Road to Resilience

Catalog description

The transition to college is a multifaceted challenge for many students, as they encounter new academic, interpersonal, emotional, and financial pressures. Over one-third of undergraduates report experiencing depression, and over half report feeling overwhelming anxiety. This course is grounded in the current understanding of adolescent and young adult development, neuroscience, and positive psychology. Our aim is to teach undergraduates both theoretical and empirically informed means to moderate risk and enhance resilience by building knowledge and skills in key areas proven to enhance wellness, including communication, executive functioning, social support, self-efficacy, emotion regulation, and sense of purpose. Students work to strengthen healthy habits around exercise, nutrition, mindfulness, and sleep, and they develop skills in core components of cognitive-behavior therapy and organizational skills. Our published research has demonstrated that most students see significant improvements in their anxiety, coping skills, and dysfunctional attitudes upon completion of this course.