Depression, anxiety, and stress: a mental health overview in university students

Abstract

The university stage entails academic and psychosocial demands that may affect students’ emotional balance and academic continuity. In this context, depression, anxiety, and psychological stress are frequent problems requiring institutional monitoring. The study aimed to assess depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of Peruvian university students and to identify their association with sex, age, and employment status. A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional study was conducted with 381 students of both sexes. The DASS-21 Scale, with adequate psychometric properties, was applied to assess the variables. Associations were analyzed using the Chi-Square test and Cramer’s V coefficient, as well as the correlations among the three variables using Spearman’s rho coefficient. More than half of the students presented no symptoms, particularly regarding anxiety (55.1%), followed by stress (43.3%) and depression (40.7%). Mild and moderate levels predominated, while severe cases were infrequent. Significant associations were found between depression and sex and age, anxiety and age, and stress and sex and age (p<0.05). Furthermore, all three variables showed positive and strong correlations with one another (p<0.01). It is concluded that depression, anxiety, and stress are prevalent among university students, predominantly at mild and moderate levels, although severe cases persist. These conditions are associated with sex and age and are interrelated, underscoring the need for preventive actions in the university context.