Perceived stress, mental health symptoms, and deleterious behaviors during the transition to college

This study examined associations between different sources of chronic perceived stress and deleterious behaviors (eating disorder symptoms, insufficient sleep, and insufficient vigorous physical activity) among first-year college students. The study used data on 885 first-year students (ages 18-20)...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2023-06, Vol.18 (6), p.e0287735-e0287735
Main Authors: Fruehwirth, Jane Cooley, Mazzolenis, M Emilia, Pepper, Mollie A, Perreira, Krista M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Anxiety
Behavior
Biology and Life Sciences
Care and treatment
Chronic diseases
Chronic illnesses
College students
Colleges & universities
Cross-Sectional Studies
Demographics
Depression - epidemiology
Depression - psychology
Diagnosis
Eating behavior
Eating disorders
Exercise
Gender
Health
Health aspects
Health behavior
Humans
Medicine and Health Sciences
Mental depression
Mental Health
Occupational stress
Physical activity
Physical fitness
Psychological aspects
Response rates
Signs and symptoms
Sleep
Sleep Deprivation
Social aspects
Social Sciences
Stress
Stress (Psychology)
Stress, Psychological - psychology
Students
Universities
Young adults
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Summary:This study examined associations between different sources of chronic perceived stress and deleterious behaviors (eating disorder symptoms, insufficient sleep, and insufficient vigorous physical activity) among first-year college students. The study used data on 885 first-year students (ages 18-20) at a large public university in North Carolina. The prevalence of deleterious behaviors was evaluated. Associations were estimated between different sources of chronic perceived stress (academic, future, peers, friendships, romantic, appearance, health, chronic illness, financial, work, family) and health behaviors after controlling for psychosocial supports and demographics. Moderating effects of gender and moderate-severe anxiety/depression symptoms were also tested. 19% of first-year student reported symptoms of eating disorders, 42% insufficient sleep, and 43% insufficient vigorous physical activity. Perceived chronic stress increased the odds of reporting these deleterious behaviors. These effects were not moderated by gender or moderate-severe anxiety/depression symptoms. Appearance- and health-related stress were associated with eating disorder symptoms; health- and romantic-related stress were associated with insufficient sleep; and health-related stress was associated with insufficient vigorous physical activity. Outcomes were survey-based. The study was based on cross-sectional data from a single university, so the direction of causality cannot be determined, and more work needs to be done to determine whether this would extend to other populations.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0287735