Comparing University Students’ Satisfaction with In-Person and Remote Mental Health Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many colleges and universities switched from delivering in-person mental health services to remote-delivered services, necessitating counseling staff and students to adapt to a new mental health service delivery model. During the pandemic, university students reported reduced psychological well-being, highlighting the need for acceptable and effective mental health treatment. While studies have shown college students are willing to engage in online interventions, few studies have examined the acceptability of remote-delivered mental health services on university campuses. The present study sought to fill this gap by comparing university students’ satisfaction with in-person and remote-delivered campus mental health services. University students (n = 245) who had utilized both in-person and remote-delivered campus mental health services participated in a survey in August 2021, which examined their satisfaction with and perceptions of campus mental health services. No statistically significant differences were found between students’ satisfaction with in-person and remote campus mental health services or in students’ relationship with their counselor by delivery modality. Most participants (90.2%) indicated that remote-delivered services were as or more effective than in-person services and 84.5% used campus counseling services more or the same amount after making the switch to remote services. Most students identified remote-delivered services as satisfactory and envisioned a hybrid-delivery model post-pandemic. This study provides initial evidence for the acceptability of remote-delivered mental health services on university campuses.