Two-year prospective study of natural course and risk factors of depressive symptoms in college students / 中国心理卫生杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the natural course and psychosocial risk factors of depressive symptoms in college freshmen.Methods:Changes in depressive symptoms among college freshmen were observed for two year periods,self-reporting questionnaires were used to collect data every half yearly.The depressive symptoms were assessed with the Centre for Epidemiological Study-Depression Scale,and psychosocial factors were tested as the potential risk factors,rating by Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale,Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Neuroticism Subscale,Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale,Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale,Parental Rearing Scale,Adolescents Self-Rating Life Events Checklist,Epworth Sleepiness Scale,daytime sleep time,Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire.Generalized estimating equations model was used to analyze the date.Results:Totally 1339 college students were recruited in the survey.It was found the depressive scores significantly increased in the second and third surveys,then decreased in the fourth and fifth surveys.Male (Coef=-1.01,SE =0.42,P =0.017),not interested in the major (Coef=3.89,SE =1.42,P =0.006),neuroticism(Coef =0.79,SE =0.23,P =0.001),self-esteem(Coef =-1.57,SE =0.25,P ＜ 0.001),anxiety(Coef =4.79,SE =0.16,P ＜ 0.001),life events (Coef =0.08,SE =0.01,P ＜ 0.00l),daytime sleepiness (Coef =0.80,SE =4.56,P ＜ 0.001) were significantly correlated with depressive symptoms.Conclusion:The first year of college is a critical time in the prevention depression.Not interested in the major,high neuroticism,low self-esteem,anxiety,life events,daytime sleepiness may be risk factors of depressive symptom in college students.