Search Results (83)

Depression and anxiety are the most prevalent mental health concerns among college students. In addition to the typical college stressors, Hispanic students may experience minority status stress associated with their membership in a socially stigmatized ethnic and cultural group. Ethnic minority status stress has been positively associated with psychological distress. Therefore, this study examined, among Hispanic college students, (a) gender differences in the associations of ethnic minority status stress and social support to depression and anxiety symptoms, (b) if social support buffered the association of minority stress with depression and anxiety symptoms, and (c) if the social support moderation effect differed by gender. The results indicated that the negative association of social support to depression symptoms was stronger for women than men and that social support buffered the association of ethnic minority status stress to depression symptoms only for women. The negative association of minority status stress to depression symptoms was statistically significant only for women who reported lower levels of social support. No gender or social support moderation effects were observed in relation to anxiety symptoms for women or men. The results highlight the importance of social support in ameliorating the potential impact of ethnic minority status stress on psychological distress among Hispanic college women. Full article

This study examines the interplay between problematic smartphone use (PSU) and substance use disorders (SUDs) among Brazilian college students, also addressing associated emotional distress (e.g., depression, anxiety, and stress). A total of 3130 students (M_age = 23.6; SD_age = 5.34) participated in an online survey featuring validated measures for assessing PSU, alcohol and drug consumption, and emotional distress. Participants were categorized into problematic smartphone use (PSU) and non-problematic use (nPSU) groups. The prevalence of PSU was 46.9%, notably higher among female students, those lacking a religious affiliation, individuals living alone, and the unemployed. PSU individuals showed significantly elevated rates of alcohol, cannabis, and other illicit substance use, along with greater emotional distress. Network analysis revealed that weekly alcohol consumption and stress symptoms exhibited the highest centrality indices (e.g., stress with high betweenness; alcohol with strong expected influence), underscoring their key roles in connecting PSU and SUDs. These findings suggest that PSU and SUDs may share underlying emotional vulnerabilities, highlighting the need for integrated intervention strategies targeting both conditions concurrently. Full article

This research was conducted to explore how a cognitive reappraisal intervention influences depression in college students with depressive tendencies, as well as to examine how regulatory emotional self-efficacy mediates this link. An unstructured questionnaire was utilized to evaluate the effects of a cognitive reappraisal intervention, while online reading and writing tasks were implemented to address the depressive symptoms among college students exhibiting tendencies. The participants in the study included 98 college students exhibiting depressive tendencies. The students’ depression, regulatory emotional self-efficacy, and cognitive reappraisal scores were measured before and after the intervention. The findings indicated that interventions focused on cognitive reappraisal can effectively reduce depression in college students exhibiting depressive tendencies. Additionally, regulatory emotional self-efficacy played a significant mediating role in the link between cognitive reappraisal intervention and depression levels among these students. The results provide valuable insights regarding interventions for depressive tendencies, highlighting their crucial role in enhancing the mental well-being of college students. Full article

Background and Objectives: Contraceptive education may influence reproductive health outcomes, foster greater sexual autonomy, and improve mental well-being. The current study investigated the efficacy of a structured contraceptive counseling program on reproductive health knowledge, sexual autonomy, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among Romanian college women. Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted during the 2021–2024 academic years, enrolling 240 female students aged 18–26 from the “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Timisoara. The participants were divided into two arms: (1) Intervention Group (IG, n = 115), which was provided counseling materials, and (2) Control Group (CG, n = 116), which received no additional counseling. Baseline and post-intervention data were collected using a contraceptive knowledge quiz (CKQ), a sexual autonomy scale (SAS), the WHOQOL-BREF, GAD-7, and PHQ-9. Results: After the 12-week intervention, the IG demonstrated significant improvements in contraceptive knowledge (mean CKQ score: 25.5 ± 3.1 vs. 20.1 ± 4.3 in CG, p < 0.001), sexual autonomy (SAS: 82.6 ± 9.2 vs. 75.7 ± 10.1, p < 0.001), and psychological well-being indicators: lower anxiety (GAD-7: 3.1 ± 2.0 vs. 5.2 ± 2.3, p < 0.001) and depression scores (PHQ-9: 4.8 ± 2.0 vs. 7.1 ± 2.2, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that membership in the IG was the most significant predictor of improved post-intervention contraceptive knowledge and reduced mental distress, even after adjusting for confounders such as age, socioeconomic status, and relationship status. Conclusions: A structured contraceptive counseling program can significantly enhance reproductive health knowledge, strengthen sexual autonomy, and reduce depressive and anxiety symptoms among Romanian college women. The findings emphasize the importance of developing systematic, multi-faceted interventions for improving students’ reproductive well-being and mental health outcomes within university settings. Full article

