scholarly journals Perfectionism in the Transition to University: Comparing Diathesis-Stress and Downward Spiral Models of Depressive Symptoms

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-64
Author(s):  
Shelby L. Levine ◽  
Marina Milyavskaya ◽  
David C. Zuroff
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Personal Standards ◽  
Downward Spiral ◽  
Personal Standards Perfectionism ◽  
Spiral Model ◽  
Diathesis Stress Model

Transitioning to university may be especially difficult for students who expect perfection from themselves. Self-critical perfectionism has consistently been linked to poor mental health. The current study compares a diathesis-stress and a downward-spiral model to determine why self-critical perfectionism is detrimental for mental health during this transition. First-year students ( N = 658) were recruited before beginning university in August and contacted again in October, January, and April. Participants completed measures on perfectionism, stress, and depressive symptoms. Evidence was found for a downward-spiral model with self-critical perfectionism but not a diathesis-stress model. Students higher in self-critical perfectionism were more likely to experience increased stress and depressive symptoms in a circular and additive manner. Conversely, students higher in personal-standards perfectionism experienced less stress and subsequent depressive symptoms. This research provides a theoretical model for why self-critical perfectionism is related to poor mental-health outcomes that become sustained over time.

Perfectionism in the transition to university: Comparing diathesis-stress and downward spiral models of depressive symptoms

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelby L. Levine ◽  
Marina Milyavskaya
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Personal Standards ◽  
Downward Spiral ◽  
Personal Standards Perfectionism ◽  
Spiral Model ◽  
Diathesis Stress Model

Transitioning to university may be especially difficult for students who expect perfection from themselves. Self-critical perfectionism has consistently been linked to poor mental health. The current study compares a diathesis-stress and a downward spiral model, to determine why self-critical perfectionism is detrimental for mental health during this transition. First-year students (N=658) were recruited prior to beginning university in August and contacted again in October, January, and April. Participants completed measures on perfectionism, stress and depressive symptoms. Evidence was found for a downward spiral model with self-critical perfectionism, but not a diathesis-stress model. Students higher in self-critical perfectionism were more likely to experience increased stress and depressive symptoms in a circular and additive manner. Conversely, students higher in personal standards perfectionism experienced less stress and subsequent depressive symptoms. This research provides a theoretical model for why self-critical perfectionism is related to poor mental health outcomes which become sustained over time.

Perfectionism in adolescents: Self-critical perfectionism as a predictor of depressive symptoms across the school year

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelby L. Levine ◽  
Isabelle Green-Demers ◽  
Marina Milyavskaya ◽  
Kaitlyn M. Werner
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Cognitive Biases ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
School Students ◽  
Personal Standards ◽  
School Year ◽  
Path Modelling ◽  
Personal Standards Perfectionism

The present study examined the influence of personal standards and self-critical perfectionism on depressive and anxiety symptoms over the academic year. High-school students (N=174) were surveyed in the late Fall and early Spring, assessing perfectionism in the Fall and mental health across the year in both the Fall and Spring. Path modelling was used to examine whether self-critical and personal standards perfectionism were related to changes in mental health across the school year. Controlling for mental health at the start of the year, self-critical perfectionism predicted an increase in depressive symptoms over time, whereas personal standards perfectionism was unrelated to changes in mental health. Results support that self-critical perfectionism is detrimental to mental health in adolescents, suggesting that future interventions should focus on reducing self-critical cognitive biases in youth.

Perfectionism in Adolescents: Self-Critical Perfectionism as a Predictor of Depressive Symptoms Across the School Year

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelby L. Levine ◽  
Isabelle Green-Demers ◽  
Kaitlyn M. Werner ◽  
Marina Milyavskaya
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Cognitive Biases ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
School Students ◽  
Personal Standards ◽  
School Year ◽  
Path Modelling ◽  
Personal Standards Perfectionism

Introduction: The present study examined the influence of personal standards and self-critical perfectionism on depressive and anxiety symptoms over the academic year. Methods: High-school students (N = 174) were surveyed in the late Fall and early Spring, assessing perfectionism in the Fall and mental health across the year in both the Fall and Spring. Path modelling was used to examine whether self-critical and personal standards perfectionism were related to changes in mental health across the school year. Results: Controlling for mental health at the start of the year, self-critical perfectionism predicted an increase in depressive symptoms over time, whereas personal standards perfectionism was unrelated to changes in mental health. Discussion: Results support that self-critical perfectionism is detrimental to mental health in adolescents, suggesting that future interventions should focus on reducing self-critical cognitive biases in youth.

scholarly journals Factors associated with depressive episode among first year University students in Serbia

