In an article on law student mental health, ABA Journal referenced a study co-authored by Jerry Organ, professor and co-director of the Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership in the Professions, “It Is Okay to Not Be Okay: The 2021 Survey of Law Student Well-Being.”
The study surveyed over 24,000 law students on their mental health last year, an update from their previous study in 2014.
From the article: Nearly 70% of the law students thought they needed help in the last year for emotional or mental health problems. That figure is a big jump from the last time the survey was administered in 2014, when 42% reported thinking they needed help.
The study also found that 33% of the students had a diagnosis of depression at some point in their lives and 40% had a diagnosis of anxiety. In 2014, the percentage reporting a past depression or anxiety diagnosis was 18% and 21% respectively.
The survey included open-ended questions about what the students’ law schools could to promote overall wellness. Suggestions included socializing opportunities, peer mentors, an inclusive culture, an end to the “boot camp/hazing culture,” ending the Socratic method, academic support, onsite counseling, stress management, caring professors and therapy dogs.
