Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2025

A New Method for Inducing a Depression-Like Behavior in Rats
Published on: February 22, 2018
Depression, Perceived Risk of COVID-19, Loneliness, and Perceived Social Support from Friends Among University
Anna Bokszczanin1, Marek Palace2, William Brown3
1Institute of Psychology, University of Opole, Opole, Poland.
Background:
The study examines the prevalence of depression among university students in Poland, the UK and India in the face of the second pandemic wave of COVID-19. The paper also examines the protective role of perceived social support, the hypothesis being that social support from friends would reduce depression.
Methods:
The data from university students (N=732) in Poland (N=335), UK (N= 198), and India (N=199) were collected online during of the fall/winter 2021. Participants completed measures of depression (CES-D), COVID-19 risk perception index, loneliness (DJGLS), and perceived social support (MSPSS).
Results:
Almost 52% of all participants (58.5% in Poland, 62.6% in the UK, and 29.1% in India) met the criteria for major depression. The higher levels of depression symptoms were associated with a higher perceived risk of COVID-19, greater loneliness, female gender, younger students' age, and the lower levels of perceived social support. The greater family support predicted lower levels of depression symptoms in the Polish and Indian samples. Structural equation analyses (SEM) revealed the indirect effect of perceived social support from friends on the association between social loneliness and depression and between age and depression. This result shows that the support from friends significantly reduced depression, regardless of age, the level of social loneliness, and the perceived risk of COVID-19.
Conclusion:
Our conclusions link to university specialists' enhancement of psychological help for students with depression. We also recommend information campaigns on depression and treatment options.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques V
Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Relationship Formation
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia

