A Study on the Factors Contributing to Depression Among Students in Higher Education: A Case of DMI St. Eugene University, Zambia

Int. Jr. of Contemp. Res. in Multi. PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL Volume 4 Issue 6 [NovDec] Year 2025 349 © 2025 Clement Masina, Franck Iradukunda, Mulubwa Mukuka. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY NC ND).https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Research Article A Study on the Factors Contributing to Depression Among Students in Higher Education: A Case of DMI St. Eugene University, Zambia Clement Masina 1*, Franck Iradukunda 2, Mulubwa Mukuka 3 1 Lecturer, Department of Social Work, DMI-St.Eugene University, Chibombo, Zambia 2,3 Lecturer Department of Computer Science, DMI-St. Eugene University, Chibombo, Zambia Corresponding Author: *Clement Masina DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17896921 Abstract Manuscript Information BACKGROUND: One of the most common and crippling disorders among university students is depression, which has made mental health issues within this population a global concern. Numerous studies demonstrate that depression symptoms are common among students around the world and are frequently linked to stressors in the personal, social, academic, and economic spheres. Creating successful interventions requires an understanding of the local context, such as that at DMI St. Eugene. A study among health professions students at the University of Zambia during the COVID-19 pandemic found that 86% of participants experienced depression. Significant associated factors included disruptions to income, chronic health conditions, and loss of friends or relatives to COVID-19. Alawieh, S. W., Akoury, S., Azar, J., & Obeid, S. (2024). Financial stress emerges constantly in the literature as a strong contributor to depression and related psychological distress. METHODS: The study was commissioned in the month April 2025 to August 2025. The primary data was collected from 240 students using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The structured questionnaire and semi-structured interview techniques were used for the collection of the data. The data analysis was done using SPSS 17.0. RESULTS: The study highlights several key factors that contribute to depression among students in higher education, particularly at DMI St. Eugene University. Academic pressure, including high workloads and academic competition, is a major risk factor, with significant psychological stress resulting from the demands of university life. Financial challenges, mainly tuition fees and the need to work while studying, also contribute to students' mental health challenges, worsening feelings of anxiety and depression. Finally, individual factors such as low self-esteem and certain personality traits, combined with environmental stressors, are shown to significantly increase the risk of depression. ▪ ISSN No: 2583-7397 ▪ Received: 15-10-2025 ▪ Accepted: 28-11-2025 ▪ Published: 11-12-2025 ▪ IJCRM:4(6); 2025: 349-352 ▪ ©2025, All Rights Reserved ▪ Plagiarism Checked: Yes ▪ Peer Review Process: Yes How to Cite this Article Masina C, Iradukunda F, Mukuka M. A study on the factors contributing to depression among students in higher education: a case of DMI St. Eugene University, Zambia. Int J Contemp Res Multidiscip. 2025;4(6):349-352. Access this Article Online www.multiarticlesjournal.com KEYWORDS: Depression, factors, students, higher education, university Int. Jr. of Contemp. Res. in Multi. PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL Volume 4 Issue 6 [NovDec] Year 2025 350 © 2025 Clement Masina, Franck Iradukunda, Mulubwa Mukuka. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY NC ND).https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 1. INTRODUCTION Among the most urgent mental health issues facing youth globally, depression has become especially prevalent among college students. Compared to the general population, university and college students are more likely to have depression symptoms because of the particular demands they frequently confront. Academic obligations, financial difficulties, social expectations, interpersonal issues, and acclimatisation to new surroundings are some of these pressures. Depression can have a serious negative impact on a student's academic performance, relationships with others, and general well-being if it is not treated. Severe consequences, including academic withdrawal or suicidal thoughts, can occasionally result. University students testify that financial hardship significantly harmed their mental well-being, affecting stress, sleep quality, and general psychological distress. Banda, C., Mulenga, D., & Sampa, M. (2023). The same pattern is reflected in African studies: a meta-analysis of perceived stress among African university students (2025) estimated a pooled prevalence of ~64.7 %, with financial difficulties and sleep problems among the leading associated factors. Chen, Y., Wang, J., & Liu, H. (2024) Academic stress also plays a key role. Cross-sectional studies during the COVID-19 pandemic showed strong associations between academic stress, poor sleep quality, strained interpersonal relationships, and depression amongst college students. Haileselassie, H., Gebremariam, T., & Wubneh, M. (2025). Similarly, in Zambia, the psychological impact among students was not only enormous in terms of sheer prevalence but also linked strongly with modifiable