The Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62) and College Academic Outcomes

Abstract

College students experiencing psychological distress are at risk for negative academic outcomes. The Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62) is a symptom inventory designed for and widely used in college counseling centers. However, the relationships between the CCAPS-62 and functional outcomes in the college environment have not been examined. This study examined the validity of the CCAPS-62 in predicting term grade point average (GPA) and dropout. Data from 297 first-year students at a university’s counseling center were analyzed using multiple regression to determine associations between CCAPS-62 subscales, term GPA, and dropout within the subsequent three academic years. Results show that academic distress was predictive of all academic outcomes in the expected directions, social anxiety was associated with higher term GPA and retention, and hostility was associated with lower term GPA and dropout. Results demonstrated support for the instrument’s predictive validity in the identification of students at academic risk.

Keywords

college student mental health academic distress college counseling center GPA dropout

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