Janet Fernandes and Vijay Viegas
St. Xavier’s College, Mapusa, Goa
Pages: 178-186
Aim: The purpose of our study was to investigate the relationship between generalized
anxiety, depression, and stress; and to examine the incidence of generalized anxiety,
depression, and stress with regard to a person’s sex. Method: To recruit participants for
the research, the snowball sampling method was used (N=171). The data for the study
was gathered using google forms (since personal contact was not possible due to the
lockdown) and through field visits (whenever possible) after briefing the participants
about the study and obtaining informed consent for participation. For inclusion in the
current study, the minimum age was 18 years. Generalised anxiety was assessed using
the GAD-7 by Spitzer et al., depression was assessed using the PHQ-9 by Kroenke,
Spitzer, and Williams, and stress was assessed using the stress sub-scale from DASS-21
by Lovibond and Lovibond. Results: Karl Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation was
used to assess the relationship between generalised anxiety, depression, and stress.
Our results indicate a negative correlation between generalised anxiety and depression;
positive correlation between stress and depression; and also stress and generalised
anxiety. The results of the chi-square test do not reveal higher incidence of generalised
anxiety, depression and stress among the females as compared to males.
Keywords: Generalised Anxiety, Depression, Stress, Covid-19