Predicting depressive symptoms among Polish university students through sociodemographic and lifestyle factors

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms among Polish students and to identify the factors associated with them, including sociodemographic data, lifestyle, social factors, and screen time. The study was conducted in 2018 in Poland. Data were collected from 1,008 students. The survey utilised the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-I), the Health Behaviour Inventory by Juczyński, the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, and a custom questionnaire on extracurricular activities, screen time, and sociodemographic factors. A total of 28.57% of participants exhibited symptoms of at least mild depression. Women scored higher on the BDI-I than men. Students of medical/health sciences and social sciences/humanities showed higher levels of depressive symptoms compared to students of technical studies. Higher scores were also observed among students who were employed, while activities such as volunteering, providing regular care for a family member and participation in a student organisation were associated with lower BDI-I scores. In a stepwise regression analysis, we obtained a final prediction model that explained almost 30% of the variance in the BDI scores. Significant predictors of depression were: higher loneliness, lower positive mental attitude, younger age and lower year of studies, female gender, more weekend study/work screen time, and greater focus on healthy eating habits. Providing care for relatives and engaging in student organisations functioned as protective factors, predicting lower levels of depressive symptoms. Our findings indicate that depressive symptoms are alarmingly prevalent among Polish students. They are particularly linked to loneliness and a lower positive mental attitude, with female and younger students being at higher risk. Moreover, using the Internet at weekends for study/work purposes appears to play an important role. Finally, the results suggest that engaging in additional activities that provide meaning and purpose may act as protective factors.