Association between Stress, Depression, Anxiety and Coping Styles among Malaysian University Students during Covid-19 Outbreak

Abstract

Introduction: Depression and anxiety are examples of psychiatric diseases that can have a significant impact on one's mental health. The most common psychiatric illness that can be diagnosed among students is depression. The study's goal was to evaluate the relationship between stress, depression, and anxiety and coping techniques among university students. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic, DASS-21 and Brief-COPE inventory were used. Results: The study comprised 108 university students ranging in age from 19 to 74 years old. Depression is connected to acceptance, venting, behavioural disengagement, and self-blame. Acceptance, religion, denial, venting, behavioural disengagement, and self-blame are all correlated to anxiety. Stress is associated with acceptance, self-distraction, denial, venting, behavioural disengagement, and self-blame. Conclusion: Maladaptive coping methods such venting, behavioural disengagement, and self-blame have a major impact on university students' stress, anxiety, and depression levels. A deeper knowledge of the underlying influence of coping strategies on stress, depression, and anxiety among university students during Covid-19 outbreak will be gained through this study, allowing for early intervention and improved outcomes. Keywords: Psychiatric disorders; Stress; Depression; Anxiety; Student; Coping styles