More Than Academics: Time Use and Friendship Stress Also Covary with Canadian University Students’ Mental Health Symptoms Across the Academic Year

ABSTRACT University students are faced with unique challenges that put them at risk for mental health problems. The purpose of the current study is to provide a comprehensive understanding of mental health in this context by examining associations of life stressors in addition to academic stress with mental health symptoms across the academic year. Undergraduate students (n = 1,030, 62% women), aged 18–65 (M = 22.52, SD = 4.80) completed monthly and biweekly surveys over the academic year. A range of stressors were reported, with academics, time use, and friendship stress being the most frequently reported stressors. The total number of stressors reported for a given month was positively correlated with both depressive and anxiety symptoms reported in that month. When students reported elevated academic and friendship stress, and engaged in fewer leisure activities, they reported more mental health symptoms. Findings indicate that students experience a wide range of stressors, including those not related to academics, and that these life stressors covary with mental health and contribute to role strain.