Research Protocol

Study Title

Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, and Perceived Stress Among University Students in India: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Digital Survey.

Objective

To assess the point prevalence and severity distribution of depressive symptoms, generalized anxiety, and perceived stress in a multi-institutional sample of Indian college students using validated self-report measures, and to examine associations with institutional, demographic, academic, and lifestyle factors.

Research Questions

• What is the prevalence of significant depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) across institutions and states?
• What is the prevalence of significant anxiety symptoms (GAD-7 ≥ 10) in the sample?
• What is the distribution of perceived stress levels (PSS-10) and how do they correlate with depression and anxiety scores?
• Are there significant variations by degree type, year of study, accommodation type, or city tier?
• Do lifestyle factors (sleep, screen time, study hours) predict mental health outcomes?

Instruments Used

• PHQ-9 — Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (Kroenke et al., 2001). Depression severity 0–27. Cut-off ≥ 10.
• GAD-7 — Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (Spitzer et al., 2006). Anxiety severity 0–21. Cut-off ≥ 10.
• PSS-10 — Perceived Stress Scale-10 (Cohen et al., 1983). Perceived stress 0–40. Items 4, 5, 7, 8 reverse-scored.

Sample Strategy

Target Population: Students aged 18+ enrolled in Indian higher education institutions. Sampling Method: Non-probability convenience sampling via institutional nodal ambassadors and digital outreach. Sample Size Target: N = 5,000 (Initial Phase). Minimum n = 300 per state. Exclusion Criteria: Responses under 3 minutes (speeding); participants under 18.

Ethical Compliance

This study will be reviewed by an Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC). All participation is voluntary and anonymous. No personally identifiable information is collected. The study aligns with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023. A crisis referral protocol is embedded for participants endorsing self-harm-related items.

Data Analysis Plan

Descriptive statistics summarize demographics and scores. Chi-square tests compare prevalence across regions. Pearson/Spearman correlations examine PHQ-9, GAD-7, and PSS-10 relationships. Multivariable linear regression explores lifestyle predictors. Incomplete responses and those under 180 seconds are excluded. Anonymized data will be deposited on the Open Science Framework (OSF) upon publication.