Psychological Distress and Well-Being: A Cross-sectional Study of Adults in Asansol

Moumee Jesmin¹, & Shaurya Prakash²

¹ Development Practitioner, EHSAAS- Feel the Desire of Nature and Society, Mithani, Asansol, West Bengal,² Assistant Professor, Gopal Narayan Singh University, Jamuhar, Sasaram, Bihar & Research Scholar, Department of Social Work, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, West Bengal

Correspondence: Shaurya Prakash, e-mail id: sauryap75@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Background: A generic phrase used to describe unpleasant feelings or emotions that affect a person’s level of functioning is psychological distress. Health, pleasure, and affluence are perceived as indicators of well-being status. It entails having a positive outlook on life, feeling fulfilled in your work and relationships, and being able to handle stress. Aim: To examine the relationship between psychological distress and the Well-Being status of adults in Asansol, West Bengal. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study following quantitative research approach conducted in Asansol, West Bengal. The researchers adopted simple random sampling to reach the respondents. The data was collected using DASS and World Health Organization-Five WellBeing Index. Results and Conclusion: A more or less equal proportion of male and female respondents were found in the study sample. Only 13% of the adults were married, and the remaining 87% were unmarried. The findings of the study reveals that there is no significant age variation among the male and female adult respondents on the basis of age pattern. There is no gender difference on the basis of educational status among male and female respondents. If we look at the depression status, there is a significant gender variation that exists among the male and female respondents. On the basis of anxiety level, there is a slight variation between male and female respondents; females have more anxiety than male adult respondents. Stress levels differ significantly between male and female respondents, with females being more stressed than male adult respondents.

Keywords: Psychological distress, well-being, adult..

INTRODUCTION:

A generic phrase used to describe unpleasant feelings or emotions that affect a person’s level of functioning is psychological distress. Well-being status is experienced as health, happiness, and prosperity. It includes having good mental health, high life satisfaction, a sense of meaning and purpose, and the ability to manage stress. Various reasons have led to several changes in our day-to-day activities due to social distancing, lockdown, and other health hygiene practices, which are continuously influencing psychological distress and creating obstacles to well-being.

The primary objective of this study is to measure the psychological distress and public health measures associ ated with i t s containment, and to provide mental health intervention policies to cope with thi s challenge. The present study has taken up for study the two variables: psychological distress and well-being. The relationship between the two variables holds significance, especially in the population of adults. Young adults are in a stage where they might be suffering from unemployment, fear of job loss and peer group, academic changes, relationship conflicts, economic crisis, etc. So, it is also quite natural that they might go through some mental health crises and lack of well-being. Consequently, an effort has been undertaken to evaluate the level of psychological distress and well-being of adults. This will help to formulate appropriate intervention measures to reduce the problem.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Aim

The current study’s objective is to examine the relationship between psychological distress and the Well-Being status of adults in Asansol, West Bengal.

Objectives

To ascertain the relationship between demographic factors such as age and gender on psychological distress and well-being of adults.
To explore the relationship between psychological distress and well-being status of adults in some areas of Asansol, West Bengal.

Hypotheses

There wi ll be a strong inverse correlation between psychological distress and the well-being status of adults.
There won’t be much of a gender difference in psychological distress and well-being among adults.

Operational Definition

Adult: Unless prohibited by national law, someone older than 19 is considered an adult. (WHO) In the present study, we are taking adults between the age group of 20–35 years old.

Well-Being: A comprehensive state of wellbeing, not only the absence of disease or infirmity, which includes one’s physical, mental, and social aspects (WHO, 1948). Health is framed as a positive objective since “wellbeing” denotes a positive rather than neutral condition.

Psychological Distress: Psychological distress is a state of emotional suffering associated with depression, anxiety, and stress that is difficult to cope with in daily life.

Sample

Random sampling will be applied in this investigation. An individual who belongs to the age group of 20–40 years of age and lives in West Bengal will be taken. The researcher will reach and complete the psychological survey through Google Form. A total of 100 adults will be included for the present study.

Design of Research

In the present study, an attempt is made to find out the rel ationship between psychological distress and well-being of adults due to the global pandemic, thus following a correlational research design.

Tools

The following tools will be used for the research:

A Sheet of Demographic Information: A demographic information sheet will be used to collect various demographic information about the sample, including age, gender, education, qualification, and marital status. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS) (Lovibond& Lovibond et al., 2017): World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO Regional Office, Europe, 1998) WHO-5 is the 5-item Well-Being Index, the 4 2 Psychological Distress and Well-Being: A Cross-sectional Study of Adults in Asansol Indian Journal of Health Social Work. 4(1) January-June, 2022 most widely used questionnaire for assessing subjective psychological well-being. It consists of five statements, which respondents’ rate according to the scale in relation to the past two weeks.

Data analysis

The data was analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics 16. A descriptive analysis and Pearson’s correlation will be used to test the hypothesis.

RESULTS

On the basis of gender, a more or less equal proportion of male (51%) and female (49%) respondents were found in the study sample. If we look at the marital status of the respondents, then only 13% of the adults
were married and the remaining 87% were unmarried. All of the respondents are between the 12th and M levels of education. A maximum of three of them can be thirdyear grad or first-year master’s students. The average age of the adult respondents is 25; the minimum age is 18; and the maximum age of the adult respondents is 61. If we look at the age pattern of the adult respondents, we found that 45% and 48% of the respondents belong to the (18–24) and (25–30) age group respectively. The remaining 7% are more than 30 age group respondents.

