Depressive Symptomatology, Stress and Anxiety in University Students

Abstract The levels of depressive symptoms, stress, and anxiety have grown all over the world compromising the quality of life and well-being of people of a wide age range. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the levels of these symptoms in 410 students (233 were beginners and 177 were graduating students) of a federal public university in the countryside of the state of Pernambuco, to verify whether being at the beginning or end of the course may interfere in such levels. The following instruments were used: sociodemographic questionnaire, IDATE, EBADEP, EPS-10, and SRQ-20 collectively applied in the classroom. The results showed signs of mental suffering (53.9%), prevalence of anxiety (43.4% anxiety-state, 42% anxiety-trace), moderate stress levels (M=20.68 beginners, M=20.31 graduating), and low rates of depressive symptoms (0.6%). No statistically significant difference was identified with regard to the constructs considering the beginning and end of the course, showing that the university environment seems not to be unhealthy, but other variables should be investigated that may be related to that period.

摘要 全球范围内，抑郁症状、压力与焦虑的检出水平均呈上升态势，对不同年龄段人群的生活质量与主观福祉造成了损害。为此，本研究以伯南布哥州农村地区一所联邦公立大学的410名学生为研究对象（其中低年级学生233名，毕业班学生177名），旨在评估上述心理症状的检出水平，并验证就读阶段（低年级或毕业班）是否会对症状水平产生影响。本研究采用以下测评工具：社会人口学问卷、IDATE量表、EBADEP量表、EPS-10量表以及SRQ-20量表，所有测评均在课堂上集体施测。结果显示，存在心理痛苦症状者占比达53.9%；焦虑症状检出率分别为：状态焦虑43.4%、特质焦虑42%；压力水平处于中等程度（低年级学生M=20.68，毕业班学生M=20.31）；抑郁症状检出率较低，仅为0.6%。针对就读阶段的分组比较，未发现各心理构念水平存在统计学显著差异，提示该大学的校园环境似乎并未对心理健康造成不良影响，但仍需进一步探究与就读阶段相关的其他影响变量。