Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 May 30:10:855607.
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.855607. eCollection 2022.

Severe Symptoms of Mental Disorders Among Students Majoring in Foreign Languages in Vietnam: A Cross-Sectional Study

Nguyen Thi Thang  1 , Dao Thi Dieu Linh  1 , Ta Nhat Anh  1 , Nguyen Thị Phuong  1 , Nguyen Duc Giang  1 , Nguyen Xuan Long  1 , Dao Thi Cam Nhung  1 , Khuong Quynh Long  2
Affiliations

Severe Symptoms of Mental Disorders Among Students Majoring in Foreign Languages in Vietnam: A Cross-Sectional Study

Nguyen Thi Thang et al. Front Public Health. .

Abstract

Mental health disorders among university students have been a serious issue in many countries and can negatively affect academic performance and all aspects of daily living, relationships, and physical health. In this study, we aim to estimate the prevalence of severe symptoms of mental disorders and examine associated factors among students majoring in foreign languages in Vietnam. We used the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21) to detect severe symptoms of mental disorders in 1,788 students, including severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. The Financial-Study-Family-Friend (FSFF) scale was utilized to assess how much students worried about finance, academic, and social support from family and friends. Multiple logistic regressions were carried out to evaluate the relationship between severe symptoms of mental disorders and FSFF factors. The prevalence of severe levels of depression, anxiety, and stress were 21.1, 35.0, and 16.3%, respectively. While varying somewhat due to students' demographic characteristics, all four aspects of the FSFF scale were related to the severe symptoms of mental disorders of students. Concerns about study had the largest effects (ORs ranging from 2.84 to 3.72) while difficulty in finance had the smallest effects (ORs ranging from 1.23 to 1.37) on students' depression, anxiety, and stress. The prevalence of severe symptoms of mental disorders in students was high in our study. Teachers and universities should focus more attention on students' mental health. Social support from family and friends also plays a crucial role in the mental health of students.

Keywords: Vietnam; foreign languages; social factors; student; symptoms of mental disorders.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Correlation matrix of DASS21 score (depression, anxiety, and stress scores) and four components of FSFF scale. ***p < 0.001.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. World Health Organization. Mental Health: Strengthening Our Response. (2018). Available online at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthe... (accessed December 10, 2021).
    1. World Health Organization. World Mental Health Day: An Opportunity to Kick-Start a Massive Scale-Up in Investment in Mental Health. (2020). Available online at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/mental-health#tab=tab_1 (accessed December 10, 2021).
    1. Conley CS, Kirsch AC, Dickson DA, Bryant FB. Negotiating the transition to college: developmental trajectories and gender differences in psychological functioning, cognitive-affective strategies, and social well-being. Emerg Adulthood. (2014) 2:195–210. 10.1177/2167696814521808 - DOI
    1. Ibrahim AK, Kelly SJ, Adams CE, Glazebrook C. A systematic review of studies of depression prevalence in university students. J Psychiatr Res. (2013) 47:391–400. 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.11.015 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Tran A, Tran L, Geghre N, Darmon D, Rampal M, Brandone D, et al. . Health assessment of French university students and risk factors associated with mental health disorders. PLoS ONE. (2017) 12:e0188187. 10.1371/journal.pone.0188187 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Publication types