mean scores of depression, anxiety and stress in iranian university students based on dass-21: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and aims: depression is the most common psychiatric disorder, and students are more predisposed to depression than other populations. this meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the mean depression score in iranian students based on dass-21. methods: the search was carried out using keywords depression, student, dass-21 and iran in domestic databases, including sid, medlib, iranmedex, irandoc, and magiran. data were analyzed using a meta-analysis (random effects model). the heterogeneity of studies was studied using the i2 index. data were analyzed using the stata software version 11. dass-21 had been used in all reviewed studies. results: the sample size was 3229 people included in 17 studies. the mean depression score in iranian students based on dass-21 was 9.30 (95% ci: 12.57-6.03), 8.90 in female students (95% ci: 4.50-13.29) and 8.45 in male students (95% ci: 4.03-12.86). the mean scores of anxiety and stress in students were 8.58 (95% ci: 5.95-12.86) and 9.91 (95% ci: 11.28 -8.54), respectively. conclusion: the mean depression score is higher in female students than in male students, and the mean score of stress is slightly higher than those of anxiety and depression.