Impact of mental and developmental disorders on disability in Japanese university students: A cross-sectional study

Objective: This study utilized the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule version 2 (WHODAS 2.0) to identify vulnerable students and explore the impact of mental and developmental disorders on disability. Participants: A total of 156 undergraduates who visited support service offices at large-scale universities in Japan between April 2018 and March 2020 were included. Methods: The 36-item WHODAS 2.0 was administered, and data were gathered regarding mental and developmental disabilities. Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests were conducted. Results: Parents/guardians typically initiated consultation with student support services. Students whose parents had initiated consultation did not have higher scores in any WHODAS domain except “Life Activities.” In every WHODAS domain except “Cognition,” the “Mental Disorder” group scored significantly higher than the “No Disorder” group. The addition of “Developmental Disorders” significantly increased WHODAS scores, except in “Mobility.” Conclusions: The WHODAS is a useful tool for identifying vulnerable students.