Anxiety and depression in only children versus children with siblings: A cross-sectional study among Chinese medical students

Abstract

Objectives

This study aimed to explore the characteristics, overall anxiety and depression status, and influencing factors of only-child and non-only-child students by examining a medical student population in the post-COVID-19 era.

Study design

This study was a cross-sectional design.

Methods

An online questionnaire survey was administered among medical students. The psychological problems related to depression and anxiety were measured using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), respectively, which were scored via a Likert-4 scale. Statistical analysis was employed to explore the characteristics and overall differences between only-child and non-only-child students, along with the factors affecting their anxiety and depression.

Results

A total of 1688 participants were enrolled. No significant differences were observed in the prevalence of anxiety (χ² = 1.154, P = 0.283) and depression (χ² = 0.313, P = 0.576) between only-child and non-only-child students. School level, single status, and desire for only child status are associated with anxiety and depression in the two groups. Region and loneliness are merely related to anxiety and depression among only-child students, while gender, willingness to apply for medical school, and equal treatment are associated with anxiety and depression among non-only-child students.

Conclusion

Our study found the factors that are associated with depression or anxiety inthe only-child and non-only-child medical students jointly and separately, which could provide a new theoretical basis for the psychological intervention of medical students, that is, to identify the high risk factors of depression and anxiety from the perspective of only child and non-only child.