Mental Health Status and Coping Among Students in Different Professional Courses

Abstract

Mental health is the level of psychological well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. Stress, anxiety and depression are prominent features which are related to coping strategy used by an individual. Student of professional courses faces different situations like difficult academic demands, high expectation of family and the coping with the new environment. All these factors may be stressful to the students and may lead to anxiety, depressive episodes and burn out. Some students may have poor coping strategy which may lead to substance abuse, behavioral disturbances and even suicidal attempt. In this context aim of the present study is to find out mental health status, stress and coping among students in different professional courses. Methodology: 100 students (25 each of MBBS, BTECH, MBA and BA LLB) were selected from Jaipur and divided into four groups. They were assessed on the General Health questionnaire- 12 (GHQ), Depression Anxiety and Stress scale (DASS), and Coping strategy Inventory. Findings suggested that depression level was higher in MBA students and stress level was higher in BALLB students. MBA student were higher on Emotion Focused Engagement and Disengagement Coping Strategy.