Autor(es): Laranjeira, Carlos ; Dixe, Maria Anjos ; Valentim, Olga ; Charepe, Zaida ; Querido, Ana
Data: 2022
Identificador Persistente: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/36384
Origem: Veritati - Repositório Institucional da Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Assunto(s): Coping; Graduation education; Hope; Mental health; Pandemic; Portugal
The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant psychological impact on vulnerable groups, particularly students. The present study aims to investigate the mental and psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated factors in a sample of Portuguese higher education students. An online cross-sectional study was conducted among 1522 higher education students selected by convenience sampling. The survey assessed mental health symptoms as well as sociodemographic variables, health-related perceptions, and psychological factors. Results were fitted to binary and multivariable logistic regression models. The overall prevalences of stress, anxiety, and depression were 35.7%, 36.2%, and 28.5%, respectively. Poor mental health outcomes were related with being female, having no children, living with someone with chronic disease, facing hopelessness, and lacking resilient coping. Future studies focusing on better ways to promote mental health and wellbeing among students are warranted. It is necessary to gather more evidence on the post-pandemic mental health using robust study designs and standardized assessment tools.
