scholarly journals The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Italian University Students’ Mental Health: Changes across the Waves

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (18) ◽  
pp. 9897
Author(s):  
Micaela Di Consiglio ◽  
Sheila Merola ◽  
Tiziana Pascucci ◽  
Cristiano Violani ◽  
Alessandro Couyoumdjian
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
University Students ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Disorder ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Paranoid Ideation ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviour ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Waves

To reduce the spread of Covid-19, the Italian government imposed a rigid lockdown and, for a whole year, continued to declare stringent rules to curb the community spread. This study provides an overview of university students’ symptomatology and help-seeking behaviour before and during the pandemic. It aims to evaluate the impact of the different phases of the pandemic on students’ mental health. We collected data in four-time points between March 2019 and March 2021. A total of 454 students (F = 85; M = 15) were included in the study. Students answered a socio-demographic and a standardized questionnaire (i.e., SCL-90-R) to evaluate a broad range of symptomatology. The results suggest that students experienced moderate to severe levels of depressive, obsessive-compulsive and anxiety symptomatology. About 14% of the sample met the criteria for at least one mental health disorder, but most were not receiving mental health care. During the lockdown, compared with other phases, female students reported worse symptoms in the obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism dimensions. The increasing symptomatology disappeared after the lifting of the lockdown. The results showed no difference in the male groups. Preventive and support strategies should be improved in the university context.

The impact of Covid-19 pandemic on mental health and help-seeking behavior among Italian university students. A descriptive and cross-sectional study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Micaela Di Consiglio ◽  
Sheila Merola ◽  
Tiziana Pascucci ◽  
Cristiano Violani ◽  
Alessandro Couyoumdjian
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
University Students ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Help Seeking Behavior ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Paranoid Ideation ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND To reduce the spread of Covid-19 the Italian government imposed a rigid lockdown and, for a whole year, it kept declaring stringent rules to curb the community spread. The pandemic had a great negative impact on general population mental health, including the one of university students. OBJECTIVE The study provides an overview about symptomatology and help-seeking behavior of university students before and during the Covid-19 pandemic and it aims to evaluate the impact of the different phases of the pandemic on students' mental health. METHODS We collected data in four time points: (1) March 2019-February 2020, (2) March-May 2020, (3) October-December 2020, (4) January 2020-March 2021. A total of 454 students have been included in the study. Students answered a socio-demographic questionnaire and a standardized questionnaire to evaluate a broad range of symptoms of psychopathology. Descriptive analyses have been conducted to explore student’s symptomatology and help-seeking behavior. Considering the significant gender-difference distribution between groups, groups comparison analysis has been conducted considering male and female separately. RESULTS Considering the total sample size, results suggest that students have experienced moderate to severe levels of depressive, obsessive-compulsive and anxiety symptomatology. About 14% of the sample met criteria for at least one mental health disorders, but most of them were not receiving mental health care. Moreover, during the lockdown, compared with other phases, female students reported worse symptoms in the following dimension: obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, paranoid ideation and psychoticism. The increasing symptomatology quickly disappeared after the lifting of the quarantine. Results showed any difference in the male groups. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support the view of a negative mental health condition of university students and indicate an increase of symptomatology during the lockdown among female students. Preventive and support strategies should be improved in the university context.

Psychosocial Impacts of COVID-19 among University Students in Uruguay

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianna Loose ◽  
Alejandro Vásquez-Echeverría
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
University Students ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

The novel coronavirus has taken a catastrophic toll worldwide on physical and mental health. We focused on the psychosocial impact among students in Uruguay, a country relatively protected from the pandemic. Our study had three main aims : 1) describe in detail the impact among university students, 2) identify relationships between different dimensions and 3) highlight the factors determinant of mental distress. We designed a multi-dimensional questionnaire to investigate the perceived impact on the lives of students. The questionnaire was administered to 144 undergraduates in Uruguay online while the university was closed. 38-66% of students indicated increases in signs of anxiety, depression or sleep disturbances. Independently of other related factors, increases in substance use, impairments in social relationships, negative impacts of school closures, and personal economic worries explained 41% of variance in psychological distress. Findings are discussed in terms of policies for public health and future directions for research on mental health.

Suck It Up: Opinions and Attitudes about Mental Illness Stigma and Help-Seeking Behaviour of Male Varsity Football Players

2014 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 43-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Delenardo ◽  
Jenepher Lennox Terrion
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Illness Stigma ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Football Team ◽  
Health Initiatives ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Elite Level ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the attitudes and opinions of varsity football players toward mental health and help-seeking. The insights gained from this study may contribute to a greater understanding of how stigma functions in a competitive, elite-level football team. The authors concluded that the competitive edge required for success in elite athletics conflicts with mental health issues and illnesses. Components of the stigma process (labelling, stereotyping, separation, status loss, and discrimination), along with the impact of gender on stigma toward mental illness and help-seeking behaviours, are explored. Recommendations are made to broaden the scope of mental health initiatives for student athletes.

scholarly journals Examining mental health literacy, help seeking behaviours, and mental health outcomes in UK university students

