Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress among Higher Secondary Students in Paschim Medinipur

Mental health issues encompass various conditions that influence a person’s mood, thoughts, and behavior, including depression, anxiety, and stress. This study investigated the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among higher secondary students, focusing on variables such as gender, social category, school location, and academic performance. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a purposive sampling method, selecting 250 students from various Bengali-medium higher secondary schools in the Paschim Medinipur district. Data were collected using a bilingual version of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), originally developed by Lovibond and Lovibond (1995). The findings revealed that female students exhibited slightly higher rates of mild and moderate depression compared to their male counterparts. Additionally, scheduled caste students showed the highest percentage of normal mental health levels, while scheduled tribe students demonstrated a greater prevalence of moderate depression. The study also indicated that urban students were more likely to experience mild depression, whereas rural students had higher rates of moderate depression. Furthermore, low academic achievers showed the highest levels of moderate depression, while moderate achievers displayed the lowest levels of depressive symptoms.