scholarly journals Minor mental disorders among undergraduate students: Prevalence and associated factors

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
V Ferreira Júnior ◽  
E de Sousa Gomes ◽  
M Pereira Lima ◽  
L Maura Mascarini

Abstract Although it is recognized that mental disorders are more likely to occur in adulthood, especially in university period, and result in damage to health and incapacity for work, researches with university population are scarce in Brazil. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of Minor Mental Disorders (MMD) among undergraduate students of a public university of São Paulo state, and investigate its association with social and economic conditions, sexuality and gender. This is a cross-sectional study conducted in 2018 with 376 undergraduate students who were halfway through the course. Data were collected from an anonymously and self-administered questionnaire, and MMD was evaluated from Self Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20). Associations were estimated through logistic regression, and odds ration calculated. We found prevalence of 53.9% of MMD among the students, and associated with gender (OR, 3.66; 95% CI, 2.37-5.67), being LGBT + (e.g Bisexuals OR, 2.92; 95% CI, 1.56-5.50), not receiving necessary family support (OR, 5.6; 95% CI, 2.00 - 15.68), not being satisfied with the course (OR, 23.69 95% CI, 2.95 - 190,03) and not practicing physical activities regularly (OR, 2.05; 95% IC, 1.33 - 3.17). Minor mental disorders prevalence found was high, reaching more than 70% in some courses (e.g 77.8% among Biomedicine students), mainly associated with gender, sexual orientation and emotional support. Our study draws attention to the urgency of monitoring the mental health status of undergraduate students, and implementing mental health centers at universities, as well as facilitating access and improve existing centers. Key messages The high prevalence of minor mental disorders found among undergraduate students indicates the urgent need for interventions in this populations. Women and LGBT+ students are groups at higher risk for the development of minor mental disorders at university. Strategies must be created to reduce the higher prevalence in this populations.

2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elias Barbosa de Oliveira ◽  
Regina Célia Gollner Zeitoune ◽  
Cristiane Helena Gallasch ◽  
Eugenio Fuentez Pérez Júnior ◽  
Alexandre Vicente da Silva ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Objectives: to verify the suspicion of common mental disorders in nursing students of the professionalizing cycle and the association with sociodemographic features. Method: cross-sectional study with a sample of 85 students from a public university in the state of Rio de Janeiro (RJ) who responded to the Self-Report Questionnaire-20 and sociodemographic questions. Results: the suspicion prevalence of common mental disorders (CMD) in the sample was 55.3% and it was identified the association with the consumption of alcohol. Of the most frequent SRQ-20 complaints, 95.3% reported “feeling nervous, tense or worried”, 72.9% “having difficulty making decisions”, 60% “sleeping poorly” and 37.6% “having lost interest by things “. Conclusion: high prevalence of CMD in the sample and the association with the consumption of alcohol requires preventive and therapeutic actions among the students that minimize the possibility of severe mental disorders related to the consumption of alcohol and other drugs.


Crisis ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 272-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison S. Christian ◽  
Kristen M. McCabe

Background: Deliberate self-harm (DSH) occurs with high frequency among clinical and nonclinical youth populations. Although depression has been consistently linked with the behavior, not all depressed individuals engage in DSH. Aims: The current study examined maladaptive coping strategies (i.e., self-blame, distancing, and self-isolation) as mediators between depression and DSH among undergraduate students. Methods: 202 students from undergraduate psychology courses at a private university in Southern California (77.7% women) completed anonymous self-report measures. Results: A hierarchical regression model found no differences in DSH history across demographic variables. Among coping variables, self-isolation alone was significantly related to DSH. A full meditational model was supported: Depressive symptoms were significantly related to DSH, but adding self-isolation to the model rendered the relationship nonsignificant. Limitations: The cross-sectional study design prevents determination of whether a casual relation exists between self-isolation and DSH, and obscures the direction of that relationship. Conclusions: Results suggest targeting self-isolation as a means of DSH prevention and intervention among nonclinical, youth populations.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Buaphrao Raphiphatthana ◽  
Paul Jose ◽  
Karen Salmon

Abstract. Grit, that is, perseverance and passion for long-term goals, is a novel construct that has gained attention in recent years ( Duckworth, Peterson, Matthews, & Kelly, 2007 ). To date, little research has been performed with the goal of identifying the antecedents of grit. Thus, in order to fill this gap in the literature, self-report data were collected to examine whether mindfulness, a mindset of being-in-the-present in a nonjudgmental way, plays a role in fostering grittiness. Three hundred and forty-three undergraduate students completed an online survey once in a cross-sectional study, and of these, 74 students completed the survey again 4.5 months later. Although the cross-sectional analyses identified a number of positive associations between mindfulness and grit, the longitudinal analysis revealed that the mindfulness facets of acting with awareness and non-judging were the most important positive predictors of grit 4.5 months later. This set of findings offers implications for future grit interventions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad N. AlHadi ◽  
Mohammed A. Alarabi ◽  
Khulood M. AlMansoor

