Depressive symptomatology and resilience profiles among university students

Abstract

The prevailing increase in suicidal behaviour among university students across the world as well as the increased susceptibility of students to depression warrants the exploration of the mental health landscape found specifically in institutions of higher learning. Although studies have highlighted the potential protective role that resilience plays in the diagnosis of depression, studies which show the association between resilience and depression symptomatology frequently focus on clinical samples, with limited research on the resilience profiles found across depressive symptom severity levels. The aim of the current study was to explore the differences in students’ resilience profiles across groups with different depressive symptomatology classifications. The methodology employed was quantitative in nature and a comparative group research design was utilised. The sample of this study comprised of students who participated in a previous study on depression, cognition, temperament, and resilience. Convenience sampling was used in the original study and a total of 135 participants completed assessment protocols. The assessment battery for this study consisted of the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the Predictive 6-Factor Resilience Scale (a measure of resilience from a neurobiological perspective) as well as the Short Raven’s Progressive Matrices. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was utilised for the data analysis. The findings indicated significant group differences in the tenacity and momentum domains as well as in overall resilience. The identified overlap between the neurological underpinnings of resilience as well as the psychosomatic symptoms of depression warrant an integrated approach to the study of depression and resilience. An integrated approach to fostering resilience is warranted within the context of universities, which have student support divisions that are under-resourced and overwhelmed with a higher demand for student mental health services.