Premium
A new US–UK diagnostic project: mood elevation and depression in first‐year undergraduates at Oxford and Stanford universities
Author(s) -
Chandler R. A.,
Wang P. W.,
Ketter T. A.,
Goodwin G. M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2008.01193.x
Subject(s) - depression (economics) , mood , distress , psychiatry , psychological distress , depressed mood , mood disorders , mental health , primary care , psychology , medicine , clinical psychology , family medicine , anxiety , macroeconomics , economics
Objective: To investigate differences in prevalence of mood elevation, distress and depression among first‐year undergraduates at Oxford and Stanford universities. Method: An online survey was sent to Oxford and Stanford first‐year undergraduate students for two consecutive years in the winter of 2005 and 2006. Students completed a survey that assessed mood symptoms and medication use. Results: Both universities had similar rates of distress by General Health Questionnaire (Oxford – 42.4%; Stanford – 38.3%), depression by Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (Oxford – 6.2%; Stanford – 6.6%), and psychotropic and non‐psychotropic medication usage (psychotropic: Oxford – 1.5%; Stanford 3.5%; non‐psychotropic: Oxford – 13.3%; Stanford – 18%). Oxford had higher rates of mood elevation by Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) (Oxford – 4%; Stanford – 1.7%). Conclusion: Oxford and Stanford students have similar rates of mood distress, depression and general medication usage. Students at Oxford have a higher prevalence of MDQ scores that possibly indicate a bipolar disorder, while Stanford students are prescribed more psychotropics.