The Rising Trend of Psychological Distress in Argentina: Assessing Structural Determinants (2026/10)

María Agustina Paternó Manavella (ODSA-UCA)

Introduction

The American Psychological Association posits that mental health can be assessed through the presence or absence of symptoms indicating varying levels of psychological or psychiatric distress. The most frequent symptoms are those associated with anxiety and depressive disorders, also known as common mental disorders.

The most frequently utilized indicator for studying mental health has been the psychological distress index, a construct that integrates symptoms of depression and anxiety which may impair an individual’s optimal functioning. Psychological distress manifests as an emotional and psychological state of suffering characterized by depressive (e.g., sadness or hopelessness) and anxiety-related symptoms (e.g., emotional tension or restlessness), which may be accompanied by somatic manifestations, such as loss of energy or insomnia. Its origins are found in diverse causes and situations; consequently, its assessment is instrumental in determining the mental health status of specific groups.

Furthermore, this construct has demonstrated significant sensitivity in capturing the impact of adverse structural conditions -such as poverty, job insecurity and social exclusion- serving as a key factor in epidemiological mental health research. This underscores the multidimensional nature of psychological distress and its inextricable link to structural living conditions and subjective experiences of deprivation. In this sense, psychological distress is understood as a manifestation of social processes of exclusion and inequality, affecting both the objective dimensions and subjective experience of well-being.

Conceptualizations regarding the current state of mental health globally -and particularly in contexts such as Argentina- must take into account individuals' structural living conditions. Contemporary approaches highlight the roles of poverty, precarity, and persistent inequalities as key factors that erode subjective well-being and amplify psychological distress. Psychic suffering is thus configured as an expression of social processes of exclusion, demanding comprehensive research approaches.

In this regard, within the framework of Human Capital and Well-being area at ODSA-UCA (Argentinean Social Debt Observatory - Pontificial Catholic University of Argentina), the purpose of this study is to estimate annual psychological distress trends among urban adults in Argentina (2010-2025). In addittion, we aim to assess the incidence, mobility and persistence of psychological distress, and identify key determinants explaining changes in distress levels, with a specific focus on labour market conditions.

Methodology

The methodology strategy involved analyzing annual data (2010 – 2025) sourced from the Argentine Social Debt Survey (EDSA), conducted by Argentinean Social Debt Observatory (Pontificial Catholic University of Argentina). The study focused on a representative sample of adults aged 18 and older, from urban households across Argentina. Beyond the cross-sectional data, this study incorporates longitudinal analysis, a feature enabled by the EDSA’s design. We used a three-wave panel data from 2022, 2023, and 2024 consisting of 299 participants.

The EDSA is a multipurpose survey that incorporates direct questions and brief standardized scales designed to assess psychological factors alongside a wide range of socioeconomic, labour and living condition indicators. In this sense, it includes the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10; Kessler et al., 2002), in its validated and adapted version for the Argentine population (Brenlla & Aranguren, 2010). This instrument has been designed to measure the prevalence of non-specific psychological distress, understand as depression and anxiety-related symptoms. It serves as a screening tool to identify individuals experiencing high levels of psychological anguish who may require a more comprehensive clinical evaluation. Due to its brief nature, it is highly feasible for a rapid screening in large-scale epidemiological research (Brenlla & Aranguren, 2010). It consists of 10 ítems regarding symptoms of depression (e.g. “How often did you feel tired out for no reason?”) and anxiety (e.g. “How often did you feel nervous?”) experienced during the past 30 days. Each item is scored using a five-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (Never) to 5 (All of the time). Total scores are calculated by summing the responses, resulting in a range between 10 and 50 points. This scale also enables the establishment of distinct distress categories base don severity. For this particular study, the total score was used both as a continuous variable and to identify the presence or absence of distress according to established thresholds.

The methodology designed to address the study objectives included the following data analysis strategy. First, we conducted a descriptive analysis to approach the annual assessment of psychological distress levels across the Argentinean adult population throughout the analysis period (2010-2025), disaggregated by key socioeconomic indicators. To examine the mobility and persistence of this mental health indicator we used trajectory analysis on longitudinal panel data. Finally, through multilevel and fixed-effects models, the research analyzed intra-individual variation, specifically examining how gender inequalities and different configurations of employment act as structural determinants of mental health. These approaches allowed to identify causal factors, controls for time-invariant unobserved heterogeneity and eliminates potential confounding effects from variables that remain constant over time. Although several analyses and explanatory models were tested, the presentation delivered for the INSEAI Network highlighted the key findings and significant trends identified in the study.

Main results

Results showed that psychological distress rose from 18.4% in 2010 to 28.1% in 2024, affecting nearly 3 out of 10 adults in Argentina; despite a slight 1% dip in 2025, levels remain historically high. Distress increased across all social strata, but vulnerability is three times higher among those in precarious economic and labour market conditions. Longitudinal data (2022-2024) reveals that 18% of adults experienced a decline in mental health by 2024, while 5% suffered from persistent symptoms throughout the three-year period. The sharpest increase in distress occurred between 2023 and 2024, particularly among those with high baseline levels. Factors such as a poor self-rated health, female gender and unemployment are consistent predictors of distress.  

The findings of this study underscore that mental health serves as a highly sensitive indicator of socioeconomic and labor stability, demanding its conceptualization as a multidimensional construct. Addressing mental health requires a comprehensive approach that integrates its social, economic, and labour-related dimensions to fully capture the impact of structural precarity. Furthermore, this research highlights the methodological importance of using standardized international metrics, such as the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10). The use of such validated instruments allows for a rigorous comparative analysis between Latin American and European contexts. Such comparisons are essentials for determining whether the erosion of subjective well-being is a localized phenomenon or part of a broader global shift in social configurations. Ultimately, integrating mental health indicators within economic evaluations is vital for developing public policies that address the social determinants of health, ensuring that interventions are both evidence-based and structurally effective.