Relación de estrés, ansiedad y depresión en adolescentes que estudian en la Unidad Educativa Francisco Febres Cordero de octavo a tercero de bachillerato.

Abstract

Stress, anxiety, and depression constitute a core of emotional distress that tends to intensify during adolescence, a period characterized by biopsychosocial changes and increasing academic demands. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as to identify differences according to sex, in adolescents attending the Francisco Febres Cordero Educational Unit in Cuenca, Ecuador. A non-experimental, cross-sectional field study was conducted with a quantitative approach and a descriptive–correlational scope. The sample consisted of 121 students, aged 11 to 18 years, selected through non-probability convenience sampling: 50 males and 71 females, from the eighth year of basic education to the third year of high school. The assessment was conducted using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Data analysis included descriptive statistics, the Mann–Whitney U test to compare scores according to sex, and Spearman’s rho to estimate the association between the dimensions assessed. The results showed a high prevalence of severe and extremely severe levels of depression, stress, and anxiety, with significantly higher scores in females. Likewise, strong positive correlations were identified among the three dimensions. It is concluded that these variables coexist significantly in school-attending adolescents, supporting the implementation of early detection and psychoeducational intervention strategies in the educational context.