Change in Academic Distress: Examining Differences Between a Clinical and Nonclinical Sample of College Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine academic distress over the course of a semester for both a clinical and nonclinical sample of college students by administering the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS‐62 and CCAPS‐34) to students at a single university. Results revealed that students who were in counseling showed a significant decrease in academic distress scores, whereas students who were not in counseling showed no significant change in academic distress scores. Implications of these results on future practices for university counseling centers are discussed.