Abstract

The risk for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), as it pertains to seasonal variations, on postsecondary students’ perceived stress and mental health has not been previously investigated in the Canadian context. Our goal was to understand the relationship between students’ risk for SAD and their perceived stress and mental health, along with perceptions of these variables and behavioral habits associated with the risk for SAD. A total of 121 postsecondary students were recruited from a large Canadian university and participated in an online survey with measures on risk for SAD, perceived stress, and mental health. They were also asked questions about these variables and their behavioral habits as a function of the fall and winter seasons. Data was analyzed using quantitative and qualitative research methods. Correlational analysis revealed that higher risks for SAD were associated with higher perceived stress and poorer mental health. One-way ANOVA and post hoc analyses further revealed that students at high risk for SAD reported significantly higher perceived stress and poorer mental health than students at low risk for SAD. Furthermore, thematic analysis of the questions revealed three major themes: wellness, academics, and coping. Overall, this study is a positive first step in better understanding the risk for SAD in the postsecondary student population and provides evidence for implementing health and wellness cultures on campuses to safeguard students’ mental health, academic success, and overall well-being from seasonal changes.