Authors:

Maheen Qazi Raima Rai

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About Paper:

Mental health concerns, including eating disorders, have increased among college students; however, the Asian American student population remains understudied due to cultural stigma, racism, and limited representation in research. This study examined the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and eating disorders among Asian American college students in the United States. A total of 145 students participated in a Qualtrics survey using validated screening tools (PHQ-2 for depression, GAD-7 for anxiety, and EAT-26 for disordered eating), with 111 completing the survey, yielding a 77% response rate. Half of the participants identified as Asian, and 63% were female. The mean age was 21 years. Health and medical science undergraduates comprised the largest participant group (43%). EAT-26 results indicated that 9% of participants met criteria for referral to a mental health professional for eating disorders. Numerous participants reported disordered eating behaviors, such as binge eating (22%) and the use of laxatives or diet pills (8%) and overexercise (30%) for weight control. Twenty-two percent of participants exhibited signs of depression, and 64% met criteria for referral for anxiety disorder. Chi-square analyses were conducted to assess whether Asian American students were more likely to experience disordered eating, depression, and anxiety. No statistically significant differences were found for disordered eating, X°(1, N = 85) = 1.30, p = .25, and anxiety, X°(1, N = 95) = 0.05, p = .82, but depression was significantly associated with Asian American participants, X*(1, N = 97) = 5.46, p = .02. These findings suggest that college students in this sample experience substantial mental health concerns, with Asian American students particularly affected by depression. The study highlights the need for culturally informed mental health interventions and increased research attention to this underserved population. Additional details regarding disordered eating, depression, and anxiety data will be presented in the poster presentation.

Source:

DePaul University

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Co-authors:

Maheen Qazi Raima Rai