Personality Traits, Coping Styles and Sociodemographic Variables as Risk Factors for Mental Health Problems in Emerging Adults

Data on mental health in emerging adulthood have been increasingly concerning, with high prevalence rates of clinical conditions such as anxiety, stress, and depression. This study aims to evaluate the risk factors associated with mental health status and to develop a predictive model. 242 university students were recruited (74.8% women). Ages ranged from 18 to 56 years (M = 25.81; SD = 7.59). Data collection was conducted through the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10), and the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (COPE-28). Normal scores were observed for stress and depression, whereas the most frequent score for anxiety was categorized as "extremely severe." Additionally, being female, living with family or roommates and scoring high on passive coping styles were significant risk factors for mental health deterioration. While, being male, living with a romantic partner, and scoring high on the ‘Responsibility’ personality trait were identified as protective factors against mental health impairment. Further research is needed to explore additional mediating variables and to develop specific intervention protocols for improving university students' psychological well-being.