Depression and anxiety are highly prevalent in underserved communities, and symptom severity varies across sociodemographic groups. Identifying demographic predictors of mental health burden can inform targeted interventions in community clinics. This study examined how sociodemographic characteristics relate to depressive and anxiety symptom severity, as measured by the PHQ-9 and GAD-7, among adults receiving services at a university-based psychological clinic. This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed intake data from adults evaluated at the University Center for Psychological Services and Studies (CUSEP) between 2022 and 2025. Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Spanish PHQ-9, and the GAD-7. Analyses included descriptive statistics, nonparametric group comparisons (Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis), Spearman correlations for continuous predictors, and multivariable regression models to identify independent demographic predictors of symptom severity. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus (#2425-069). A total of 547 adults were included (M_age = 28.58, SD = 12.26; 65.4% women). Average scores were 10.72 (SD = 5.81) for the PHQ-9 and 9.35 (SD = 5.42) for the GAD-7. Symptom severity varied across demographic groups, and several sociodemographic characteristics demonstrated significant associations with PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores. Sociodemographic factors meaningfully predicted depressive and anxiety symptom severity in this clinical sample. These findings highlight the importance of integrating demographic context into assessment and treatment planning in community-based psychological services.

Authors:
Fabián Pérez-Luzunaris, University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
Stephanie Ortiz-Domenech, University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
Lyanet Rivera-Antonetti, University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
Alondra Hernández-Crespo, University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
Valeria Valentín-Morales, University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
Miranda Villanueva-Pérez, University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
Gia Santiago-Cruz, University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
Yaniris Colón-Rivera, University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico

About the Presenter(s)
Fabián Pérez Luzunaris, Masters student in Investigative Psychology with an Emphasis on Neurocognition and Human Development, currently working on

See this presentation on the full schedule – Wednesday Schedule

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