Psychotherapy utilization by United States college students.

We studied current psychotherapy utilization rates among college students with mental health problems and identified characteristics associated with differential utilization. Nationwide online survey of students screening positive for at least one clinical mental health problem ( = 18,435). Rates and correlates of psychotherapy utilization were analyzed descriptively and with logistic regression. Sample-wide, 19% reported receiving psychotherapy. Being male (vs. female), being Asian, Black or African American, or Multiracial (vs. White), greater financial difficulty, lower parent education, lower year in school, and attending a public (vs. private) institution were associated with lower utilization. Holding a gender minority (vs. female) identity and holding a sexual minority (vs. heterosexual) identity were associated with higher utilization. Utilization fell from Fall 2019 to Spring 2020, early during the COVID-19 pandemic, and subsequently rebounded. This study estimates current psychotherapy utilization among students with mental health problems and identifies possibly underserved populations.