Psychological complaints of students: A comparison of field samples with clients of a counseling service at a typical German University

In this study, samples of Counseling Center Clients from the last 15 years are presented and compared to student field samples with regard to type of distress and severity of symptoms measured with the Symptom Checklist-90-R, the Psychosocial Complaints List and the Satisfaction with Life and Studies Scale. While 12–15% of the students in the field sample are severely impaired, 54–58% of the Counseling Center clients suffer from severe mental disorders. Type and severity of psychological distress in client center samples have remained remarkably stable over the last 15 years. Implications and consequences for counseling centers are discussed.