Emotional Abuse: Correlates to Abuse Among College Students

Emotional abuse, also known as psychological maltreatment, is a significant health problem. Long-term outcomes of emotional abuse are quite negative and include physical and mental health disorders. The present study examined emotional abuse and correlates to such abuse among college students. The American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment II was completed by study participants at one urban, Midwestern university. A total of 777 students participated in the survey. Greater than one in 10 (10.7%) students reported being emotionally abused in the past year. The final logistic regression model found being female, being an older student, recent marijuana use, and being so depressed it was difficult to function were significant predictors of emotional abuse. Study findings suggest it may be important to screen high-risk students for emotional abuse as part of mental health treatment or other medical screenings. Given that one in 10 students experienced past year emotional abuse, it may also be crucial to raise awareness of emotional abuse on college campuses.