Objectives: Experiences of racial discrimination within the healthcare system are potentially traumatic events (PTEs) that have been associated with lowered perceived trust in healthcare providers, ongoing symptoms of PTSD and depression, and anticipated healthcare avoidance. Based on the BITTEN trauma impact model, we test a pathway such that greater past healthcare discrimination would be associated with anticipated future healthcare avoidance among BIPOC college students. We posited that this direct relationship would be sequentially mediated by healthcare institutional betrayal (HIB) during one’s worst healthcare event and subsequently reduced trust in healthcare. Methods: Our model was tested in a subsample of undergraduate students, all of whom self-identified with at least one minoritized racial or ethnic identity (n = 472). Participants reported on their past experiences with racial discrimination in healthcare. Each then chose and described their worst and/or most traumatic previous healthcare experience. Subsequently, they indicated if this experience included acts of HIB and/or led to medical mistrust. Finally, they reported on the degree to which they anticipated engaging in future healthcare avoidance. Results: Our model explained 31% of the variance in anticipated healthcare avoidance. As hypothesized via BITTEN, greater HIB during one’s worst or most traumatic healthcare experience and resulting mistrust in healthcare sequentially mediated the relationship between past experiences of healthcare racial discrimination and anticipated future healthcare avoidance. However, a direct relationship between racial discrimination in healthcare and anticipated healthcare avoidance was retained. Conclusions: Racial discrimination is a potentially traumatic experience associated with deleterious health outcomes. Current results suggest that healthcare discrimination may drive BIPOC college students’ future healthcare avoidance both directly and through experiencing increased healthcare institutional betrayal during one’s worst healthcare experience and resultant mistrust in healthcare. Due to the crucial role both discrimination and HIB experiences may play in healthcare outcomes, greater organizational adoption of anti-racist trauma-informed healthcare and the enactment of deliberate system-level repair strategies post discrimination and/or HIB is critical. Understanding the interplay of racial discrimination, HIB, and medical mistrust is also likely to help us address and repair system-level factors leading to anticipated healthcare avoidance behavior among BIPOC emerging adults. Full article

This study examined the sequential mediating roles of anxiety and depressive symptoms in the effect of school bullying victimization on suicidal ideation. This study utilized a convenience sample of college students across South Korea, and an online survey was conducted. This quantitative research analyzed data collected from 1037 participants. The sample consisted of an equal gender distribution, with a mean age of 23.65 years (range: 18–30). Additionally, 30% of participants reported a household income of four million won or less (approximately USD $3076). More than half of the participants’ parents had attained a college education or higher. Also, multiple mediation analyses were conducted to examine whether anxiety and depressive symptoms mediated the relationship between school bullying victimization and suicidal ideation. In the results, multiple mediation analyses showed that school bullying victimization does not have a direct effect on suicidal ideation. On the other hand, school bullying victimization has an indirect effect on suicidal ideation through anxiety and depressive symptoms, controlling for covariates. Based on these research results, implications for school bullying prevention and intervention were discussed. Full article

