Objective:

To assess the mental health status (depression, anxiety, and stress) of postgraduate students at Strathmore University and understand how coping mechanisms mediate mental health outcomes.

Key Findings:

• Participants reported significant psychological strain with high levels of anticipatory anxiety (DASS means ranged from 2.23 to 2.73 on a scale of 0-3).
• Coping strategies accounted for 40.2% of the variation in mental health.
• Emotion-focused coping and avoidant coping had significant positive effects on mental well-being (β = 0.307, p < .001; β = 0.344, p < .001).
• Problem-focused coping had a significant negative effect on mental health (β = -0.189, p = .002).

Interpretation:

The study suggests that adaptive emotion-focused and strategic avoidant coping strategies are more beneficial for postgraduate students in Nairobi than traditional problem-focused approaches, which may exacerbate distress.

Limitations:

• The study is limited to a single university, which may affect the generalizability of the findings.
• The reliance on self-reported measures may introduce bias, potentially affecting the accuracy of mental health assessments.

Conclusion:

Postgraduate mental health is significantly influenced by coping strategies, necessitating tailored interventions that promote adaptive emotional regulation and destigmatize mental health services in academic settings, such as workshops and peer support programs.