The Problem College students seeking counseling have intersecting identities (e.g., gender, race/ethnicity, international status) that shape mental health needs and treatment response. Most counseling research relies on single-identity or average-effect models, limiting insight into differential counseling outcomes. This research asks: How do intersecting student identities cluster into distinct profiles, and how are these profiles associated with changes in psychological distress following counseling? Using national data from university counseling centers, the work addresses the need for datainformed and tailored mental health care. The Approach To address this challenge, this research uses largescale (~110,000 sample) clinical data from the Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH), representing students receiving counseling services at university counseling centers across the United States. The study focuses on college students seeking mental health services, with attention to 14 intersecting identities including gender identity, race/ethnicity, and international student status. Using Latent Profile Analysis, the research identifies distinct identity-based profiles. Counseling outcomes are examined using longitudinal changes in psychological distress, allowing for comparison of treatment response across student profiles. Understanding Counseling Outcomes Through Identifying Latent Profiles in Clients “By analyzing counseling data and deepening our understanding on counseling client identity and outcome, my goal is to bridge research and practice to strengthen student wellbeing, reduce disparities, and inform institutional approaches to mental health promotion.” Qingyun Zhang, PhD Short Term Impact Reveal differential outcomes: Identified six distinct identity-based student profiles with significantly different counseling trajectories, demonstrating that intersecting identities—not single demographics— drive meaningful differences in psychological distress improvement. Inform equitable practice: Provided data-driven guidance for counseling outreach, triage, and program planning, helping centers target resources more effectively and improve equity and clinical impact. Longer Term Impact Scale and deepen impact: Expand diverse, multiinstitutional and longitudinal analyses to identify student profiles, track outcomes over time, and enable precise, evidence-based comparisons across campuses. Drive action and policy: Use mental health data to design targeted interventions, strengthen counseling–academic partnerships, and inform institutional policy, funding, and strategic planning. Societal Impact This research shows how students’ identities shape mental health needs, enabling responsive counseling, tailored care, belonging, engagement, well-being, improved student outcomes, and healthier campus communities. Impact in the following areas: For more information visit https://health.lehigh.edu/research-partners or email INRSRCH@lehigh.edu 36 Community/Culture: This work expands access to effective campus mental health care, improving student well-being, success, and community support. Policy: This research informs equitable, evidencebased mental health policy, resource allocation, and accountability in higher education.
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