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Čanković ◽  
D Čanković ◽  
I Radić ◽  
D Rakić ◽  
S Ukropina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
University Students ◽  
Depressive Episode ◽  
Social Health ◽  
Support Network ◽  
First Year ◽  
Behavioral Factors ◽  
First Year University

Abstract Background Some findings indicate that university students are at higher risk of depression despite being a socially advantaged population, showing that 15 to 25% of them develop some type of mental disorder during graduation, and depression is one of the most prevalent. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of depressive symptoms and its association with gender, material status, social health, and behavioral factors among university students. Methods The research represents a cross-sectional study conducted at the University of Novi Sad, Serbia. The research involved 455 first-year students. The average age of participants was 19.3 years (72.1% girls and 27.9% boys). Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to measure depressive symptoms (cut point for depressive episode ≥10). Additional questions were focused on self-assessed material status, social health, and behavioral factors (smoking and alcohol use). The binary logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between depression and observed independent variables. Results The prevalence of moderate to severe depressive episode among students was 18.0%, with no gender differences. Out of the total, 11.0% of students had suicidal thoughts or thoughts of hurting themselves. Multivariable logistic regression showed that self-assessed poor material status (OR = 2.04; 95%CI: 1.06-3.89), self-assessed poor social health (OR = 8.9; 95%CI:4.87-16.42) and smoking (OR = 2.18; 95%CI: 1.09-4.39) were significant predictors of depression among first-year university students. Conclusions High prevalence of depressive episode among university students call for the action for the promotion of mental health, particularly among those of lower socioeconomic status, and points out the importance of social health and social network in the prevention of mental disorders. Key messages Students on the first year of University should be screened for depressive symptoms. It is important to educate students on how to create a strong support network and to implement intervention programs for improving mental health through fostering healthy lifestyles change.

scholarly journals Shame Mediates the Relationship Between Pain Invalidation and Depression

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon L. Boring ◽  
Kaitlyn T. Walsh ◽  
Namrata Nanavaty ◽  
Vani A. Mathur
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Social Withdrawal ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Internalized Shame ◽  
Self Worth ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

The experience of pain is subjective, yet many people have their pain invalidated or not believed. Pain invalidation is associated with poor mental health, including depression and lower well-being. Qualitative investigations of invalidating experiences identify themes of depression, but also social withdrawal, self-criticism, and lower self-worth, all of which are core components of shame. Despite this, no studies have quantitatively assessed the interrelationship between pain invalidation, shame, and depression. To explore this relationship, participants recounted the frequency of experienced pain invalidation from family, friends, and medical professionals, as well as their feelings of internalized shame and depressive symptoms. As shame has been shown to be a precursor for depression, we further explored the role of shame as a mediator between pain invalidation and depressive symptoms. All sources of pain invalidation were positively associated with shame and depressive symptoms, and shame fully mediated the relationship between each source of pain invalidation and depression. Relative to other sources, pain invalidation from family was most closely tied to shame and depression. Overall, findings indicate that one mechanism by which pain invalidation may facilitate depression is via the experience of shame. Future research may explore shame as a potential upstream precursor to depression in the context of pain. Findings provide more insight into the harmful influence of pain invalidation on mental health and highlight the impact of interpersonal treatment on the experiences of people in pain.

scholarly journals Depressive Symptoms, Help-Seeking, and Barriers to Mental Healthcare Among Healthcare Professionals in Lithuania

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Daniel Rogoža ◽  
Robertas Strumila ◽  
Eglė Klivickaitė ◽  
Edgaras Diržius ◽  
Neringa Čėnaitė
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Patient Health

Background: Previous research suggests that healthcare professionals (HCPs) experience high levels of work-related psychological distress, including depressive symptoms. Due to the stigma of mental health problems and other barriers, HCPs are likely to be hesitant to seek appropriate mental healthcare. We aimed to explore these phenomena among HCPs in Lithuania.Methods: A web survey inquiring about depressive symptoms, help-seeking, and barriers to mental healthcare was conducted. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). 601 complete questionnaires were included in the analyses. The barriers to help-seeking were identified using the inductive content analysis approach. Descriptive, non-parametric, and robust statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software.Results: Most of the respondents have reported depression-like symptoms over the lifetime, although only about a third of them sought professional help. Of those, roughly half preferred a private specialist. The stigma and neglect of mental health problems were the most common barriers to help-seeking. Around half of the HCPs believed that seeking mental healthcare can imperil their occupational license. About a quarter of the HCPs screened positive for clinically relevant depressive symptoms. Statistically significant differences in the PHQ-9 score were found between categories of healthcare specialty, marital status, religious beliefs, workplace, and years of work as a HCP. Fewer years of work and younger age were associated with the higher PHQ-9 score.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that HCPs in Lithuania may be inclined not to seek appropriate mental healthcare and experience poor mental health, although stronger evidence is needed to verify these findings. 