contextual factors, such as income loss or difficulty adhering to preventive measures, which exacerbated emotional outcomes. Kaggwa, M. M., Muwanguzi, M., Nduhuura, E., & Bongomin, F. (2020). Other research in Uganda, Tanzania, and other sub‐Saharan settings has identified additional contributory elements: family issues, living arrangements, social support or its lack, distant relationships, orphanhood, chronic illness, and substance use. Though some of these factors are more prominent in adolescent populations or secondary schools, they suggest insight into broader socio-cultural and economic stressors that may also apply in the university context. In Zambia specifically, nursing students at Levy Mwanawasa Medical University were found to have elevated levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, demonstrating that even among health-oriented diploma students who might be expected to have greater awareness of mental health, these issues persist. Phiri, M., & Mulenga, J. (2024). Depression among students in higher learning establishments is not unique to Zambia; it is a rising global challenge. Research conducted across different regions constantly indicates that university students are at an elevated risk of developing depression due to a combination of academic, financial, social, and personal pressures. Globally, the occurrence of depression among students ranges widely but often falls between 20% and 40%, depending on the context and assessment tools used (WHO, 2022). In Asia, studies have revealed that academic stress is a major contributor to depression. A 2023 study conducted in India exposed that nearly 34% of undergraduate students stated moderate to severe depressive symptoms, largely due to academic load, peer pressure, and uncertainty about future career prospects (Singh & Kaur, 2023). Financial stress is still a major contributing cause to depression in Western nations. According to a cross-sectional study conducted in the United States, students from low-income families reported greater levels of depression, frequently as a result of their inability to balance their academic performance, part-time jobs, and tuition fees (Eisenberg et al., 2023). Similar results were found in the UK, where financially insecure university students had a threefold higher risk of developing depression compared to their peers who had steady financial support (Richardson et al., 2022). These findings demonstrate how socioeconomic inequality and student mental health are intertwined. Similar patterns can be seen in the Middle East. According to a Saudi Arabian study, 38% of college students experienced depressive symptoms, with younger and female students being disproportionately impacted (Alahmadi et al., 2023). The study ascribed this to the stigma associated with mental illness in society, academic competition, and a lack of adequate mental health treatments. Financial difficulty has also been demonstrated to seriously impair students' mental health in Lebanon, where it has been linked to depression and other psychological illnesses (Alawieh et al., 2024). In Africa outside Zambia, the problem is likewise serious. A study in Ethiopia estimated that nearly 30% of university students experienced depressive symptoms, with risk factors including poor social support, substance use, and family problems (Mekonnen et al., 2022). In Nigeria, prevalence rates were reported at 36%, with strong links to academic pressure and inadequate coping mechanisms (Olawale et al., 2023). 2. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY This study was guided by the following objectives. • To find out how academic pressure influences depression among students at DMI St. Eugene University • To assess the effects of financial challenges on the prevalence of depression among students • To identify the role of social support systems, including family, peers, and institutional support, in influencing student depression • To investigate personal and environmental factors that contribute to the risk of depression among students 3. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study was conducted from the month of April 2025 to August 2025 at DMI-St. Eugene University in Chibombo, Zambia. A descriptive approach was suitable because it allowed the researcher to systematically collect information on the state Int. Jr. of Contemp. Res. in Multi. PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL Volume 4 Issue 6 [NovDec] Year 2025 351 © 2025 Clement Masina, Franck Iradukunda, Mulubwa Mukuka. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY NC ND).https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ of depression among students and the factors that contributed to it (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The study utilised a stratified random sampling technique to ensure representation of students from different schools at DMI St. Eugene University. The student population was first divided into strata based on faculties, and that was the School of Social Work, the School of Health Sciences, the School of Business Studies and the School of Computer Science at the undergraduate level. From each of the above-mentioned strata, participants were randomly selected proportionately to the size of the group, which minimised sampling bias and enhanced representativeness. For the qualitative part, purposive sampling was used to select key informants such as university counsellors and faculty representatives. At the time of the study, the university had an estimated 600 regular students, and a total of 240 students were selected as the sample for the study with the help of Yaman's formula of sample selection. The data collected in this study were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative procedures in order to address the research objectives comprehensively. For the quantitative data, the responses from the questionnaires were coded and entered into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 for analysis. 