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Gorczynski ◽  
Wendy Sims-schouten ◽  
Denise Hill ◽  
Janet Clare Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
University Students ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviour

Purpose Many university students in the UK experience mental health problems and little is known about their overall mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviours. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain levels of mental health literacy in UK university students and to examine whether mental health literacy is associated with better mental health outcomes and intentions to seek professional care. Design/methodology/approach A total of 380 university students at a university in the south of England completed online surveys measuring multiple dimensions of mental health literacy, help-seeking behaviour, distress, and well-being. Findings Mental health literacy in the students sampled was lower than seen in previous research. Women exhibited higher levels of mental health literacy than men and postgraduate students scored higher than undergraduate students. Participants with previous mental health problems had higher levels of mental health literacy than those with no history of mental health problems. Individuals were most likely to want to seek support from a partner or family member and most participants indicated they would be able to access mental health information online. Mental health literacy was significantly positively correlated with help-seeking behaviour, but not significantly correlated with distress or well-being. Practical implications Strategies, such as anonymous online resources, should be designed to help UK university students become more knowledgeable about mental health and comfortable with seeking appropriate support. Originality/value This study is the first to examine multiple dimensions of mental health literacy in UK university students and compare it to help-seeking behaviour, distress, and well-being.

scholarly journals Effect of a peer‐led intervention combining mental health promotion with coping‐strategy‐based workshops on mental health awareness, help‐seeking behavior, and wellbeing among university students in Hong Kong

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Kwasi Ahorsu ◽  
Dalinda Isabel Sánchez Vidaña ◽  
Donald Lipardo ◽  
Parth Bharat Shah ◽  
Pablo Cruz González ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
University Students ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Help Seeking Behavior ◽  
Health Awareness ◽  
Mental Health Awareness ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The psychological well-being of university students is an important factor in successfully coping with the demands of academic life. This study aimed to assess the impact of a peer-led intervention of mental health promotion combined with coping-strategy-based group workshops on mental health awareness and help-seeking behavior among university students in Hong Kong. Method A mixed-method concurrent design was used for this study. Quantitative data, based on one-group pretest-posttest design, were collected using Mental Health Knowledge Schedule Questionnaire to assess mental health awareness, and Attitude Towards Seeking Professional Help Questionnaire-Short Form to examine help-seeking behavior of university students from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Qualitative data were collected from written post-activity reflections and focus group discussions which were thematically analyzed. Results A total of 62 university students (mean age: 23.2 ± 5.1 years) were included in this study. Mental health awareness was significantly improved (p = 0.015, 95% Confidence Interval of − 2.670, − 0.297) after program implementation. Help-seeking behavior mean score increased from pretest to posttest, however, no significant difference was observed (p = 0.188, 95% CI = − 1.775, 0.355). Qualitative analysis revealed that the program helped participants learn about coping strategies to help themselves and others with mental health challenges. Conclusions The peer-led intervention provided a positive impact through increased mental health awareness and knowledge of coping strategies on self-help and helping others among university students. Further study could focus on the impact of the program when applied regularly throughout the entire academic year.

A Thematic Analysis of the Reported Effect Anxiety Has on University Students

2021 ◽  
pp. 001312452110625
Author(s):  
Jacquelyne Ladejo
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
University Students ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Dropping Out ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Study Offer

The number of university students experiencing mental health issues in the UK is increasing and a high number of students are dropping out of university as a result. Literature highlights a lack of knowledge regarding this topic and the significance in educating society. The aim of this qualitative study was to provide further insights as to why students are experiencing anxiety and into help-seeking behavior amongst university students. A thematic analysis was used to analyze a total of 118 blog entries of students discussing the impact of university on mental health. Findings highlighted three main themes: Balancing priorities, Fear of failure, and Critical incidents. These themes are discussed in terms of possible risk factors contributing to students experiencing anxiety while at university. Findings together with recommendations listed in this study offer higher education staff and institutions the opportunity to explore areas of focus and improve university students’ mental health.

A qualitative study exploring experiences of discrimination associated with mental-health problems in Ireland

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Lakeman ◽  
P. McGowan ◽  
L. MacGabhann ◽  
M. Parkinson ◽  
M. Redmond ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviour ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Impact

Aims.Stigma and discrimination related to mental-health problems impacts negatively on people's quality of life, help seeking behaviour and recovery trajectories. To date, the experience of discrimination by people with mental-health problems has not been systematically explored in the Republic of Ireland. This study aimed to explore the experience impact of discrimination as a consequence of being identified with a mental-health problem.Methods.Transcripts of semi-structured interviews with 30 people about their experience of discrimination were subject to thematic analysis and presented in summary form.Results.People volunteered accounts of discrimination which clustered around employment, personal relationships, business and finance, and health care. Common experiences included being discounted or discredited, being mocked or shunned and being inhibited or constrained by oneself and others.Conclusions.Qualitative research of this type may serve to illustrate the complexity of discrimination and the processes whereby stigma is internalised and may shape behaviour. Such an understanding may assist health practitioners reduce stigma, and identify and remediate the impact of discrimination.

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