Prevalence of Mental Disorder Symptoms among University Students: An Umbrella Review

This umbrella review synthesizes data on the prevalence of mental disorder symptoms among university students worldwide. A systematic search of seven databases (inception–July 23, 2023) followed PRISMA guidelines. We included 1,655 primary studies from 62 meta-analyses, encompassing 8,706,185 participants. Pooled prevalence estimates were: depression (mild 35.41%, severe 13.42%); anxiety (mild 40.21%, severe 16.79%); sleep disorders (41.09%); eating disorders (17.94%); post-traumatic stress disorder (25.13%); stress (36.34%); and suicide-related outcomes. This is the most comprehensive synthesis on the prevalence of mental disorder symptoms in university students, providing crucial insights for clinicians, policymakers, and stakeholders.