Prevalence, Severity and Risk Factors for Depressive Symptoms and Insomnia in College Undergraduates

Abstract

Although the college years represent a high-risk period for depressive symptoms and insomnia, little research has explored their prevalence, comorbidities and risk factors within this developmental period. Two studies were conducted; the first evaluated the prevalence and comorbidity of depressive symptoms and insomnia in 1338 students (ages 18-23 years) from a large Southwestern University. Mild depressive symptoms were endorsed by 19% of students and 14.5% reported moderate to severe symptoms. Forty-seven percent of students reported mild insomnia and 22.5% endorsed moderate to severe insomnia severity. A second study investigated perceived stress as a potential mediator of the relation between self-reported childhood adversity and concurrent depressive symptoms and insomnia. Undergraduates (N = 447) from a Southwestern and Southeastern University reported prior childhood adversity, current perceived stress, insomnia and depressive symptoms. Self-reported childhood adversity predicted higher levels of depressive symptoms and insomnia severity, partially mediated by perceived stress. Results support the high prevalence of depressive symptoms and insomnia among undergraduates. The risk for depressive and insomnia symptoms may be increased among students who experienced greater levels of childhood adversity.

The Role of Stress in the Social Support–Mental Health Relationship

“…Recent research has indicated a strong influence of decreased social support and elevated stress in depression among undergraduate students. However, other factors, including maladaptive coping, childhood adversity, and helicopter parenting, have also been established as significant predictors (Gress‐Smith, Roubinov, Andreotti, Compas, & Luecken, ; Hefner & Eisenberg, ; Mahmoud, Staten, Hall, & Lennie, ; Schiffrin et al, ; X. Wang, Cai, Qian, & Peng, ). Therefore, to more fully understand the risk factors and correlates of depression symptomatology, researchers should also consider other variables in addition to social support and psychological stress.…”

Effects of depressive symptoms and coping motives on naturalistic trends in negative and positive alcohol-related consequences

“…Approximately one-third of college students are at least mildly depressed (Gress-Smith, Roubinov, Andreotti, Compas, & Luecken, 2013; for review see Ibrahim, Kelly, Adams, & Glazebrook, 2013), and data from college counseling centers show a rise in chronic and severe depression (Barr, Rando, Krylowicz, & Winfield, 2010; Gallagher, 2012). Factors contributing to increasing mental health issues on college campuses may include advances in treatment and the widespread use of psychotropic medication that enable students with preexisting mental health disorders to attend college, heightened academic pressures, and a lack of adaptive skills needed to adequately cope with new environments (Compton, Conway, Stinson, & Grant, 2006).…”

Gender Differences in the Effect of Depressive Symptoms on Prospective Alcohol Expectancies, Coping Motives, and Alcohol Outcomes in the First Year of College

“…Although this developmental period presents opportunities to explore identities and develop life skills, it is also a time of instability in which students report heightened distress (Arnett 2005; Brown et al 2008). An estimated 31 % (Ibrahim et al 2013) to 34 % (Gress-Smith et al 2015) of college students report at least mild current depressive symptoms, and 11 % meet the criteria for a mood disorder (DSM-IV; Blanco et al 2008). Moreover, rates of depression appear to be increasing in US college student populations (Reetz et al 2013; Gallagher 2012); for example, a large-scale nationally representative survey showed significant increases in distress among incoming college students from 2009 to 2014, including frequently feeling “overwhelmed by all they had to do” (27–35 %) in the prior year (Eagan et al 2014).…”