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. 2025 May 19;25(1):1848.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-23087-3.

Mental health status among university students during the transition period from high school to university in Lebanon: a cross-sectional study

Rawad Affan  1 , Khalil Darwich  2 , Georges Jarrouge  2 , Theresia Hannouch  2 , Shafika Assaad  2
Affiliations

Mental health status among university students during the transition period from high school to university in Lebanon: a cross-sectional study

Rawad Affan et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: The transition from high school to university is a critical life stage associated with heightened vulnerability to mental health challenges. Despite global recognition, there is limited research on the psychosocial risks faced by first-year university students in Lebanon, a region further burdened by socio-economic and political instability.

Objective: To assess the mental health status of first-year university students in Lebanon, focusing on the prevalence and intensity of mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and stress during the transitional period.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 1,024 students from multiple Lebanese universities during the 2023-2024 academic year. Data were collected via a self-reported questionnaire and the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), that assesses mental health across four key dimensions: somatic symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction, and severe depression. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and P-values were used to analyze demographic, behavioral, and mental health data.

Results: A significant gender difference in employment (χ2 = 18.81, p = 0.00086) was found. The GHQ-28 survey results indicate that 64.3% of university students experience psychological distress, with higher prevalence among females (67.3%) than males (60.8%) (χ2 = 4.42, p = 0.035). 31.7% reported sleep disturbances, 27.9% felt overwhelmed, and 33.2% experienced hopelessness. 18.8% had thoughts of self-harm, and 3.1% considered ending their life. The GHQ-28 scores indicate a high prevalence of mental health challenges, taking a score of 24 as a cut off score.

Conclusions: The study highlights the urgent need for targeted mental health interventions for Lebanese university students, addressing both universal and region-specific challenges. The findings emphasize the importance of early intervention, increased access to mental health resources, and promoting systemic changes to improve overall student well-being.

Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; GHQ-28; Lebanon; Mental health; Psychological distress; Stress; Transitional period; University students.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This research is approved by The Research Ethics Committee (REC) of the Higher Center for Research (HCR) at Holy Spirit University of Kaslik – USEK (approval number: HCR/EC 2024-041). Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

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