Academic self-efficacy and cognitive strategy use in college students with and without depression or anxiety

Objective: This study examined whether college students with and without depression or anxiety differed in subjective cognitive concerns, academic self-efficacy, and cognitive strategy use. Participants: Participants included 582 college students (M = 19.0 ± 1.0 years-old, 79.4% women, 81.9% White). Methods: Participants completed online self-report questionnaires on subjective cognitive functioning, academic self-efficacy, cognitive strategy use, and depression and anxiety symptoms, which were used to categorize participants as having anxiety or depression based on established clinical cutoffs. Results: Participants with anxiety or depression reported greater subjective cognitive concerns and lower academic self-efficacy compared to participants without anxiety or depression, but these groups differed only modestly in cognitive strategy use. Conclusions: Despite greater cognitive concerns, participants with anxiety or depression reported only modestly greater cognitive strategy use. Future research should evaluate interventions to increase strategy use among college students with anxiety or depression, tailoring these interventions for modern students by incorporating telehealth approaches and smartphone use.