The importance of cultivating social connection at universities
With feelings of loneliness and isolation higher than ever, social connection is a key driver to support student mental health.

A Canadian Mental Health Association report published in November showed that Canadians’ mental health is three times more precarious now than it was before the pandemic — and, according to the Canadian Community Health Survey — Mental Health, young people are reporting the lowest rates of mental health and well-being. As a matter of fact, those aged 15 to 24, many of whom are students, register the highest rates of anxious, depressive, or bipolar symptoms. It has also been reported that an estimated one third of students will experience at least one type of mental disorder at some point in their academic journey.
The drop in mental health among the Canadian population, and particularly students, is linked to feelings of loneliness and isolation, which many of them are familiar with. In fact, young people are now the loneliest age group in Canada, reporting even higher rates of loneliness than older people.
Given these concerning facts, students and higher education institutions must work together to bolster social connections within universities.
Social connections strengthen mental health
Social support from friends, family and the community promotes mental health in part by protecting against the effects of stress. In fact, social support obtained from social connections results in better physical and mental health, and more prosperous well-being. People who are socially integrated in their communities live longer, are more likely to survive a heart attack, and are less prone to contracting an infectious illness. Stronger social support not only protects against mental illness but can also support recovery from it.
Social ties can significantly improve students’ mental health. A study carried out by Jennifer Hefner and Daniel Eisenberg at the University of Michigan showed that students with low quality social support are six times more likely to experience symptoms of depression compared to those with high quality social support. Employees working in student life services agree that young people are feeling depressed, anxious, isolated and do not know how to connect with others.
Fostering social ties within universities
Educational institutions have an important role to play in student mental health. University students are at a critical life stage where they learn, experiment and adopt different habits and behaviours that will have lifelong effects on their health. In fact, attending university may be a person’s last opportunity to learn, socialize, work and have fun all in one place.
Institutions can therefore take initiative in supporting student mental health by implementing practices that encourage social connections among them. Some of these practices – which have already been implemented in a number of universities – include:
- New student orientation
- Sports, cultural, and artistic activities
- Information and awareness campaigns on mental health, harmonious relations and similar topics
- Mentorship and peer support programs
- Student life support programs
Though these practices do address student mental health concerns, they are implemented by diverse groups with different objectives, often without a strategy to maximize their positive impacts. They also are not always based on scientific research, and their effects are seldom measured.
With this in mind, the Observatoire sur la santé mentale étudiante en enseignement supérieur (institute for student mental health in higher education) at Unversité de Sherbrooke, has put together a guide on how to bolster social connections among CEGEP, college and university students for improved mental health (available in French only). This guide aims to educate and inspire anyone involved in the development of student support programs. It outlines seven support categories, describing ways to implement these different practices and identifying the potential effects of each. It also provides concrete ways to implement them and guiding principles to ensure their efficacy. These practices were informed by research findings and have been identified as priorities with the collaboration of a monitoring and advisory panel comprised of individuals with diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise, including professors, students, psychosocial service providers, researchers and others.
Given the influx of widespread isolation, loneliness and poor social connection among young people, taking action to support student mental health is an urgent matter. Anyone in the university community can use the above-mentioned guide to help promote social connection between students in countless different ways. Though many of these practices have already been implemented at several Canadian universities, the groundwork must still be laid to ensure the best possible impact on students’ social ties and mental health. Such practices, founded on academic knowledge and experiential studies, can transform universities into places where mental health is a top priority. Everyone — employees, professors and students alike — can take concrete steps today towards building better social connection and increasing student mental health support.

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