The university years are associated with a variety of college-life-related stressors and mental disorders are prevalent among students. Recently, COVID-19-related stressors have presented an additional burden with a negative impact on mental wellbeing in many countries. Developing mental health services for students represents a major challenge to universities worldwide. However, mental health manifestations of such stressors may differ between countries under investigation.  

College-related stressors and Covid-19-related stressors were more prevalent in Georgia than Switzerland. Georgian students experienced more adjustment disorder symptoms but fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety. While Swiss students reported more protective factors (formal and informal help-seeking behaviors, sense of coherence), Georgian students experienced more risk factors (fatalism and avoidance coping). Fatalism and avoidance coping correlated negatively with mental health in both samples. Informal help-seeking correlated more strongly with mental health than formal help-seeking in both samples.

We found more similarities than differences regarding the associations of mental health outcomes and potentially culture-dependent factors. Models of student mental health services validated in Western cultures are thus promising approaches also in other cultural contexts, such as in Georgia.