Background: Asian American (AA) young adults, including AA college students, may experience more suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) compared to other racial and ethnic groups of the same age. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first systematic review of the risk and protective factors for STBs with a focus on AA young adults. Methods: Informed by the social-ecological perspective and the cultural model and theory of suicide, this study systematically reviews the risk and protective factors for STBs among AA young adults. Based on 22 research articles published between 1998 and 2023, we analyzed and discussed the effects of 37 risk and 15 protective factors at the individual, relationship, community, societal, and cultural levels. Results: Most risk factors are at the individual level (e.g., depressive symptoms and hopelessness), followed by factors at the cultural level (e.g., acculturation and acculturative stress), the relationship level (e.g., family problems and romantic relationship problems), the community level (e.g., verbal threats on campus), and the societal level (e.g., public stigma about mental health). Also, most protective factors are at the individual level (e.g., self-reliance and fear of suicide), followed by the relationship level (e.g., social support and family responsibilities), the community level (e.g., religious affiliations), and the cultural level (desire not to burden others). Conclusions: This systematic review emphasizes the need for future research to explore cultural factors, subgroup differences, and longitudinal designs, while advocating for culturally specific prevention and intervention strategies to improve mental health outcomes for AAYAs. Full article

“Internet gaming disorder” (IGD) is a condition for further study in the DSM-5, with its prevalence estimated to be anywhere from 0.7% to 27.5% depending on the methodology used to measure it. Previous research has linked the symptoms of IGD to symptoms of depression and anxiety among college students. Methods: The current study explored the relationships between self-reported symptoms of IGD, depression, and anxiety in two small, non-overlapping samples of college students, one collected before the pandemic (n = 52) and another during the global pandemic (n = 89). Data on the time spent gaming, IGD, depression, and anxiety symptoms were collected via anonymous online surveys at a small Mid-Western liberal arts university. The samples differed significantly in age, likely due to the smaller incoming first-year class size as a result of many families deciding to defer the start of college in 2020. Conclusions: These findings partially support past research suggesting a small to moderate association between self-reports of IGD and depression symptoms. While the pandemic does not appear to have greatly changed the overall number of self-reported symptoms experienced or the time spent playing video games between the two samples, it may have exacerbated the relationship between these variables within the sample. The stronger relationship between symptoms of depression or anxiety and the time spent playing video games in the later sample may be particularly concerning if the trend continues, as it may lead to additional problematic gaming behavior in the future. Full article

Objectives: acute stress disorder (ASD) became prevalent among various populations during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet little research has examined the heterogeneity of ASD symptoms among college students. The purpose of this research was to explore subgroups of ASD symptoms using latent profile analysis (LPA) and to explore the predictors and mental health outcomes associated with these profiles. Methods: Using the person-centered method, we recruited 1198 college students (71.7% female) who self-reported their ASD, perceived social support, anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction from two Chinese universities following the COVID-19 outbreak. Results: The LPA results found three ASD symptom severity profiles: low (56.7%), moderate (31.6%), and high (11.7%), particularly characterized by reexperiencing and arousal symptoms. This study found that students in the moderate and high ASD subgroups were more likely to be female, have lower socioeconomic status, belong to minority groups, report lower self-rated health, and perceive less social support compared to those in the low ASD subgroup. Furthermore, compared to the low and moderate ASD subgroups, the high ASD subgroup was linked to elevated anxiety and depression and lower life satisfaction. Conclusions: These findings underscore the significance of identifying specific ASD symptom subgroups to effectively target prevention and intervention efforts. Full article

