Trends in the prevalence and severity of depressive symptoms among undergraduate students at a South African University, 2016–2019

Abstract

University students are particularly vulnerable to mood disorders. This vulnerability may be increasing, with recent investigations reporting sharp rises in the prevalence of depression and other psychiatric disorders. Moreover, previous studies indicate that first-year undergraduates tend to show more depression and suicidal ideation than students in subsequent years. However, most studies in the extant literature emerge from high-income countries in the global north; relatively few focus on university students in low- and middle-income countries such as South Africa. Because students in low- and middle-income countries are more likely to be exposed to crime and trauma, and less likely to have easily accessible mental health services, they might be at even higher risk for developing mood disorders than their counterparts in high-income countries. Furthermore, most previous studies of mental health in university students analyse cross-sectional data and therefore cannot comment on longitudinal patterns in the data. To fill these knowledge gaps, the current study aimed to describe recent trends in depression and suicidal ideation among South African university students. We analysed both archival ( n = 2593) and original ( n = 499) Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition reports, sampled between 2016 and 2019. As expected, depression and suicidal ideation scores increased significantly over time, and first-year students reported significantly more depression and suicidal ideation than students in subsequent years of study. These findings suggest that preventive interventions during sensitive periods of undergraduate study are imperative and provide a foundation for treatment strategies tailored to the needs of the most vulnerable South African students.

COVID-19 induced psychosocial challenges in South African higher education: Experiences of staff and students at two rural universities

“…These findings corroborate Laher et al (2021) who note that psychosocial challenges significantly restrict social adjustment in higher education institutions, hinder academic attainment, and can be linked to increases in suicides when people fail to cope with such pressures. The unique setting of rural institutions puts such institutions at more significant risk because they usually do not have sufficient resources to help students cope (Pillay et al, 2020;Rousseau et al, 2021).…”

“…In South African universities, psychosocial wellness has recently become embedded in the pressing public health issues owing to unprecedented incidents of attempted suicide and suicide occurrence in the country (Makhubela, 2021;van Zyl et al, 2017). These concerns are more pronounced in rural universities which in most instances have very limited resources for students and staff to cope amid the academic pressures extant in universities (Pillay et al, 2020;Rousseau et al, 2021). Psychosocial challenges significantly impede social adjustment to university and academic attainment and is linked to increased suicidality (Laher et al, 2021).…”

Sex Differences in Depression and Anxiety Symptoms: Measurement Invariance, Prevalence, and Symptom Heterogeneity Among University Students in South Africa

“…Mental disorders, especially depression and anxiety, affect a significant proportion of the South African population, forming an upward trend that is expected to increase ( Van der Walt et al, 2020 ; Rousseau et al, 2021 ). South Africa is categorized as an upper-middle income country ( Evans-Lacko et al, 2018 ; Scorza et al, 2018 ), characterized by many social ills, including poverty, income inequality and high unemployment, which affect the mental health of its citizens.…”

Adult first-year students’ reports of depressive symptoms at a rural South African university

“…A recent South African study of students (mean age 18.9 years) at two universities in large metropolitan areas noted a 12-month prevalence for suicide ideation of 40.9%, with women and Black students at increased risk (Bantjes et al, 2021). Another South African investigation found that 'severe' depressive symptoms using the Beck Depression Inventory increased from 3.81% in 2016 to 12.63% in 2019 (Rousseau et al, 2021).…”