Dataset Information

Associations Between Social Capital and Depressive Symptoms Among College Students in 12 Countries: Results of a Cross-National Study.

ABSTRACT: Introduction:A mental health crisis has hit university campuses across the world. This study sought to determine the prevalence and social determinants of depressive symptoms among university students in twelve countries. Particular focus was placed on the association between social capital and depressive symptoms. Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among students at their first year at university in Europe, Asia, the Western Pacific, and Latin and North America. Data were obtained through a self-administered questionnaire, including questions on sociodemographic characteristics, depressive symptoms, and social capital. The simplified Beck's Depression Inventory was used to measure the severity of depressive symptoms. Social capital was assessed using items drawn from the World Bank Integrated Questionnaire to Measure Social Capital. Multilevel analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between social capital and depressive symptoms, adjusting for individual covariates (e.g., perceived stress) and country-level characteristics (e.g., economic development). Results:Among 4228 students, 48% presented clinically relevant depressive symptoms. Lower levels of cognitive (OR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.44-2.29) and behavioral social capital (OR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.29-1.76) were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. The likelihood of having depressive symptoms was also significantly higher among those living in regions with lower levels of social capital. Conclusion:The study demonstrates that lower levels of individual and macro-level social capital contribute to clinically relevant depressive symptoms among university students. Increasing social capital may mitigate depressive symptoms in college students.

SUBMITTER: Backhaus I

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7201069 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Associations Between Social Capital and Depressive Symptoms Among College Students in 12 Countries: Results of a Cross-National Study.

Backhaus Insa I Varela Andrea Ramirez AR Khoo Selina S Siefken Katja K Crozier Alyson A Begotaraj Edvaldo E Fischer Florian F Wiehn Jascha J Lanning Beth A BA Lin Po-Hsiu PH Jang Soong-Nang SN Monteiro Luciana Zaranza LZ Al-Shamli Ali A La Torre Giuseppe G Kawachi Ichiro I

Frontiers in psychology 20200429

<h4>Introduction</h4>A mental health crisis has hit university campuses across the world. This study sought to determine the prevalence and social determinants of depressive symptoms among university students in twelve countries. Particular focus was placed on the association between social capital and depressive symptoms.<h4>Methods</h4>A cross-sectional study was conducted among students at their first year at university in Europe, Asia, the Western Pacific, and Latin and North America. Data w ...[more]

PMID: 32411038

Similar Datasets

Project description:This study examines Korean college students' rates and the severity of various negative consequences resulting from the frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption and the unique factors that are affecting this problem in the Korean context in comparison to other countries. It assesses how much gender, age and other associated respondent characteristics mediate alcohol use and the resulting negative consequences among the population. A stratified representative sample of 4803 valid student respondents attending 82 colleges participated in the alcohol consumption survey, of which 95% reported drinking in past 12 months. Drinking is measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) screening tool. Based on this test, composite scores for each participant were computed and students were grouped into four risk groups: (a) nondrinkers, (b) light drinkers, (c) moderate drinkers and (d) heavy drinkers. Outcome measures include 21 validated items evaluating self-reported alcohol-related negative consequences. Rates of negative consequences are reported for each drinking risk group stratified by gender. Descriptive statistics, stepwise regression, multivariate linear regression and MANOVA tests were used to analyze the data. The study found that female respondents in the sample who consumed alcohol in the past 12 months drank 11.5 percent less than males (AUDIT-C score ? = 6.0 and 6.7, respectively), and there was a greater proportion of females (5.1 percent) who were nondrinkers than males (4.6 percent). Yet, when females drank, they experienced 11.8 percent more negative consequences on average than males (? = 1.9 and 1.7, respectively). The study attempts to explain this apparent contradiction. The self-reported rates for many individual negative consequences also varied discernibly by gender. The study concludes with suggestions for how alcohol prevention on Korean college campuses would benefit from targeting females and males differently.

Dataset Information

Associations Between Social Capital and Depressive Symptoms Among College Students in 12 Countries: Results of a Cross-National Study.

Publications

Associations Between Social Capital and Depressive Symptoms Among College Students in 12 Countries: Results of a Cross-National Study.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets