Impact of COVID-19 on the psychological health of university students in Spain and their attitudes toward Mobile mental health solutions

The mental health level of university students not only directly affects their own growth, but also affects the stability of the campus, which in turn affects the harmony of society and the improvement of the quality of all people. The combination of ideological education and mental health education is an important educational project in contemporary universities. To enhance the quality of psychological health education of college students can promote the overall development of students’ comprehensive quality; the two are closely integrated together, so as to successfully promote the effective combination of ideological education and psychological education, thus realizing the role of ideological education and psychological health education in promoting the physical and mental health development of contemporary college students. This paper explains the technology of data mining and the current situation of the psychological impact of Civic Education on college students and analyzes in depth the feasibility of introducing data mining technology in Civic Education to intervene in the psychological crisis of college students. The results show that the application of the technology provides a new idea for the mental health education of college students and a new way for the construction of a preventive college student mental health education model.

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Teaching and discussing mental health among university students: a pilot arts-based study

Health Education ◽

10.1108/he-08-2020-0072 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Sarah Atayero ◽

Kate Dunton ◽

Sasha Mattock ◽

Amanda Gore ◽

Sarah Douglas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

University Students ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Learning Experience ◽

Holistic Learning ◽

Content Type ◽

The Arts ◽

Interdisciplinary Approaches ◽

The Individual

PurposeInterdisciplinary approaches to health education are becoming increasingly common. Here, the authors describe an arts-based approach designed by academics and artists to both supplement the study of mental illness and support the individual mental health of undergraduate and postgraduate university students, by raising the visibility of mental illness in an innovative way.Design/methodology/approachThrough workshops, university students were guided in a sensory and physical way to discuss psychological health and vulnerability. This was followed by the creation of physical representations of mental distress through art pieces.FindingsStudents were able to design their own art pieces and discuss mental health issues in an open and creative way. Students reported that the arts-based initiative was beneficial to their practice as future professionals and provided a holistic learning experience. At the same time, artists were able to generate powerful images which facilitated further discussions within the faculty.Practical implicationsThis project provides an innovative model for workshops which could be employed to raise the visibility of common mental health disorders among university students while providing a safe space to discuss and support wellbeing. Additionally, variations could be implemented to enhance the teaching of affective disorders within a university curriculum.Originality/valueThis paper presents the results of collaboration between academics and artists, who together generated an innovative way to both support students' mental health and provide an alternative way to supplement experiential learning about common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

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Investigating the Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on the Psychological Health of University Students and Their Attitudes Toward Mobile Mental Health Solutions: Two-Part Questionnaire Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.19876 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Nidal Drissi ◽

Ayat Alhmoudi ◽

Hana Al Nuaimi ◽

Mahra Alkhyeli ◽

Shaikha Alsalami ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

University Students ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

United Arab Emirates ◽

World Health ◽

Web Based ◽

Psychological Issues ◽

Mobile Mental Health ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 outbreak was first reported to the World Health Organization on December 31, 2019, and it was officially declared a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020. The COVID-19 outbreak and the safety measures taken to control it caused many psychological issues in populations worldwide, such as depression, anxiety, and stress. OBJECTIVE The objectives of this study were to assess the psychological effects of the lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak on university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and to investigate the students’ awareness of mobile mental health care apps as well as their attitudes toward the use of these apps. METHODS A two-part self-administered web-based questionnaire was delivered to students at United Arab Emirates University. The first part of the questionnaire assessed the mental state of the participants using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), while the second part contained questions investigating the participants’ awareness of and attitudes toward mental health care apps. Students were invited to fill out the web-based questionnaire via social media and mailing lists. RESULTS A total of 154 students participated in the survey, and the majority were female. The results of the GHQ-12 analysis showed that the students were experiencing psychological issues related to depression and anxiety as well as social dysfunction. The results also revealed a lack of awareness of mental health care apps and uncertainty regarding the use of such apps. Approximately one-third of the participants (44/154, 28.6%) suggested preferred functionalities and characteristics of mobile mental health care apps, such as affordable price, simple design, ease of use, web-based therapy, communication with others experiencing the same issues, and tracking of mental status. CONCLUSIONS Like many groups of people worldwide, university students in the UAE were psychologically affected by the lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Although apps can be useful tools for mental health care delivery, especially in circumstances such as those produced by the outbreak, the students in this study showed a lack of awareness of these apps and mixed attitudes toward them. Improving the digital health literacy of university students in the UAE by increasing their awareness of mental health care apps and the treatment methods and benefits of the apps, as well as involving students in the app creation process, may encourage students to use these tools for mental health care.

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A Person-Oriented Approach to Multidimensional Perfectionism: Perfectionism Profiles in Health and Well-Being

Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment ◽

10.1177/0734282919877754 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 38 (1) ◽

pp. 127-142

Author(s):

Danielle S. Molnar ◽

Fuschia M. Sirois ◽

Gordon L. Flett ◽

Stanley Sadava

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Chronic Illness ◽

University Students ◽

Physical Health ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Socially Prescribed Perfectionism ◽

Health And Well Being ◽

Oriented Approach

Advances in understanding of the perfectionism construct have been limited by an almost exclusive reliance on a variable-centered approach. This study utilized a person-oriented approach to examine Hewitt and Flett’s conceptualization of multidimensional perfectionism in relation to health and well-being. Levels of conscientiousness, extraversion, and neuroticism were also assessed. Cluster analyses were employed to examine within-person configurations of self-oriented, other-oriented, and socially prescribed perfectionism (SPP) in university students ( n = 538) and adults with chronic illness ( n = 773). Five unique configurations were found in both samples and three clusters replicated across samples. “Extreme perfectionists” with high scores across all perfectionism dimensions reported relatively poor physical health, psychological health, psychosocial resources, and well-being along with elevated neuroticism and conscientiousness. A group distinguished by elevated SPP also reported relatively poorer outcomes along with elevated neuroticism and lower conscientiousness. In contrast, “nonperfectionists” reported relatively elevated levels of health and well-being. These profiles differed in their links with health and well-being even after taking into account key differences in conscientiousness and neuroticism. Our results illustrate the importance of employing a person-oriented approach to the study of multidimensional perfectionism, especially as it relates to physical health, mental health, and subjective well-being.

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Psychiatric symptoms, risk, and protective factors among university students in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic in China

Globalization and Health ◽

10.1186/s12992-021-00663-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Shufang Sun ◽

Simon B. Goldberg ◽

Danhua Lin ◽

Shan Qiao ◽

Don Operario

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

University Students ◽

Protective Factors ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Symptom Severity ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Screen Media ◽

Societal Stigma

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has made unprecedented impact on the psychological health of university students, a population vulnerable to distress and mental health disorders. This study investigated psychiatric symptoms (anxiety, depression, and traumatic stress) during state-enforced quarantine among university students in China (N = 1912) through a cross-sectional survey during March and April 2020. Results Psychiatric symptoms were alarmingly prevalent: 67.05% reported traumatic stress, 46.55% had depressive symptoms, and 34.73% reported anxiety symptoms. Further, 19.56% endorsed suicidal ideation. We explored risk and protective factors of psychological health, including demographic variables, two known protective factors for mental health (mindfulness, perceived social support), four COVID-specific factors (COVID-19 related efficacy, perceived COVID-19 threat, perceived COVID-19 societal stigma, COVID-19 prosocial behavior) and screen media usage. Across symptom domains, mindfulness was associated with lower symptom severity, while COVID-19 related financial stress, perceived COVID-19 societal stigma, and perceived COVID-19 threat were associated with higher symptom severity. COVID-19 threat and COVID-19 stigma showed main and interactive effects in predicting all mental health outcomes, with their combination associated with highest symptom severity. Screen media device usage was positively associated with depression. Female gender and COVID-19 prosocial behavior were associated with higher anxiety, while COVID-19 self-efficacy associated with lower anxiety symptoms. Conclusions Findings suggest high need for psychological health promotion among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic and inform an ecological perspective on the detrimental role of stigma during an emerging infectious disease outbreak. Interventions targeting multi-level factors, such as promoting mindfulness and social support at individual and interpersonal levels while reducing public stigma about COVID-19, may be particularly promising. Attending to the needs of disadvantaged groups including those financially impacted by COVID-19 is needed.

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Investigating the Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on the Psychological Health of University Students and Their Attitudes Toward Mobile Mental Health Solutions: Two-Part Questionnaire Study

JMIR Formative Research ◽

10.2196/19876 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (10) ◽

pp. e19876 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Nidal Drissi ◽

Ayat Alhmoudi ◽

Hana Al Nuaimi ◽

Mahra Alkhyeli ◽

Shaikha Alsalami ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

University Students ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

United Arab Emirates ◽

World Health ◽

Web Based ◽

Psychological Issues ◽

Mobile Mental Health ◽

The Impact

Background The COVID-19 outbreak was first reported to the World Health Organization on December 31, 2019, and it was officially declared a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020. The COVID-19 outbreak and the safety measures taken to control it caused many psychological issues in populations worldwide, such as depression, anxiety, and stress. Objective The objectives of this study were to assess the psychological effects of the lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak on university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and to investigate the students’ awareness of mobile mental health care apps as well as their attitudes toward the use of these apps. Methods A two-part self-administered web-based questionnaire was delivered to students at United Arab Emirates University. The first part of the questionnaire assessed the mental state of the participants using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), while the second part contained questions investigating the participants’ awareness of and attitudes toward mental health care apps. Students were invited to fill out the web-based questionnaire via social media and mailing lists. Results A total of 154 students participated in the survey, and the majority were female. The results of the GHQ-12 analysis showed that the students were experiencing psychological issues related to depression and anxiety as well as social dysfunction. The results also revealed a lack of awareness of mental health care apps and uncertainty regarding the use of such apps. Approximately one-third of the participants (44/154, 28.6%) suggested preferred functionalities and characteristics of mobile mental health care apps, such as affordable price, simple design, ease of use, web-based therapy, communication with others experiencing the same issues, and tracking of mental status. Conclusions Like many groups of people worldwide, university students in the UAE were psychologically affected by the lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Although apps can be useful tools for mental health care delivery, especially in circumstances such as those produced by the outbreak, the students in this study showed a lack of awareness of these apps and mixed attitudes toward them. Improving the digital health literacy of university students in the UAE by increasing their awareness of mental health care apps and the treatment methods and benefits of the apps, as well as involving students in the app creation process, may encourage students to use these tools for mental health care.

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Status związku (w związku intymnym vs singiel), konstrukt Ja i zdrowie psychiczne młodzieży akademickiej

Studia Edukacyjne ◽

10.14746/se.2017.45.5 ◽

1970 ◽

pp. 55-65

Author(s):

Katarzyna Adamczyk ◽

Barbara Jankowiak ◽

Emilia Soroko

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young Adults ◽

University Students ◽

Psychological Health ◽

General Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

General Health Questionnaire ◽

Relationship Status ◽

Health Questionnaire ◽

Self Construal

The aim of this online survey was to test the hypothesis that self-construals (Independent self-construal and Interdependent self-construal) mediate the association between relationship status (single vs. partnered) and mental health. Four hundred and twenty-nine university students (327 females and 102 males) 19-25 (M = 21.79, SD = 1.72) completed the Polish versions of the General Health Questionnaire-28 and Self-Construal Scale. The results indicated that although different configurtions of self-construals are related to the level of experienced anxiety, the aspects of mental health analyzed are not related to the interaction between relationship status (partnered vs single) and 4 configurationsof self-construals. At the same time, the revealed lack of correlation between relationship status and mental health is contradictory to expectations and hypotheses. The results suggest that university students are perhaps in the middle of a prolonged moratorium, and in consequence, not making an attempt to fulfilldevelopmental tasks characteristic for (young) adults cannot be seen as an indicator of any aspect of psychological health.

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COVID-19 and Pretentious Psychological Well-Being of Students: A Threat to Educational Sustainability

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2020.628003 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Hui Li ◽

Hira Hafeez ◽

Muhammad Asif Zaheer

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Adverse Effects ◽

University Students ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Physical Symptoms ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Mental Health Stigma ◽