From the result of the independent t test, we can say that age is strongly associated and varied with psychological distress and wellbeing of the adult respondents. The adult respondents’ educational status does not have a significant association or variation with psychological distress and wellbeing. The respondents’ depression status was also significantly associated and varied among the respondents. Anxiety levels do not show significant variation among the adult respondents. Stress levels also showed significant variation and association among
the adult respondents. If we see the WHO well-being status among the respondents, there is a strong association and variation among the respondents.

From the Pearson correlation table, we can say that age and education have a positive relationship (.122). With increasing age, educational status seems to improve among the adult respondents. There is a negative relationship between increasing age and the level of depression (-.095), anxiety (-.034), and stress (-.076) among adult respondents, implying that with increasing age comes a lower risk of depression, anxiety, and stress. The WHO wellbeing status (.003) seems to be improving with increasing age. That shows the positive relationship between age and wellbeing status for adult respondents. If we try to analyse the co-relation between educational status and psychological stress and well-being, it is found that with increasing educational status there is a lower prevalence of depression (-.174), anxiety (-.066) and stress (-.067) as all the variables have a negative relationship with educational level. The WHO wellbeing status (0.50) has a positive relationship with the educational level among adults. If we see the correlation between stress (.808) and anxiety (.724) with depression, it shows a strong positive relationship. That means with increasing stress and anxiety, the prevalence of depression also increases. There is a negative correlation between WHO well-being status (-0.424) and depression among the adult respondents. As a result, highly depressed people have less well-being in life. There is a strong positive co-relationship between anxiety and stress (.790) among the adult respondents. That means, with increasing stress, the level of anxiety also increases. Finally, there is a negative correlation between stress and the WHO well-being status (- 0.3244) of adult respondents. As a result, highly stressed people have less well-being in life.

From the statistical table, we can say that there is no significant age variation exists among the male (mean = 26) and female (mean = 25) adult respondents on the basis of age pattern. There is no gender difference on the basis of educational status among male (mean = 16) and female (mean = 16) respondents. If we look at the depression status, there is a significant gender variation that exists among the male (mean = 4.4) and female (mean = 6.1) respondents. On the basis of anxiety level, there is a slight variation between male (mean = 4.5) and female (mean = 4.7) respondents. The stress level shows a significant level of gender differences among male (mean = 5.4) and female (mean = 6.7) respondents. Gender differences also exist on the basis of the WHO well-being scale among male (mean = 4.7) and female (mean = 4.7) respondents.

DISCUSSION

A more or less equal proportion of male and female respondents was found in the study sample. Only 13% of the adults were married, and the remaining 87% were unmarried. The educational status of all the respondents ranges from 12th grade to M. A maximum of three of them can be third-year grad or firstyear master’s students. If we see the age pattern of the adult respondents, the average age of the adult respondents is 25, the minimum age is 18, and the maximum age of the adult respondents is 61.

Age is strongly associated and varies with the psychological distress and wellbeing of the adult respondents. With an increase in age, there is a variation in psychological distress and wellbeing status has been found among adults (Zautra AJ et. al. 2005). Depression status and stress were also significantly associated and varied among the respondents between different age groups (Roberts RE et al. 2010). The anxiety level does not show significant variation among the adult respondents, although different studies have found that significant variation among the adult respondents exists (Lahey et al. 2005). Age and education have a positive relationship. As people age, their educational status seems to improve among the adult respondents. There is a negative relationship between increasing age and the level of depression, anxiety, and stress among adult respondents. As a result, with increasing age, there is a lower chance of experiencing depression, anxiety, and stress among adult respondents (Keyes et al. 2005). The WHO’s wellbeing status seems to be improving with increasing age. That shows the positive relationship between age and wellbeing status among adult respondents (Andrews G et al. 2011). When we examine the relationship between educational attainment and psychological stress and well-being, we find that as educational attainment increases, the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress decreases, as all variables have a negative relationship with educational attainment (Smith TB et al. 2009). In adults, the WHO wellbeing status has a positive relationship with education level (Herrman H et al. 2001). If we see the co-relation between stress and anxiety with depression, it shows a strong positive relationship. That means, with increasing stress and anxiety, the prevalence of depression also increases (Freidli L et al. 2009). There is a negative correlation between WHO we ll-being status and depression among the adult respondents. As a result, highly depressed people have a lower quality of life (Diener E et al.2003). Anxiety and depression have a significant positive association among the adult respondents. That means, with increasing stress, the level of anxiety also increases (Diener E et al.1985). Finally, there is a negative correlation between stress and the WHO well-being status of adult respondents. As a result, highly stressed people have less well-being in life (Deci EL et al. 2008).

The result is that there is no significant age variation among the male and female adult respondents on the basis of age pattern. There is no gender difference on the basis of educational status among male and female respondents. If we look at the depression status, there is a significant gender variation that exists among the male and female respondents. On the basis of anxiety level, there is a slight variation between male and female respondents; females have more anxiety than male adult respondents (Dear K et al. 2002). Stress levels differ significantly between male and female respondents, with females being more stressed than male adult respondents (Cohen S et al. 2007). Gender differences also exist on the basis of the WHO well-being scale among male and female respondents. Male respondents have a higher well-being status than female adult respondents (Boehm JK et al. 2011).

CONCLUSION

This research pap er deals with the psychological distress and well-being among adults in Asansol. From the study, it is clear that age, education, and marital status show significant correlation and association with psychological distress and wellbeing among adults. There is a certain level of gender differentiation on the basis of depression, anxiety, and stress among male and female adults. Women are more likely to experience despair, anxiety and stress than male adults. There is not so much government planning and policies on mental health issues among adults. Our study emphasises the need to pay attention to the effects of such lockdowns on the mental wellbeing of adults.

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Conflict of interest: None
Role of funding source: None

ISSN: 2582-1393 (Online)

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Psychological Distress and Well-Being: A Cross-sectional Study of Adults in Asansol

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