Negative life events are associated with risk of mental illness among Japanese university students

It is well-known that not only biological but also psychosocial factors, such as negative life events, are associated with the onset of mental illness, including depressive disorders and anxiety disorders.1, 2 University students in transition from adolescence to adulthood. They have experienced various events past now experiencing new ones. We aimed investigate association experience risk illness among Japanese university this important understand field health. Based on previous studies,3, 4 we prepared a questionnaire factors might negatively affect health students. The comprised questions whether respondents events. participants were asked select “yes” or “no” their answers. Additionally, items Kessler psychological distress scale 10 (K10)5 added evaluate participants' status. K10 consists answered by five-point ranging “never (=0) “always” (=4), providing total score between 0 40. used indicator, cut-off 14/15. A 15 higher indicates high possibility severe illness.6 survey was conducted at three national universities academic year 2019–2021. study approved ethics committee Ibaraki (N. 180200). Informed consent obtained participants. Binary logistic regression analysis relationship (high low risk) they following events: “financial distress,” “victimized violence,” “unwilling separation lover,” “gender discrimination,” dysphoria,” “parents' bad relationship, separation, divorce,” “severe death close friend relative,” admission,” “difficulty research,” job hunting,” “bad family,” friends colleagues,” “stressful part-time job.” Sex an explanatory variable. response variable versus illness. Statistical analyses performed using Package for Social Sciences software version 28 (IBM). 1068 (593 men 475 women) participated study. mode median, first, third quartiles 3, 0, 9, respectively. Altogether, 158 scored ≥15 (i.e., than point6) classified “high risk” group. Table 1 shows summary results binary stepwise method. retained final multivariate model current indicated developing students, which consistent findings studies1, Among school life, admission” job” risk, other not. Many psychiatric who visit administration facilities complain became depressed anxious because problems difficulty hunting colleges. However, present showed some these difficulties specific those many regardless clinically anxious. listen them, our suggest sometimes it necessary normalize ordinary experiences. Concurrently, psychiatrists clinical psychologists should be aware may outside discrimination” family.” These been addressed first admission addressing them during therapy necessary. major limitation cannot generalized all Nagelkerke R-squared value variables do explain well. Some unmeasured influenced students' In conclusion, when treating remind factors. Y.F.N. drafted authors. Y.F.N., T.M., Y.K. survey. analyzed data manuscript. manuscript N/A. This supported Grants-in-Aid Scientific Research [18K09994]. authors declare no conflict interest. Written informed obtained, along actual questionnaire, written information distributed inform about Participation voluntary agreed answer support available corresponding author (Y.F.N.) upon reasonable request.