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on people’s lives globally. The outbreak in Saudi Arabia worsened when the number of cases and deaths rose in March and April of 2020, leading to a national lockdown. This study aimed to assess the factors associated with mental health symptoms in a sample of people residing in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We conducted an observational cross-sectional study using an online survey distributed via social media, completed by 3032 respondents from all Saudi regions. We collected demographic data, illness history, and scores of validated self-report scales to assess mental health symptoms, intolerance of uncertainty, and coping strategies. Results In total, respondents indicated moderate to very severe symptoms during the pandemic as follows: 20.9% for depression, 17.5% for anxiety, and 12.6% for stress. Younger age, female gender, and history of mental illness were associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia. Intolerance of uncertainty and certain coping strategies (such as denial or self-blame) were associated with more severe symptoms. Conclusions Mental health is a key concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for the identified vulnerable groups. Agencies concerned with mental health during crises may use the studied associated factors of mental health symptoms to generate targeted policies or interventions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Fakhoury ◽  
Claudine Burton-Jeangros ◽  
Liala Consoli ◽  
Aline Duvoisin ◽  
Delphine Courvoisier ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Undocumented migrants live and work in precarious conditions. Few studies have explored the mental health consequences of such environment. The objective of this study is to describe the mental health of migrants at different stages of a regularization program. Methods This cross-sectional study included migrants undocumented or in the process of regularization. We screened for symptoms of anxiety, depression and sleep disturbance using validated tools. We created a composite outcome of altered mental health including these components plus self-report of a recent diagnosis of mental health condition by a health professional. Results We enrolled 456 participants of whom 246 (53.9%) were undocumented. They were predominantly women (71.9%) with a median age of 43.3 (interquartile range: 15.5) years, from Latin America (63.6%) or Asia (20.2%) who had lived in Switzerland for 12 (IQR: 7) years. Overall, 57.2% presented symptoms of altered mental health. Prevalence of symptoms of anxiety, depression and sleep disturbance were 36% (95% confidence interval: 31.6–40.6%), 45.4% (95% CI: 40.8–50.1%) and 23% (95% CI: 19.2–27.2), respectively. Younger age (adjusted odd ratio: 0.7; 95% CI: 0.5–0.9 for each additional decade), social isolation (aOR: 2.4; 95% CI: 1.4–4.2), exposure to abuse (aOR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.1–3.5), financial instability (aOR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.4–3.7) and multi-morbidity (aOR: 3.2; 95% CI: 1.7–6.5) were associated with increased risk of having altered mental health while being in the early stages of the process of regularization had no effect (aOR: 1.3: 95% CI: 0.8–2.2). Conclusions This study highlights the need for multi-pronged social and health interventions addressing the various domains of undocumented migrants living difficulties as complement to legal status regularization policies. Protection against unfair working conditions and abuse, access to adequate housing, promoting social integration and preventive interventions to tackle the early occurrence of chronic diseases may all contribute to reduce the burden of altered mental health in this group. More research is needed to assess the long-term impact of legal status regularization on mental health.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gayani P. Gamage ◽  
H.M.Chulani J. Herath

