Association of chronic stress during studies with depressive symptoms 10 years later
Abstract The long-tern implications of stress during university for individuals’ mental health are not well understood so far. Hence, we aimed to examine the potential effect of stress while studying at university on depression in later life. We analysed data from two waves of the longitudinal Study...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85311-9 |
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| author | Tobias Weinmann Razan Wibowo Felix Forster Jessica Gerlich Laura Wengenroth Gudrun Weinmayr Jon Genuneit Dennis Nowak Christian Vogelberg Katja Radon Britta Herbig |
| author_facet | Tobias Weinmann Razan Wibowo Felix Forster Jessica Gerlich Laura Wengenroth Gudrun Weinmayr Jon Genuneit Dennis Nowak Christian Vogelberg Katja Radon Britta Herbig |
| author_sort | Tobias Weinmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The long-tern implications of stress during university for individuals’ mental health are not well understood so far. Hence, we aimed to examine the potential effect of stress while studying at university on depression in later life. We analysed data from two waves of the longitudinal Study on Occupational Allergy Risks. Using the ‘work overload’ and ‘proving oneself’ scales of the Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress and the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), participants reported chronic stress during university (2007–2009, mean age 22.2 years, T1) and depressive symptoms ten years later (2017–2018, mean age 31.6 years, T2). We performed linear regression analyses to explore the association between stress during university (T1) and later depressive symptoms (T2). Participants (N = 548, 59% female) indicated rather low levels of stress and depression (PHQ-2 mean score: 1.14 (range: 0–6)). We observed evidence for a linear association between overload at T1 and depression at T2 (regression coefficient (B) = 0.270; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.131 to 0.409; standardised regression coefficient (β) = 0.170). Our analyses yielded evidence for an association between chronic stress while studying and risk of depressive symptoms later in life. This finding underlines the importance of implementing sustainable preventive measures against stress among students. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9532166196f74c8c8614bc47c3625a35 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-9532166196f74c8c8614bc47c3625a352025-01-19T12:17:23ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111310.1038/s41598-025-85311-9Association of chronic stress during studies with depressive symptoms 10 years laterTobias Weinmann0Razan Wibowo1Felix Forster2Jessica Gerlich3Laura Wengenroth4Gudrun Weinmayr5Jon Genuneit6Dennis Nowak7Christian Vogelberg8Katja Radon9Britta Herbig10Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, LMU University Hospital, LMU MunichInstitute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, LMU University Hospital, LMU MunichInstitute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, LMU University Hospital, LMU MunichInstitute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, LMU University Hospital, LMU MunichInstitute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, LMU University Hospital, LMU MunichInstitute of Epidemiology and Medical Biometry, Ulm UniversityInstitute of Epidemiology and Medical Biometry, Ulm UniversityInstitute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, LMU University Hospital, LMU MunichDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität DresdenInstitute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, LMU University Hospital, LMU MunichInstitute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, LMU University Hospital, LMU MunichAbstract The long-tern implications of stress during university for individuals’ mental health are not well understood so far. Hence, we aimed to examine the potential effect of stress while studying at university on depression in later life. We analysed data from two waves of the longitudinal Study on Occupational Allergy Risks. Using the ‘work overload’ and ‘proving oneself’ scales of the Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress and the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), participants reported chronic stress during university (2007–2009, mean age 22.2 years, T1) and depressive symptoms ten years later (2017–2018, mean age 31.6 years, T2). We performed linear regression analyses to explore the association between stress during university (T1) and later depressive symptoms (T2). Participants (N = 548, 59% female) indicated rather low levels of stress and depression (PHQ-2 mean score: 1.14 (range: 0–6)). We observed evidence for a linear association between overload at T1 and depression at T2 (regression coefficient (B) = 0.270; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.131 to 0.409; standardised regression coefficient (β) = 0.170). Our analyses yielded evidence for an association between chronic stress while studying and risk of depressive symptoms later in life. This finding underlines the importance of implementing sustainable preventive measures against stress among students.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85311-9Psychological stressChronic stressMental healthDepressionStudents |
| spellingShingle | Tobias Weinmann Razan Wibowo Felix Forster Jessica Gerlich Laura Wengenroth Gudrun Weinmayr Jon Genuneit Dennis Nowak Christian Vogelberg Katja Radon Britta Herbig Association of chronic stress during studies with depressive symptoms 10 years later Scientific Reports Psychological stress Chronic stress Mental health Depression Students |
| title | Association of chronic stress during studies with depressive symptoms 10 years later |
| title_full | Association of chronic stress during studies with depressive symptoms 10 years later |
| title_fullStr | Association of chronic stress during studies with depressive symptoms 10 years later |
| title_full_unstemmed | Association of chronic stress during studies with depressive symptoms 10 years later |
| title_short | Association of chronic stress during studies with depressive symptoms 10 years later |
| title_sort | association of chronic stress during studies with depressive symptoms 10 years later |
| topic | Psychological stress Chronic stress Mental health Depression Students |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85311-9 |
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