Do Sorority and Fraternity Members have Lower Rates of Depression? Major Depression can be defined as having a perpetual feeling of sadness and loss of interest. A lack of sleep, poor eating habits, and not enough exercise make up a recipe for depression among college students. The stress that comes with academia — including pressure to get good grades, financial worries, failed relationships and conflicts with roommates — are enough to force some students to leave college or worse. The depression rates in college students is petrifying, 44 percent of American college students report having symptoms of depression (Kerr 2012). It is important for both universities and students to take any precautions necessary to attempt to prevent depression.
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Although Greek life has changed over time, students who take their membership seriously are still equipped with skills that can be used in their future. 85% of Fortune 500 executives were part of Greek life. The first female astronaut was Greek. So was the first female senator. And college graduation rates are 20% higher among Greeks than non-Greeks (Glass, 2012). Joining a sorority or fraternity can be extremely beneficial to a college student, it may even lower the risk for depression. For many students, going to college means leaving behind their hometown and their family and friends as well. This alone can lead the students to experience loneliness. Also students have to transition from group work in high school to a more autonomous form of study development. This leaves students with the task of creating social environments for themselves. This is beneficial for those who were skilled in this task, but leaves the less social students in a hopeless …show more content…
Students who join Greek organizations to build a network, make friends and develop leadership and social skills will likely graduate with useful qualities that could take them far. Not only are the members given the opportunity to work together with their own chapters, they also have the opportunity to work with the different chapters around campus during different events. These social skills can help students create a strong support system for when school gets stressful. Research shows that lack of social support, can lead to a person feeling depressed. Social support can be defined as the existence of people on whom a person can rely on. Perceived Social Support (PSS) has been widely acknowledged as playing a buffering role between stress and psychological well-being (Cohen & Wills, 1985; Holt & Espelage, 2005). Therefore, the social support that comes along with joining a brotherhood or sisterhood, can be very beneficial to those who have a predisposition for depression and
Although Greek life has changed over time, students who take their membership seriously are still equipped with skills that can be used in their future. 85% of Fortune 500 executives were part of Greek life. The first female astronaut was Greek. So was the first female senator. And college graduation rates are 20% higher among Greeks than non-Greeks (Glass, 2012). Joining a sorority or fraternity can be extremely beneficial to a college student, it may even lower the risk for depression. For many students, going to college means leaving behind their hometown and their family and friends as well. This alone can lead the students to experience loneliness. Also students have to transition from group work in high school to a more autonomous form of study development. This leaves students with the task of creating social environments for themselves. This is beneficial for those who were skilled in this task, but leaves the less social students in a hopeless …show more content…
Students who join Greek organizations to build a network, make friends and develop leadership and social skills will likely graduate with useful qualities that could take them far. Not only are the members given the opportunity to work together with their own chapters, they also have the opportunity to work with the different chapters around campus during different events. These social skills can help students create a strong support system for when school gets stressful. Research shows that lack of social support, can lead to a person feeling depressed. Social support can be defined as the existence of people on whom a person can rely on. Perceived Social Support (PSS) has been widely acknowledged as playing a buffering role between stress and psychological well-being (Cohen & Wills, 1985; Holt & Espelage, 2005). Therefore, the social support that comes along with joining a brotherhood or sisterhood, can be very beneficial to those who have a predisposition for depression and