The Relationship among Young Adult College Students’ Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Demographics, Life Satisfaction, and Coping Styles

TLDR

Young adult college students show elevated depression, anxiety, and stress, yet effective coping strategies for reducing these concerns remain unclear. The study investigates how coping style, life satisfaction, and demographics predict undergraduates’ depression, anxiety, and stress. A cross‑sectional survey of 508 undergraduates (18‑24) used the Brief COPE, a life‑satisfaction scale, and the DASS‑21, with multiple regression to assess predictors. Maladaptive coping emerged as the strongest predictor of depression, anxiety, and stress, whereas adaptive coping was not significant, suggesting that targeting maladaptive coping could most effectively reduce these outcomes.

Abstract

Recent research indicates that young adult college students experience increased levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. It is less clear what strategies college health care providers might use to assist students in decreasing these mental health concerns. In this paper, we examine the relative importance of coping style, life satisfaction, and selected demographics in predicting undergraduates' depression, anxiety, and stress. A total of 508 full-time undergraduate students aged 18-24 years completed the study measures and a short demographics information questionnaire. Coping strategies and life satisfaction were assessed using the Brief COPE Inventory and an adapted version of the Brief Students' Multidimensional Life Satisfaction Scale. Depression, anxiety, and stress were measured using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Multiple regression analyses were used to examine the relative influence of each of the independent variables on depression, anxiety, and stress. Maladaptive coping was the main predictor of depression, anxiety, and stress. Adaptive coping was not a significant predictor of any of the three outcome variables. Reducing maladaptive coping behaviors may have the most positive impact on reducing depression, anxiety, and stress in this population.