4. RESULTS The results show that academic pressure greatly contributes to student depression. When it came to academic workload, the data show that the greatest number of respondents 37% rated their academic load as high, indicating the extent of the academic demands upon them. Academic competition was similarly categorised as a major risk factor for depression, with 89 respondents rating it as high risk for inducing depression (37% of the sample). Further, the results showed that financial stressors are a large contributor to the prevalence of depression within the student population. Of the many financial stressors, tuition fees were the most commonly referenced, with 89 respondents (37%) saying they represent a primary financial stressor. In addition, about working to make money while studying, 140 respondents (58%) indicated that working is negatively impacting their mental health. Additionally, results emphasise the role of social support systems in addressing students’ depression. A notable percentage, 89 (37%), in response to the question of the importance of social support, indicated it was very important in their coping efforts. At large, participants reported family support as the most substantial source of support, as 75% of respondents stated family support was adequate. Finally, the study results show that both individual and environmental factors are greatly associated with increasing the risk of depression in students. Regarding individual factors, the largest group of students (38%) identified low self-esteem as the primary individual factor associated with depression. Furthermore, (28%) of the students strongly agreed that certain personality traits, such as introversion and perfectionism, would contribute to the likelihood of depressive symptoms. 5. CONCLUSIONS The study underscores several key factors that contribute to depression among students in higher education, particularly at DMI St. Eugene University. Academic pressure, including high workloads and academic competition, is a major risk factor, with significant psychological stress resulting from the demands of university life. Financial challenges, mainly tuition fees and the need to work while studying, also contribute to students' mental health challenges, worsening feelings of anxiety and depression. The findings further highlight the role of social support systems, with family, peers, and institutional resources providing essential coping mechanisms for students. Additionally, individual factors such as low self-esteem and certain personality traits, combined with environmental stressors, are shown to significantly increase the risk of depression. The findings align with global research, suggesting that a multifaceted approach that addresses academic, financial, and personal factors, along with strengthening social support systems, is necessary to mitigate the prevalence of depression among students in higher education. REFERENCE 1. Alawieh SW, Akoury S, Azar J, Obeid S. The impact of financial hardship on mental well-being among Lebanese university students: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health. 2024;24:1576. doi:10.1186/s12889-024-19312-0. 2. Banda C, Mulenga D, Sampa M. The psychological impact of COVID-19 among health professions students at the University of Zambia. Front Public Health. 2023;11:1115674. 3. Chen Y, Wang J, Liu H. Association between academic stress, sleep quality, interpersonal relationships, and depression among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Psychiatry. 2024;24:5506. doi:10.1186/s12888-024-05506-8. 4. Haileselassie H, Gebremariam T, Wubneh M. Prevalence of perceived stress and associated factors among university students in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health. 2025;25:23533. doi:10.1186/s12889025-23533-2. 5. Kaggwa MM, Muwanguzi M, Nduhuura E, Bongomin F. Prevalence and factors associated with depression among Ugandan university students: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatry. 2020;20:446. doi:10.1186/s12888-020-2448-1. Int. Jr. of Contemp. Res. in Multi. PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL Volume 4 Issue 6 [NovDec] Year 2025 352 © 2025 Clement Masina, Franck Iradukunda, Mulubwa Mukuka. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY NC ND).https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 6. Phiri M, Mulenga J. Stress, anxiety and depression levels among nursing students at Levy Mwanawasa Medical University, Zambia. East Afr Scholars J Med. 2024;7(3):99–106. Creative Commons (CC) License This article is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. About the corresponding author Clement Masina is a Lecturer in the Department of Social Work at DMI–St. Eugene University, Chibombo, Zambia. His academic interests focus on mental health, student well-being, community development, and social policy, with a strong commitment to research, teaching, and community-based interventions.