The transition from adolescence to college is a significant developmental stage marked by challenges such as high academic pressure, changes in living environments, and social support systems. These challenges can lead to increased rates of depression among college students. This study investigates the relationships between family functioning, emotional intelligence, loneliness, social support, and depressive symptoms in Chinese college students. A cross-sectional design was employed, with data collected via questionnaires from undergraduate students at Xi’an Jiaotong University. Variables such as family functioning, emotional intelligence, loneliness, social support, and depressive symptoms were assessed. Statistical analyses, including correlation and hierarchical regression, were conducted to explore these relationships. The study found a diverse distribution of depressive symptoms among students, with significant gender differences indicating higher depression rates in females. No significant differences were observed across academic disciplines, grades, or between only children and non-only children. Family functioning, emotional intelligence, and social support were negatively correlated with depressive symptoms, while loneliness was positively correlated. Hierarchical regression analysis confirmed that social support significantly moderated the relationship between family functioning and depressive symptoms. Mediation analysis showed that emotional intelligence and loneliness mediated this relationship. The findings highlight the complex interplay between family dynamics, emotional capabilities, social connectedness, and mental health. Enhancing family functioning, emotional intelligence, and social support can effectively reduce depressive symptoms among college students. These results underscore the need for holistic interventions that address multiple aspects of students’ social and emotional lives. Full article

Background and Objectives: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic musculoskeletal pain syndrome characterized by widespread pain and a variety of other symptoms, including fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, and sleep disturbances. Recent research has highlighted the potential role of pro-inflammatory cytokines and neurotransmitters in the pathophysiology of FM. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and serotonin with the clinical parameters observed in patients with fibromyalgia. Additionally, it sought to analyze the similarities and differences among the different groups classified by symptom severity. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 26 female patients aged 20–70 diagnosed with FM according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2016 criteria and 14 healthy controls (HCs). Serum levels of IL-6 and serotonin were measured using electrochemiluminescence and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively. Results: FM patients exhibited significantly higher pain scores (VAS), anxiety, and depression levels compared to HCs. FIQ-R scores were significantly elevated in FM patients, with stratification showing 3.8% mild, 65.4% moderate, 23.1% severe, and 7.7% very severe cases. While no significant difference in IL-6 levels was observed between the FM patients and HCs, a trend towards increased IL-6 levels in patients with higher FIQ-R scores was noted. Serum serotonin levels were significantly lower in the FM patients than in the HCs, with moderate patients having lower levels than those classified as severe and very severe. Conclusions: The study underscores the potential role of IL-6 and serotonin in the pathophysiology of FM, suggesting that these biomarkers could be relevant in assessing the severity and impact of FM. Further research is needed to elucidate these relationships and their implications for developing personalized treatment strategies. Full article

A growing body of evidence suggests an increased prevalence of anxiety and depression among teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is little evidence in research documenting the extent of anxiety and depression in the university teacher population and how these relate to feelings of loneliness. This study aims to explore the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms among university teachers, identify differences, and further examine the relationships between loneliness and symptoms of anxiety and depression. The study participants included university teachers in the College of Health and Medical Sciences from four purposefully selected public universities who completed a survey questionnaire consisting of items that measured anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as loneliness. The final sample included 148 participants (45 participants [30.4%] located in the center or capital; 125 (83.1%) men; and 90 [62.5%] taught both online and face-to-face). The university teachers’ sample mean age = 39.07 had an SD = 7.67. As per the findings of this study, the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms was significant (11% and 12.3%) among university teachers in Ethiopia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, this study found a significant association between these symptoms and loneliness. Therefore, incorporating relevant strategies to promote mental well-being and targeting individuals who felt lonely were essential for overcoming health-related burdens. Universities should equip teachers with resources to prevent mental health issues and offer need-based counseling services to alleviate them. Full article

