Articles, Research & Specific Communities - Mental Health and Well-Being – Resources for Law Students - Swisher Library at Jacksonville University

Statistics on Law Student Mental Health & Well-Being

Based on the ABA's most recent Survey of Law Student Well-Being, respondents reported:

43% engaged in binge drinking at least once in the last two weeks.
Over 14% used a prescription drug without a prescription.
17% screened positive for depression.
23% screened positive for mild to moderate anxiety.
14% screened positive for severe anxiety.
42% thought they needed help for mental health problems, but only about half received counseling.

Evidence-Based Sleep Tips

17 Proven Tips to Sleep Better at Night (Healthline)
Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important things you can do and just as important as regular exercise and a healthy diet. Poor sleep habits have immediate negative effects on your hormones, exercise performance and brain function. Here are 17 evidence-based tips to help you sleep better at night.

Featured Resource - Toolkit

This newly updated Substance Abuse and Mental Health Toolkit for Law Students from the American Bar Association can help students, faculty and administrators recognize the signs, symptoms, and risk factors for mental health issues facing law students. The Law Student Mental Health Resources page also includes pocasts, reports, and other resources from the ABA Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP).

Research, Articles & Other Resources

ABA's The Prevalence of Substance Use and Other Mental Health Concerns Among American Attorneys
In collaboration with the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, the ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs conducted national research on lawyer impairment. This is a landmark study as never before has national data been gathered addressing both substance use and behavioral health concerns simultaneously. The survey examines alcohol use, substance abuse, mental health issues and help-seeking behaviors of lawyers.
ABA Profile of the Legal Profession 2021 (PDF document)
Chapter 10 (pp. 95-101) covers Lawyer Well-Being, specifically substance abuse and mental health, women and men, law students, life and practice, and judges.
ABA's Survey of Law Student Well-Being
In the spring of 2014, fifteen law schools around the country participated in the Survey of Law Student Well-Being (SLSWB), designed to examine alcohol, drug and mental health issues, as well as help-seeking behaviors, among law students.
Mindfulness in Law Society
Sponsors events, offers virtual mindfulness sessions, and presents news and articles on the topic.
The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change (PDF document)
From the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, this report’s recommendations focus on five central themes: (1) identifying stakeholders and the role each of us can play in reducing the level of toxicity in our profession, (2) eliminating the stigma associated with help-seeking behaviors, (3) emphasizing that well-being is an indispensable part of a lawyer’s duty of competence, (4) educating lawyers, judges, and law students on lawyer well-being issues, and (5) taking small, incremental steps to change how law is practiced and how lawyers are regulated to instill greater well-being in the profession.
Research Data Bank - Literature on Substance Use and Mental Health Issues in the Legal Profession
From the ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP), a bibliography of research on mental health, alcohol and drug issues, depression, secondary trauma, stress and burnout, gambling, and law students mental health.
Resources for Law Students and Law Schools (CoLAP)
From the ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs, this resource provides helpful suggestions, research, articles, podcasts, and more aimed toward helping law students with mental health issues.
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Toolkit for Law School Students and Those Who Care About Them (PDF document)
The ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP) presents this toolkit intended to provide caring pre-law advisors, law school administrators, counseling personnel, faculty, students, student leaders, and lawyer assistance programs with a user-friendly resource to deal with mental health and substance abuse issues within their schools.
2021 Survey of Law Student Well-Being
A follow up from the 2014 Survey of Law Student Well-Being that gathered responses from students at fifteen law schools around the United States.