Psychological States of Female University Students Following the July 2024 Mass Uprising in Bangladesh
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65826/JSAI.1.3.2026.132Keywords:
Mental Health, Female, University Students, July 2024 Mass Uprising, Depression, Anxiety, Stress.Abstract
The mass uprising in July 2024 in Bangladesh left a big socio-political shock, with fears of the psychological impact on female university students whose academic lives were destroyed amidst doubts and trauma. This paper sought to evaluate depression, anxiety, and stress levels among female students in universities at the end of the July 2024 mass uprising. A cross-sectional mixed-methods survey design employed 125 female university students via online questionnaires and included eight (08) case studies and four (04) FGDs. Descriptive statistics were analysed in SPSS, and thematic analysis was conducted in NVivo to measure socio-demographics and standardized indicators of depression, anxiety, and stress. Of the respondents, 72.0% attended a public university, 52.0% lived in university halls, and 76.0% were undergraduates. The mean scores of depression were between 1.69 (SD = 0.67) and 2.06 (SD = 0.93), which demonstrated low to moderate depression symptoms. The anxiety levels were moderate in all cases, ranging between 2.05 (SD = 0.94) and 2.18 (SD = 0.99); increased fear, panic, and fear of public or university spaces were observed. The indicators of stress also had some moderate intensity, with mean values ranging between 2.12 (SD = 0.97) and 2.18 (SD = 1.01), specifically on dealing with the demands of daily life and academic uncertainty. Overall, female university students experienced low-to-moderate depression and moderate anxiety and stress following the July 2024 uprising, reflecting sustained psychological vulnerability and underscoring the need for structured mental health support.
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