(1) Problematic Internet use (PIU) in young people is a topic of great interest both in the field of addictions and mental health, but scientific evidence is limited in Latin America. The aim was to analyze the relationship between PIU and depression in Latin American college students. (2) Methods: The sample consisted of 1828 college students (63.7% women), aged between 18–30 years (M = 21.64 years). (3) Results: PIU was detected in 40.2% of cases, and severe or moderately severe depression in 31.7%. Rates of severe depression in students with PIU were 3.02 times higher than in those without PIU (χ2(3) = 168.443; p < 0.000). The presence of PIU was also statistically significantly higher among youth with depressive symptoms. Linear and logistic regression models for predicting PIU, show how the depression level constitutes a risk factor for PIU: seven times higher for severe depression; more than five times higher for moderate depression; and more than two times for mild depression. (4) Conclusions: There is a clear association between depression and PIU, suggesting that a higher level of depression would act as a predictor of PIU. However, this finding is exploratory. Future studies should clarify the directionality of the relationship between both variables. Full article

Depression affects approximately 350 million individuals globally and is the leading cause of disability. Depression among nursing students is an ongoing issue, yet little is known about the relationship between depression and its risk factors among nursing students in Saudi Arabia. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression among a cohort of Saudi nursing students and to explore the risk factors associated with depression in this group. A cross-sectional design was employed for this study, which was conducted by the nursing faculty at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The researcher sampled 330 nursing students, with 252 students (a 76.3% response rate) randomly selected by the academic advising unit in the nursing college between January and February 2023. The participants completed an online survey based on the Arabic version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. The data were analyzed using univariate analysis and backward multi-variable logistic regression. The findings revealed that 65.1% of the participants scored 16 or above on the depression scale, indicating high levels of depressive symptoms. Univariate analysis identified several significant risk factors for depression, including sex (OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.16–0.51; p < 0.001), academic pressure (OR, 5.87; 95% CI, 2.04–16.84; p < 0.001), interpersonal relationships (evaluated by balance and harmony in thoughts, emotions, behavior, and interactions with others; categorized as good/fair or poor), and the relationship with the father, which were strongly associated with the presence of depression symptoms. Backward multi-variable logistic regression analysis further revealed that being male, experiencing reduced academic pressure, having stronger father–son relationships, and maintaining positive interpersonal relationships were significantly associated with decreased levels of depression (ORs ranged from 0.25 to 3.94). These findings highlight the need for family and school-based prevention interventions to help nursing students in college avoid depression. Full article

Diarrhea of college students (DCS) is a prevalent issue among college students, affecting their daily lives and academic performance. This study aims to explore the potential effect of Bifidobacterium breve BB05 supplements on the DCS. Initially, fifty healthy and fifty diarrheal students were recruited in the observational experiment and allocated into control and diarrhea groups, respectively. Subsequently, one hundred diarrheal students were newly recruited in the intervention experiment and randomly allocated into placebo and probiotic groups, both treated for 2 weeks. Questionnaires (BSS, HAMA-14, and HDRS-17) were performed to assess the students’ diarrheal states and mental health at baseline and post-treatment. Fecal samples underwent 16S rRNA sequencing and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay to evaluate gut microbiota and fecal metabolite alternations. Results indicated that B. breve BB05 supplementation significantly enriched (p < 0.05) the reduced gut microbial diversity caused by diarrhea. Diarrhea resulted in notable alterations in gut microbiota composition, as exhibited by elevated Collinsella and Streptococcus, alongside substantially decreased Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, and Prevotella, while B. breve BB05 supplementation partially restored the compromised gut microbiota at both the phylum and genus levels, particularly by increasing Bifidobacterium and Roseburia (p < 0.05). Importantly, questionnaire results suggested that B. breve BB05 administration achieved superior efficacy in relieving diarrhea symptoms and the associated anxiety and depression in college students. An increased fecal concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) was also observed in the probiotic group, while Acetylcholine (ACH), Epinephrine (EPI), and Noradrenaline/Norepinephrine (NANE) reduced, revealing the potential of B. breve BB05 in alleviating anxiety and depression via modulating the microbiota–gut–brain axis. Furthermore, correlation analysis suggested that the altered microbiota and fecal neurotransmitters were closely associated with the mental symptoms. These results endorse B. breve BB05 intervention as a promising and innovative approach to alleviate both diarrhea and mental health conditions among college students. Full article