Is Academics Really Spreading Depression? A Study on the Pervasiveness of Depression Among University Students

Depression is one of the most serious conditions that negatively affect a person's day-to-day functioning; hence, it may affect students' behaviour, emotions, and thoughts. Keeping this in view, this study was designed to find out the pervasiveness of depression among university students. This descriptive study used a cross-sectional survey including two universities, i.e. Mirpur University of Sciences and Technology (MUST), Mirpur AJ&K and the University of Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (UoKAJK). The population of the study consisted of 2,920 students (1,660 from MUST and 1,260 from UoKAJK). The researchers used a stratified random sampling technique for the selection of a sample of 600 students (341 from MUST and 259 from UoKAJK). The research used the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) as a research instrument in the current study. The study used frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and independent sample t tests for analysing the data. The findings of the study showed 67 (11.2%) participants exhibited normal levels of depression, 87 (14.5%) participants experienced mild mood disturbance, 133 (22.2%) participants showed borderline clinical depression, 298 (49.7%) participants had moderate depression, and 21 (3.5%) participants suffered from severe depression. The study recommends that educational administrators organise supportive mental health programs focused on prevention and early intervention, especially for those in the moderate depression range. This support may include counselling services, stress management workshops, and peer support groups, which may help students develop resilience and coping strategies.