Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Among Spanish University Professors: Associations With Lifestyle Habits and Physical and Mental Health Indicators.
Professors play a crucial role in the educational process, making their well-being a key area of interest in research on universities as health-promoting settings. The scientific literature emphasizes that various contextual, personal, and behavioral factors have a direct impact on faculty health. To estimate the prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression among Spanish university professors, and to examine their associations with lifestyle habits and indicators of physical and mental health.
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1560 participants (mean age 47.39 ± 11.29 years) from thirteen universities that are part of the Spanish Network of Health-Promoting Universities. The variables assessed included stress, anxiety, depression, burnout, health-related quality of life, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, dietary patterns, sleep quality, and vocal fatigue.
Regression analyses revealed that, across all three outcomes, lower mental well-being, greater emotional exhaustion, and more frequent sleep disturbances were significant predictors of psychological distress. For stress and anxiety, being female and younger also emerged as significant demographic predictors. Stress was additionally associated with increased emotional eating and reduced vocal recovery, whereas anxiety was linked to greater physical vocal discomfort. Depression was predicted exclusively by lower mental well-being, higher emotional exhaustion, and more sleep problems.
The psychological health of university faculty is influenced by a complex interplay of well-being, occupational, and lifestyle factors. Interventions aimed at enhancing emotional regulation, promoting sleep hygiene, ensuring balanced workloads, and providing psychosocial support, along with institutional measures that address early-career vulnerabilities and gender disparities, may help mitigate stress, anxiety, and depression among university professors.
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1560 participants (mean age 47.39 ± 11.29 years) from thirteen universities that are part of the Spanish Network of Health-Promoting Universities. The variables assessed included stress, anxiety, depression, burnout, health-related quality of life, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, dietary patterns, sleep quality, and vocal fatigue.
Regression analyses revealed that, across all three outcomes, lower mental well-being, greater emotional exhaustion, and more frequent sleep disturbances were significant predictors of psychological distress. For stress and anxiety, being female and younger also emerged as significant demographic predictors. Stress was additionally associated with increased emotional eating and reduced vocal recovery, whereas anxiety was linked to greater physical vocal discomfort. Depression was predicted exclusively by lower mental well-being, higher emotional exhaustion, and more sleep problems.
The psychological health of university faculty is influenced by a complex interplay of well-being, occupational, and lifestyle factors. Interventions aimed at enhancing emotional regulation, promoting sleep hygiene, ensuring balanced workloads, and providing psychosocial support, along with institutional measures that address early-career vulnerabilities and gender disparities, may help mitigate stress, anxiety, and depression among university professors.
Authors
Colado Tello Colado Tello, Gargallo Ibort Gargallo Ibort, Dalmau Torres Dalmau Torres, Jiménez Boraita Jiménez Boraita
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