Depression, anxiety and coping strategies among Palestinian university students during political violence: a cross sectional study
Abstract
Background There are numerous wars and ongoing political violence in Palestine and little is known about how they have affected Palestinian undergraduate students’ mental health and coping strategies. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of depression, and anxiety symptoms and coping mechanisms among Palestinian university students during the times of current political violence in Palestine after October 7, 2023. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study design was utilized for a sample of students from 3 universities in Palestine (Al Quds University, Hebron University, and An-Najah University) and 1815 participants responded. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires, including Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Brief COPE scale. Person correlation test, chi-square test, and bivariate analysis were performed to examine the associations between research variables. Results The estimated prevalence of depression was 65.9, and 60.9% for anxiety. The logistic regression showed that students from the Arts Faculty, females, and those with working parents were significantly more likely to experience depression and anxiety symptoms. Also, active coping, emotional support, and humor reduced the likelihood of experiencing depression symptoms, while active coping, positive reframing, humor, and acceptance decreased the likelihood of developing anxiety symptoms. Further, the study found that using religion, self-blame, denial, and behavioral…
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