Assessing mental health challenges: a focus on UiTM accounting students

This study aims to assess the mental health challenges faced by undergraduate accounting students at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Perak Branch with a focus on gender differences. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 110 students to explore the prevalence and types of mental health issues, including stress, anxiety, and depression. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to assess students’ levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Findings revealed that 5.4% (n = 6), 10.9% (n = 12), and 9.9% (n = 11) of male students experienced moderate to extremely severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. Conversely, among female students, 22.7% (n = 25), 43.6% (n = 48), and 36.4% (n = 40) reported moderate to extremely severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. These outcomes offer valuable insights into university students' perceptions of mental health challenges in Malaysia.