Supporting Mental Health Among STEM Students: The REDFLAGS Model

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Higher Education
• Mental Health

Background:

• College student mental health is increasingly focused on integrated care.
• Existing support for STEM students is often individualized.
• The REDFLAGS Model offers a framework of warning signs for mental distress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of the REDFLAGS Model with a large sample of STEM students.
• To determine if recognizing REDFLAGS predicts peer referrals.
• To identify demographic factors influencing recognition of REDFLAGS.

Main Methods:

• Administered the REDFLAGS Model to 358 STEM students.
• Analyzed the latent dimensionality of the model.
• Examined the relationship between REDFLAGS recognition and peer referrals.
• Investigated differences based on help-seeking history and gender.

Main Results:

• The REDFLAGS Model demonstrated latent dimensionality in STEM students.
• Higher recognition of REDFLAGS predicted increased peer-to-peer counseling referrals.
• Students with prior help-seeking experience and females were more likely to recognize REDFLAGS.
• No significant differences were found for gender or help-seeking history.

Conclusions:

• The REDFLAGS Model provides an empirically supported framework for college counselors supporting STEM students.
• The model can be freely shared in print or digital formats.
• Further research may explore broader applications and adaptations of the REDFLAGS Model.