psychosocial predictors

Background: Body image dissatisfaction (BID) is an emerging public health concern among college students due to its association with depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Sociocultural pressures during the transition to adulthood increase vulnerability. Evidence from Western Gujarat remains limited. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of BID and identify its sociodemographic and psychological predictors among undergraduate students in Western Gujarat. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 297 undergraduate students (18–24 years) from a medical college in Western Gujarat. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, including MBSRQ-AS, BDI-II, HAM-A, and RSES. BMI was calculated using standard anthropometric measurements. Data were analyzed using SPSS v25 with chi-square tests, independent t-tests, and binary logistic regression. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The prevalence of BID was 58.2%. Females reported significantly higher dissatisfaction than males (66.1% vs. 48.5%, p < 0.001). Higher BID was observed among overweight/obese students (75.4%) and underweight students (66.7%). Multivariate analysis identified female gender (AOR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.13-3.37), overweight/obesity (AOR = 3.59, 95% CI: 1.85-6.97), higher depression scores (AOR = 1.05 per unit), and lower self-esteem (AOR = 0.89 per unit) as independent predictors (Nagelkerke R² = 0.398). Conclusion: BID is highly prevalent among undergraduate students in Western Gujarat, particularly among females and those with higher BMI, depression, and low self-esteem. Targeted campus-based interventions promoting body positivity, self-esteem, and mental well-being are warranted.

Despite growing concerns about mental health difficulties among children and youth, limited empirical evidence exists on the extent to which adverse childhood experiences and resilience predict mental health difficulties among school-going children and youth in rural communities. This research explored the prevalence and psychosocial predictors of mental health difficulties among children and youth. The study adopted a correlational and descriptive research design. Respondents consisted of 837 children and youth, who were selected from Johannesburg West Education District. They were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE-Q), and the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM) as data-collection instruments. Frequencies and percentages, regression analysis, and moderation analysis were conducted using Hayes' PROCESS Macro. Findings revealed that about 44.4%, 18.3%, and 37.3% of the participants were within the normal, borderline, and abnormal ranges of mental health well-being, respectively. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) significantly predicted mental health difficulties (β = .238, t = 7.071, p < .001), contributing about 5.6% of the variation in mental health difficulties among youth and children. Resilience is also a significant predictor (β = −.121, t = −3.524, p < .001), accounting for about 1.5% of the variation in mental health problems; higher resilience was associated with lower levels of mental health difficulties. Moderation analyses showed that age and gender did not significantly moderate the relationships between ACEs, resilience, and mental health difficulties. The study concludes that ACEs constitute a significant risk factor, whereas resilience serves as a protective factor. The findings highlight the need for trauma-informed interventions, resilience-building programmes, and comprehensive mental health support services to promote positive mental health outcomes among children and youth.