Prevalence and associated factors of depressive, anxiety, and stress symptom severity among high school students in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms are common among adolescents, yet many studies dichotomise Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) outcomes, potentially losing information across severity levels. This study estimated symptom prevalence and examined factors associated with the severity of depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms among Vietnamese high school students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among all Grade 10–12 students at one school in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Bivariate and multivariable proportional-odds logistic regression models were fitted for three ordered severity categories: normal, mild/moderate, and severe/very severe. Analyses were performed in R version 4.6.0. Among 366 students, severe/very severe depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms were reported by 13.4%, 27.9%, and 16.4% of students, respectively. Female sex was associated with greater severity of depressive (aOR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.41–3.39), anxiety (aOR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.24–2.86), and stress symptoms (aOR = 2.37, 95% CI: 1.54–3.68). Average/weak academic performance was associated with greater depressive symptom severity (aOR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.11–4.04). Poor family relationships were associated with greater anxiety (aOR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.11–2.90) and stress symptom severity (aOR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.25–3.53), while parental academic expectations were associated with greater anxiety symptom severity (aOR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.10–2.52). Grade 11 students had lower odds of greater stress symptom severity than Grade 10 students (aOR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.31–0.80). Female sex, academic performance, family relationships, parental expectations, and grade level were differentially associated with symptom severity. Analyses that preserved the ordered structure of DASS-21 outcomes showed that associated factors differed across symptom domains. These findings support sex-sensitive screening and targeted school- and family-based mental health strategies.
Source: Discover Public Health
Language: English
Topic: Student Stress and Coping
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7222902518