Mediating Role of Perceived Stress in the Relationship between Facing Existential Issues and Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed at investigating the mediating role of perceived stress in anticipation of anxiety and depression on facing the ultimate concerns (death, loneliness, freedom, and meaningfulness).
 Method: A total of 389 students from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad participated in this study in 2017-18. The participants were selected using random sampling. The data were collected using the subscales of anxiety and depression in depression, anxiety, stress scale (DASS), Death Anxiety Scale (DAS), the third edition of Loneliness Scale UCLA (UCLA-LS), the subscale of meaning in life in Meaningfulness of Life Questionnaire (MLQ), responsibility scale of California Psychological Inventory (CPI), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Then, they were evaluated using Pearson correlation and path analysis.
 Results: The correlation between the symptoms of anxiety and depression, and death anxiety and loneliness was direct and significant with the perceived stress. The relationship between the perceived stress with meaningfulness of life and responsibility was significantly inverse. The analysis of the data path showed that the component dealing with existence (loneliness and death anxiety) predicted 20% of anxiety symptoms through perceived stress in the model that was fitted well with research data.
 Conclusion: According to the findings, it can be concluded that the relationship between dealing with ultimate concerns and anxiety symptoms was not linear. Dealing with ultimate concerns affects the anxiety symptoms through the perceived stress. Therefore, attention to the perceived stress management to promote health and prevent anxiety disorders is important.

Common mental disorders among seasonal migrant farmworkers in Northwest Ethiopia

“…Similarly, perceived stress had a statistically significant association with CMD. The high prevalence could be explained by a high level of stress and suffering faced by farmers due to a higher burden of social and household responsibilities [ 45 ]. Similarly, factors such as the experience of insecurity and hopelessness, rapid social change, and the risks of violence and physical ill-health may explain the greater vulnerability of those living in poverty to CMDs [ 26 ].…”

Improving Mentorship and Supervision during COVID-19 to Reduce Graduate Student Anxiety and Depression Aided by an Online Commercial Platform Narrative Research Group

“…An inability of graduate students to flexibly persist, through the period between the initial idea related to their research and the fulfilling of final program requirements, acts as an indicator of potential anxiety and depression [15,16]. Overwhelming feelings resulting from existential crises [17]-while knowing their degree requires timely completion of their research-mean that, when things are not going as planned with their work, graduate students may initially exhibit anxiety concerning their future that, if the necessary clarity is not regained, develops into deep and all-consuming depression in relation to their lived experience. When anxiety continues to accompany depression, tragically, the expected result is suicide [18].…”

The relationship between perceived stress and emotional distress during the COVID-19 outbreak: Effects of boredom proneness and coping style

“…Stressor appraisals result in a series of emotional distress reactions when individuals assess that they have no control or inadequate resources to deal with the challenge ( Lazarus & Folkman, 1984 ). Numerous research evidence has linked high perceived stress not only to emotional disturbances such as anxiety ( Besharart, Khadem, Zarei, & Momtaz, 2020 ; Shi, Huang, Jia, & Yang, 2020 ), depression ( Spada, Nikčević, Moneta, & Wells, 2008 ), and post-traumatic stress disorder ( Wang, Xu, Ren, Wang, & Wang, 2019 ) but also to adverse physical health including a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke ( Booth et al, 2015 ; Wright, Hanlon, Lozano, & Teitelman, 2019 ).…”