Economic Sustainability ◽

Psychological Well Being

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, reaction quarantine, social distancing, and economic crises have posed a greater risk to physical and psychological health. Such derogatory mental health stigma is associated with adverse outcomes in the student population. The purpose of the current study is to provide a timely evaluation of the COVID-19 pandemic and its adverse effects on students’ psychological well-being to sustain economic sustainability. A thorough review of the literature and current studies, significant emphasis of socio-demographic indicators, interpretation of physical symptoms, home quarantine activities, and COVID-19 unique stressors were extracted. Data were collected through electronic surveys from 640 university students at local and foreign universities. The findings revealed substantial adverse effects resulting in varying levels of stress, symptoms of depression, and specific discomfort in the case. Among COVID-19 stressors, financial instability, unpredictability toward future/career, and media exposure have been described as common factors that cause poor psychological well-being and weaken economic sustainability. COVID-19, quarantine, self-isolation, and onerous interventions primarily weaken university students’ mental health. The emphasis on this vulnerable category, however, is substantially absent from the literature. This research addresses the urgent need to develop possible solutions and preventive measures to promote economic sustainability by ensuring students’ psychological well-being.

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COnVida-20(1)

10.31234/osf.io/27fy6 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Isabel Padrón ◽

Isabel Fraga ◽

Lucía Vieitez ◽

Carlos Montes ◽

Estrella Romero

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

University Students ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Ad Hoc ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Social Contact ◽

Analysis Model ◽

The Impact

An increasing number of studies have addressed the psychological impact of the COVID-19 crisis in the general population. Nevertheless, far less is known about the impact in specific populations such as university students, whose psychological vulnerability has been shown in previous research. This study sought to examine different indicators of mental health in university students during the Spanish lockdown; we also analyzed the main sources of stress perceived by students in relation to the COVID-19 crisis, and the coping strategies adopted when faced with the situation. Data was collected from 932 students (704 women) through a web-based platform. Measures of anxiety (i.e., GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), irritability and self-perceived change in mental health were administered, as well as ad hoc measures of stressors and coping strategies. Results indicated that students experienced considerable psychological problems during the confinement, with higher rates of emotional difficulties in women and undergraduate students than in men and postgraduates, respectively. Psychological distress was mainly related to several specific domains of stressors, as perceived by the participants: academic future, task overload, worsening of interpersonal conflicts, and restrictions in pleasant social contact; and far less related to the spread of the disease and its consequences for physical health. As regards coping strategies, both reframing skills and daily routines were shown to be the most effective. A path-analysis model integrating stressors, coping, and mental health revealed that coping strategies partially channeled the effect of stressors on psychological health. In general, results suggest that students’ psychological health was substantially affected by the COVID-19 situation and that the academic and relational changes were the most notable sources of stress. This study reinforces the need to monitor and promote mental health in university students to boost resilience in times of crisis. Our results on effective coping strategies may inform preventive programs aimed at helping students to deal with challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.

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A Study on the Psychological Wound of COVID-19 in University Students

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.589927 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Isabel Padrón ◽

Isabel Fraga ◽

Lucía Vieitez ◽

Carlos Montes ◽

Estrella Romero

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

University Students ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Ad Hoc ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Social Contact ◽

Analysis Model ◽

The Impact

An increasing number of studies have addressed the psychological impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the general population. Nevertheless, far less is known about the impact on specific populations such as university students, whose psychological vulnerability has been shown in previous research. This study sought to examine different indicators of mental health in university students during the Spanish lockdown; we also analyzed the main sources of stress perceived by students in relation to the COVID-19 crisis, and the coping strategies adopted when faced with the situation. Data was collected from 932 students (704 women) through a web-based platform. Measures of anxiety (i.e., GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), irritability, and self-perceived change in mental health were administered, as well as ad hoc measures of stressors and coping strategies. Results indicated that students experienced considerable psychological problems during the confinement, with higher rates of emotional difficulties in women and undergraduate students than in men and postgraduates, respectively. Psychological distress was mainly related to several specific domains of stressors, as perceived by the participants: academic future, task overload, worsening of interpersonal conflicts, and restrictions in pleasant social contact; and far less related to the spread of the disease and its consequences for physical health. As regards coping strategies, both reframing skills and daily routines were shown to be the most effective. A path-analysis model integrating stressors, coping, and mental health revealed that coping strategies partially mediated the effect of stressors on psychological health. In general, results suggest that students’ psychological health was substantially affected by the COVID-19 situation and that the academic and relational changes were the most notable sources of stress. This study reinforces the need to monitor and promote mental health in university students to boost resilience in times of crisis. Our results on effective coping strategies may inform preventive programs aimed at helping students to deal with challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.

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