Impact of Security-Insecurity on Mental Health and Depression among College Students

The present study investigates the impact of security and insecurity on mental health and depression among college students in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra. A sample of 100 students (50 with high security and 50 with high insecurity) aged between 18 and 25 years was selected using non-probability accidental and purposive sampling methods. The Mental Health Inventory (MHI) and the Depression Scale were used to assess mental health and depression levels, respectively. Statistical analyses revealed a significant difference in mental health and depression scores between high-security and low-security students. High-security students exhibited better mental health (M = 147.36, SD = 4.56) compared to low-security students (M = 133.78, SD = 5.05), with a t-value of 14.11 (p < .01). Similarly, high-security students had significantly lower depression levels (M = 39.56, SD = 4.09) compared to low-security students (M = 49.63, SD = 3.95), with a t-value of 12.52 (p < .01). A strong negative correlation (r = -0.84, p < .01) was observed between mental health and depression, indicating that higher security is associated with better mental well-being. These findings underscore the importance of promoting secure environments to enhance students’ mental health and reduce depression.