PurposeMental health is as important as physical health and new university entrants report high prevalence of depression. In open and distance learning (ODL), students must manage both work and studies. Those who are unable to effectively balance these aspects may experience negative outcomes such as dropping out, distress and physical health problems. Therefore, the study aims to investigate psychological distress amongst distance-learning undergraduate students to gather evidence for recommending necessary interventions.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study was conducted using depression, anxiety, stress scale (DASS-21). Participants were undergraduate students from the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL). The students' socio-demographic details, history of physical and mental illnesses were also recorded.FindingsAccording to scoring, 51% of the sample was categorised as “psychologically distressed” relating to the anxiety levels they reported whilst depression (35%) and stress remained (20%) at low levels. The three-factor structure of DASS-21 was also confirmed with reliability scores of 0.8 obtained for all three sub-scales.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations were low-response rate (less than 50%) and inability to provide causal explanations for psychological distress. Further research could address these.Practical implicationsThe current research identified anxiety as a psychologically distressing factor for ODL students with the use of a reliable screening tool. Therefore, exploring reasons and interventions to help reduce anxiety could be developed.Social implicationsMajority of distance learners are contributing to a country's economy whilst learning to improve their current socio-economic status. Therefore, addressing these negative impacts is important.Originality/valueThe study explored ODL students' psychological distress and highlighted the need to identify causes and development of support systems to enhance mental well-being.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nayane Miranda Silva ◽  
Rebeca da Nobrega Lucena Pinho ◽  
Thais Ferreira Costa ◽  
Adriana Ferreira Barros Areal ◽  
André De Mattos Salles ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND The coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic was first identified in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019, and spread across the world in a fast and disordered manner. Because of the pandemic, health professionals, including residents in medicine and other health specialties, began working under intense physical and psychological pressure daily and were exposed to a greater risk of developing mental disorders and psychological distress. OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the prevalence of symptoms indicative of mental disorders such as depression, anxiety and stress among postgraduate students who were residents in medicine and other health specialties during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil and identified possible associated predisposing factors. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study that included postgraduate students in medical and other health residency programmes in Brazil. The recruitment period was from July 29 to September 5, 2020. Epidemiological and clinical data, including evaluations of psychological and affective aspects, following a predefined protocol, were collected after the participants filled out an electronic form via the Microsoft Forms platform. RESULTS In total, 1,313 medical and other health residents participated in the study. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) identified depression, anxiety and stress in 51.3%, 53.4% and 52.6% of the participants, respectively. Based on the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS), 61.9% of the participants had low resilience. A total of 60.9% of the residents had high scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire 9‐item depression module (PHQ-9). CONCLUSIONS We found a high prevalence of symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress among medical and non-medical residents during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Mental disorders are complex in nature, and the particular academic environment of residency, altered by the need to care for patients with COVID-19, can be a potential stressor and be associated with the high prevalence of these symptoms among residents. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/24298


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Archana Prabu Kumar ◽  
Abirami Omprakash ◽  
Maheshkumar Kuppusamy ◽  
Maruthy K.N. ◽  
Sathiyasekaran B.W.C. ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The reaction time (RT) is “the time taken for the appearance of rapid voluntary reaction by an individual following a stimulus, either auditory or visual” and the Critical Flickering Fusion Frequency (CFFF) is “the rate at which successively presented light stimuli appear to be steady and continuous”. RT and CFFF are commonly used for the assessment of cognitive functions that are known to influence academic performance. However, data about the exact correlation between these are scarce, particularly in India. This research aimed to study the association between visual RT (VRT), auditory RT (ART) and CFFF and their impact on the academic performance of undergraduate students. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 700 students of Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at a private medical university in South India, during the period from 2015 to 2017. The VRT, ART and CFFF were evaluated, and the best out of three subsequent attempts was recorded. The mean score (in percentage) of the three best marks out of the five internal assessments for the course during each academic year was considered for analysis. The association between the different cognitive tests and the average academic performance was analysed. Results Female students had faster VRT (n = 345, mean = 243.97, SD = 83.87) than male students (n = 273, mean = 274.86, SD = 96.97) (p = 0.001). VRT and ART had a moderate negative correlation with academic performance (for ART, r = − 0.42, p < 0.001; for VRT; r = − 0.40, p < 0.001). CFFF had a very weak positive correlation with academic performance (r = 0.19, p = 0.01). The only independent predictors of academic performance were RT and gender (Adjusted R2 = 0.11). Conclusion Although there is a correlation between CFFF and cognitive function, our study showed only a weak correlation between CFFF and academic performance. Female students had faster RTs, and gender was an independent predictor of academic performance. Rather, students with faster RTs appear to have an advantage in academic performance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessia Perna ◽  
Daria Maccora ◽  
Salvatore Rossi ◽  
Tommaso Filippo Nicoletti ◽  
Maria Assunta Zocco ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 211-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suelen de Lima Bach ◽  
Mariane Lopez Molina ◽  
Paulinia Leal do Amaral ◽  
Amanda Neumann Reyes ◽  
Karen Jansen ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Mental health assessment in childhood needs to be carried out within a broader context that includes different factors. Objective To assess the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems in schoolchildren and associated factors. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted with a school-based sample at 20 schools selected by systematic random sampling. Participants consisted of children aged 7-8 year old and their parents or primary caregivers. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to screen for the presence of emotional and behavioral problems in children. Results A total of 596 dyads were evaluated. The prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems was 30.0% among boys and 28.2% among girls. Hyperactivity/inattention were more prevalent among boys (p=0.015). Belonging to economically disadvantaged strata increased the likelihood of emotional and behavioral problems among schoolchildren by 71% (p=0.001), while having parents or caregivers with mental disorder increased by 2.2 times that probability (p<0.001). Conclusion: Our findings showed a high prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems among schoolchildren, as well as the influence of economic conditions and of the mental health of parents and caregivers on child mental health.


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