Abstract

GALVAO, Ana et al. Happiness as a catalyst for anxiety, depression and stress levels in higher education. Revista Portuguesa de Enfermagem de Saúde Mental [online]. 2020, n.spe7, pp.31-36. ISSN 1647-2160.  https://doi.org/10.19131/rpesm.0244.

BACKGROUND: Happiness as a measure of well-being has been gaining importance in the last decade. However, the modern world imposes more and more demands on individuals, promoting high levels of anxiety, depression and stress, which in turn can negatively influence happiness. AIM: To identify the levels of happiness, anxiety, depression and stress of teachers, non-teaching staff and students of higher education; to identify relationships between happiness and anxiety, depression and stress. METHODS: Cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational and inferential study. Sample of 732 individuals from polytechnic institutes: 189 teachers; 121 non-teaching staff; and 422 students. An online questionnaire was used, with socio-professional questions, one part with the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, and the third with the Anxiety, Depression and Stress Scale. RESULTS: It was verified that the students are those with lower levels of happiness and higher levels of Anxiety, Depression and Stress. The group with the highest levels of happiness is the group of teachers (M = 4.26, SD = .663), as well as in terms of Anxiety (M = 2.56, SD = 3.022), Depression (M = 3.32, SD = Stress (M = 5.94, SD = 4.109). There were statistically significant differences for happiness among several of the groups and low to moderate negative correlations between the level of happiness and the dimensions of mental health under study. CONCLUSIONS: There was a relationship between levels of anxiety, depression and stress and the level of happiness. We propose that this study should be deepened to identify the possible causes that cause the low level of happiness and the high levels of anxiety, depression and stress of the students.

Keywords : Happiness; Anxiety; Depression; Psychological stress.

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