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.