University Anxiety, Depression and Stress in Pandemic Times

Fear and uncertainty, related to emergency health measures such as confinement by Covid-19, has generated anxiety, depression and stress. In this context, the objective of this work has been to establish the correlation between the three variables. The type of study was carried out under a quantitative approach, basic type, descriptive level, with a non-experimental cross-sectional-correlational design. The DASS-21 scale (Lovibond and Lovibond, 1995) was used to measure the variables indicated. The sample comprised a total of 440 students of Human Medicine from the first to the fifth cycle; it was composed of 173 females (39.3%) and 267 males (60.7%). The selection was made under non-probabilistic convenience sampling. The descriptive statistical findings revealed the difference in the students: males presented higher levels in the variables measured: anxiety in 58.2%; depression, 56.4% and stress, 34.8%. In the hypothesis test, the correlation between the anxiety variable and the depression variable obtained a result of Spearman's Rho = 0.804**, which is interpreted as a high positive relationship between the variables. As for the correlation between the anxiety variable and the stress variable, a Spearman's Rho = 0.893 was obtained, which is interpreted as high correlation between the variables.