Traditional Chinese Medicine Body Constitutions and Psychological Determinants of Depression among University Students in Malaysia: A Pilot Study

Sin Yee Yap, Chai Nien Foo, Yang Mooi Lim, Foong Leng Ng, Sherina Mohd-Sidik, Pek Yee Tang, Jagjit Kaur Najar Singh and Kai-Shuen Pheh
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Sin Yee Yap: Centre for Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, PT21144, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia
Chai Nien Foo: Centre for Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, PT21144, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia
Yang Mooi Lim: Centre for Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, PT21144, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia
Foong Leng Ng: Centre for Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, PT21144, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia
Sherina Mohd-Sidik: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Seri Kembangan 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Pek Yee Tang: Department of Mechatronics and Biomedical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Lot PT21144, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia
Jagjit Kaur Najar Singh: Centre for Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, PT21144, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia
Kai-Shuen Pheh: Department of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Barat, Kampar 31900, Perak, Malaysia

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: Depression is commonly observed in university students, who are a high risk group for developing psychiatric disorders during adulthood. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression and its traditional Chinese medicine body constitutions and psychological determinants among university students in Malaysia. A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted between 9 and 28 September 2020 among 80 university students in Malaysia. Participants completed online survey questionnaires, including the validated Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CMCQ), Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) stress subscale, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), which assess depression, body constitution, dysfunctional attitude, stress, perceived stress, and self-esteem. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to determine the associated risk factors for depression. The overall prevalence of depression among university students was 33.8%. The multiple regression analysis showed a significant relationship between depression and qi-stagnation constitution (B = 0.089, p = 0.011), balanced constitution (B = ?0.077, p = 0.049), and self-esteem (B = ?0.325, p = 0.001). Our findings suggest that some traditional Chinese medicine body constitutions and self-esteem are significant risk factors affecting depression among university students. Identifying risk factors of depression is vital to aid in the early detection of depression among university students.

Keywords: depression; traditional Chinese medicine; body constitution; psychological factors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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