Depressive symptoms in first year students at a rural South African University

2020 ◽  
Vol 265 ◽  
pp. 579-582
Author(s):  
Anthony L Pillay ◽  
Jabulani D Thwala ◽  
Indira Pillay
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
South African ◽  
First Year ◽  
Rural South ◽  
First Year Students

scholarly journals Changes in millennial adolescent mental health and health-related behaviours over 10 years: a population cohort comparison study

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 1650-1664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Praveetha Patalay ◽  
Suzanne H Gage
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Birth Cohorts ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Social Behaviours

Abstract Background There is evidence that mental health problems are increasing and substance use behaviours are decreasing. This paper aimed to investigate recent trends in mental ill health and health-related behaviours in two cohorts of UK adolescents in 2005 and 2015. Methods Prevalences in mental health (depressive symptoms, self-harm, anti-social behaviours, parent-reported difficulties) and health-related behaviours (substance use, weight, weight perception, sleep, sexual intercourse) were examined at age 14 in two UK birth cohorts; Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC, N = 5627, born 1991–92) and Millennium Cohort Study (MCS, N = 11 318, born 2000–02). Prevalences and trend estimates are presented unadjusted and using propensity score matching and entropy balancing to account for differences between samples. Results Depressive symptoms (9% to 14.8%) and self-harm (11.8% to 14.4%) were higher in 2015 compared with 2005. Parent-reported emotional difficulties, conduct problems, hyperactivity and peer problems were higher in 2015 compared with 2005 (5.7–8.9% to 9.7–17.7%). Conversely, substance use (tried smoking, 9.2% to 2.9%; tried alcohol, 52.1% to 43.5%, cannabis, 4.6% to 3.9%), sexual activity (2% to 0.9%) and anti-social behaviours (6.2–40.1% to 1.6–27.7%) were less common or no different. Adolescents in 2015 were spending less time sleeping (<8 h 5.7% to 11.5%), had higher body mass index (BMI) (obese, 3.8% to 7.3%) and a greater proportion perceived themselves as overweight (26.5% to 32.9%). The findings should be interpreted bearing in mind limitations in ability to adequately harmonize certain variables and account for differences in attrition rates and generalizability of the two cohorts. Conclusions Given health-related behaviours are often cited as risk factors for poor mental health, our findings suggest relationships between these factors might be more complex and dynamic in nature than currently understood. Substantial increases in mental health difficulties, BMI and poor sleep-related behaviours highlight an increasing public health challenge.

College Student Bereavement Experience in a Christian University

2012 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea C. Walker ◽  
John D. Hathcoat ◽  
Illene C. Noppe
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
College Student ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Christian University ◽  
Personal Support ◽  
University Personnel ◽  
University Climate

As part of the National College Grief Study, college student bereavement experience was examined specifically in a Christian university climate. Sex, year in school, and closeness to the deceased were measured in terms of academic and mental health outcomes and resources utilized. Females reported more mental health problems when close to the deceased, and seniors were less likely than first year students to utilize personal support resources of family and religion. During close losses, students experienced more mental health problems and negative social outcomes, but they did not access more resources. Recommendations for university personnel and suggestions for further research are given.

scholarly journals Onset and remission of common mental disorders among adults living in temporary housing for three years after the triple disaster in Northeast Japan: comparisons with the general population

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norito Kawakami ◽  
Maiko Fukasawa ◽  
Kiyomi Sakata ◽  
Ruriko Suzuki ◽  
Hiroaki Tomita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
General Population ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
First Year ◽  
Temporary Housing ◽  
Community Residents ◽  
Post Disaster

Abstract Background: People living in temporary housing for long periods after a disaster are at risk of poor mental health. This study investigated the post-disaster incidence and remission of common mental disorders among adults living in temporary housing for the three years following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.Methods: Three years after the disaster, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 1,089 adult residents living in temporary housing in the disaster area, i.e., the shelter group, and a random sample of 852 community residents from non-disaster areas of East Japan. The World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to diagnose DSM-IV mood, anxiety, and alcohol use disorders. Information on demographic variables and disaster experiences was also collected. Results: Response rates were 49% and 46% for the shelter group and the community residents, respectively. The incidence of mood/anxiety disorder in the shelter group was elevated only in the first year post-disaster compared to that of the general population. The rate of remission for mood and anxiety disorders was significantly lower in the shelter group than in the community residents. The proportion seeking medical treatment was higher in the shelter group.Conclusions: The onset of common mental disorders increased in the first year, but then levelled off in the following years among residents in temporary housing after the disaster. Remission from incident post-disaster mental disorders was slower in the shelter group than in the general population. Post-disaster mental health service could consider the greater incidence in the first year and prolonged remission of mental disorders among survivors with a long-term stay in temporary housing after a disaster.

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