Depression, Anxiety and Stress among Counseling Service Providers in Addis Ababa
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Date
2020-11
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AAU
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence, gender and age differences, educational
qualification difference and association between years of work experience on depression, anxiety
and stress among counseling service providers in Addis Ababa city. Quantitative approach
specifically cross- sectional survey design was employed to achieve the objectives of this study.
One hundred thirteen (males= 56, 49.6% and females=57, 50.4%) counseling service providers
participated in the study. From a total of 26 counseling organizations 20 of them selected by using
simple random sampling method. All Available counseling service providers who work in these
organizations were taken. Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was utilized in the
current study. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including frequency
and percentage and inferential statistics such as Independent sample t-test, one-way analysis of
variance and Pearson product moment correlation. The result showed that 54%, 74.3% and 43.4%
of the respondents were at mild, moderate, severe and extremely severe level of depression, anxiety
and stress respectively. The study also found that there were no statistically significant gender
differences on levels of depression, anxiety and stress. The present study also suggested that there
was no statistically significant difference between BA degrees and MA holders and above on level
of anxiety and stress. However, respondents having BA degree had high level of depression than
MA holders and above. On the other hand, this study found that no statistically significant mean
difference on level of depression and stress among respondents from different age groups. Finally,
with regard to the relationship between years of work experience and depression, anxiety and
stress; the finding of this study noted that years of work experience has statistically weak positive
association with anxiety and stress whereas depression has negative weak association with years
of work experience. According to the results of this study we can conclude that majority of the
respondents could be a t risk of depression and anxiety. We can also conclude that the nonsignificant differences found between DASS scores of counseling service providers in gender might be
due to experiencing similar activities and working under similar circumstances. It is also possible to
say BA degree holders experience more depressive symptoms than MA holders. Up on the present
study, it can be also concluding that displaying this symptom is related to different personal and
social factors either directly or indirectly. Unlike depression, stress and anxiety scores were
positively correlated to years of work experience. Up on the findings of the present study the
researcher recommend that stakeholders should develop strategies in place to identify and support
all counseling service providers suffering from depression and anxiety and attention should be
given for counseling service providers having BA degree through providing additional courses and
trainings.
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Keywords
Depression, Anxiety and Stress