health was the leading concern. Mental health issues accounted for 61% of cases, including anxiety (23%), depression and mood disorders (11%), grief and loss (5%), and other emotional issues (22%).
- Relationships and everyday stress were also common. Personal relationship concerns accounted for 19% of cases, and personal life stress accounted for 17%.
- Counseling was delivered almost entirely by video or phone. Based on the 1,986 cases with recorded modality, online video accounted for 89% of cases, telephone counseling for 10%, and in-person counseling for 1%.
- Nearly 1 in 4 cases were resolved in a single session. Students used an average of 3.5 sessions over 47 days, and 24% of cases used just one session of counseling to resolve the student's concern.
- The length of care varied with student needs. The largest share of cases used 2 or 3 sessions (42%), and about a third (34%) used 4 to 9 sessions, with sessions spaced about 18 days apart on average.
- Students represented a broad range of ages. 27% of clients were of traditional undergraduate age (18 to 24), while 33% were 25 to 29 years old, 26% were in their 30s, and 14% were 40 to 75 years old.
Why It Matters for Higher Education
Among students who used the program, mental health concerns were the most common reason for seeking support, followed by relationship difficulties and everyday stress. With counseling available by video or phone, students can connect with care around their classes, work, and family responsibilities, when and where they need it.
"Through our partnerships with colleges and universities, AllOne Health's Student Assistance Program has been extending the reach of campus counseling centers, providing additional licensed clinical support aligned with each institution's student mental health initiatives, goals, and services," said Jason C. McDaniel, Regional Vice President of Operations at AllOne Health and co-author of the studies. "With nearly a quarter of cases in our study resolved in a single session, focused counseling helps our partner institutions support more students with the resources they already have."
Fast, Flexible Access When Students Reach Out
During intake, 11% of cases included a brief "In-the-Moment" telephone support call, and across the five-year study period, the first call was answered in about 16 seconds on average. Students most often began their requests for counseling by phone (70%) or through the mobile app (30%), both available 24/7.
"Students use counseling for many reasons, ranging from anxiety and depression to relationship difficulties and personal stress, and this mix differs slightly by age as well," said Mark Attridge, Ph.D., co-author of the study. "Understanding why and how students use counseling can help institutions consider the support resources needed by students in different age groups."
Practical Support for Daily Life
A companion study examined 5,604 work/life service cases among students at 29 colleges and universities. Personal life and convenience support accounted for 44% of those cases, followed by financial referrals (36%), legal referrals (12%), and childcare assistance (4%). Students used personal life concierge support at three times the rate of employees using AllOne Health's EAP work/life services over the same period (44% vs. 14%). Together, the two studies show how Student Assistance Programs can complement campus services by giving students access to both counseling and practical resources for real-life problems.
"The purpose of this research was to develop a clearer profile of students who use Student Assistance Program services, including the concerns that bring them to counseling and how they access support," said Dr. Attridge. "By documenting these service-use patterns and comparing them with existing research on campus counseling center users, we can better understand the role of external SAP services."
About the Research
The studies describe service utilization among AllOne Health program users. The samples were not designed to represent all college students in the United States, measure changes in student well-being or academic outcomes, or establish the effectiveness of a particular service model. The work-life study sample was especially concentrated among students attending large, private, for-profit institutions and fully online or hybrid schools.
Both studies were authored by Mark Attridge, Ph.D., M.A., of Attridge Consulting, Inc., and Jason C. McDaniel, LCSW, CEAP, MBA, of AllOne Health, and published in the Journal of Education and Human Development in March 2026. Dr. Attridge, an independent research consultant, was engaged by AllOne Health to conduct the studies. McDaniel is an AllOne Health executive.
Attridge, M., & McDaniel, J. (2026). Student Assistance Program Descriptive Profile Part 1 – Counseling Services: 2,800 Cases During 2020–2024 at AllOne Health in the United States with Mental Health, Personal Relationship and Stress Issues. Journal of Education and Human Development, 15, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.15640/jehd.v15p1
Attridge, M., & McDaniel, J. (2026). Student Assistance Program Descriptive Profile Part 2 – Work/Life Services: 5,604 Cases During 2020–2024 at AllOne Health in the United States with Personal Convenience, Financial, Legal and Childcare Assistance Needs. Journal of Education and Human Development, 15, 27–48. https://doi.org/10.15640/jehd.v15p2
Learn more about AllOne Health's Student Assistance Program at https://allonehealth.com/student-assistance-program.
About AllOne Health
AllOne Health is a leading provider of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and whole health solutions that support employees, students, and their families while helping organizations strengthen workforce well-being and performance. The company combines clinical expertise, compassionate human support, and accessible technology across Employee Assistance, Organizational Consulting, Wellness, Crisis Support, and Corporate Concierge. Trusted by over 11,000 clients, with 14+ million lives covered, AllOne Health helps people live well and organizations grow stronger, driving positive change for organizations, powered by people who care. Learn more at AllOneHealth.com.
Contact:
Laura McDermott, Director of Marketing
laura.mcdermott@allonehealth.com | allonehealth.com
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