CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY: STRESS, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND COPING STYLES AMONG MALAYSIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
https://doi.org/10.22452/jummec.vol25no1.25
- Author:
Priscilla Das
1
;
Palaniammal Kissen@Krishnan
2
Author Information
1. Faculty of Medicine, SEGi University, No. 9, Jalan Teknologi, Taman Sains Selangor, Kota Damansara, PJU 5, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
2. Faculty of Health Sciences, Asia Metropolitan University, G-8, Jalan Kemacahaya 11, Taman Kemacahaya, Batu 9, 43200 Cheras, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Psychiatric disorders;
Stress;
Depression;
Anxiety;
Student;
Coping styles
- MeSH:
Mental Disorders
- From:Journal of University of Malaya Medical Centre
2022;25(1):158-163
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Introuduction:Psychiatric symptoms such as depression and anxiety can have a strong impact on mental health status.
Objectives:The study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of stress, depression, and anxiety
in relation to coping styles among university students.
Methods:A self-administered questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic information, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS)-21 and the Brief-Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) inventory was used. The
collected data were analyzed, and descriptive statistics and correlational tests were applied in this study.
Results:The majority of respondents were female (n=84). A total of 100 university students aged from 18-44 years
old were included in the study. The students were pursuing either a bachelor (n=33), diploma (n=66) or master’s
program (n=1). About 26% of the respondents had different grades of stress with 12%, 6% and 8% of respondents
experiencing mild, moderate and severe degrees of stress respectively. The results also showed that 33% of the
respondents had different grades of depression with 10%, 13%, 5% having mild, moderate and severe degrees of
depression respectively. Another 5% had extremely severe depression. As many as 61% of the respondents had
different grades of anxiety with mild (8%), moderate (25%), severe (9%) and extremely severe (19%) degrees of anxiety. Stress was associated with venting coping styles (r=0.287; p=0.004), behavioral disengagement (r=0.425;
p<0.001) and self-blame (r=0.469; p<0.001). Depression correlated with behavioral disengagement (r=0.383;
p<0.001) and self-blame (r=0.375; p<0.001) and correlated negatively with positive reframing (r=-0.221; p=0.027).
Finally, anxiety had a significant relationship with behavioral disengagement (r=0.383; p<0.001) and self-blame
(r=0.403; p<0.001).
Conclusion:Maladaptive coping styles such as venting, behavioral disengagement and self-blame have a significant
impact on increased stress, anxiety and depression levels among university students.
- Full text:202508150853328975091341.pdf
