PREVALENCE OF DEPRESSIVE FEELINGS AND ITS ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN MALAYSIA

In nowadays competitive environment, students face challenges and intense pressure both from social and university lives, which is perceived stressful, and it ultimately develop feelings of depression. Keeping this in view, the current study aims to know prevalence of depressive feelings and its associated risk factors among Malaysian university students. Utilizing a cross-sectional design, data were collected by an online-self-reported- questionnaire from 210 students. Demographic data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, while linkages between depression and its risk-factors were determined by multinomial-logistic regression analysis. Results show that depressive symptoms were moderately elevated among 19-to-22 years old students, female students, unmarried, having past-trauma and financially poor status. Depressive symptoms had impeded academic life of students and academic performance. This study recommends that the menace of depression should be dealt collectively by parents, teachers, and university administration by providing a conducive environment to students, which will prevent students from detrimental impacts of depression.