O sofrimento psíquico de universitários e suas estratégias de enfrentamento - uma reflexão dialógica durante e pós pandemia

Abstract

Introduction: Studies focusing on the concern for students' mental health have taken on significant proportions in recent years, considering the exponential growth of psychological distress in society, but these concerns are not new. In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus a pandemic, and the levels of signs and symptoms of psychological distress in this population intensified. In scientific literature, there are several discussions about the strategies used by these individuals to reduce their moments of stress, anxiety, and psychological distress during this period. Objectives: The objective of this study is to analyze, in a dialogical and investigative manner, the strategies used by university students and institutions to promote mental health and prevent harm, as well as to describe the strategies employed by university students to minimize the impacts associated with their experiences in higher education. Methodology: This is an integrative review that utilized the following databases: Scielo, BIREME, MEDLINE, and Scopus. The Medical Subject Heading Terms (Mesh Terms) were used to control the vocabulary and identify corresponding words for the studies. The data collection was divided into three stages: 1) searching the databases while considering the titles; 2) reading the abstracts of each work; 3) reading the complete works. The references were imported into the EndNote software, grouped, and excluded in case of repetition. Afterwards, an Excel-Windows 2013 spreadsheet was created, and these references were transferred for double-checking duplicate works. The final sample consisted of 10 articles specifically addressing psychological distress and coping strategies. Results and Discussion: After analyzing the articles, two main focuses were identified: 1) common signs and symptoms of psychological distress; 2) different strategies used in each study to cope with this distress. Conclusion: Entering university is a process associated with psychological distress, which has been exacerbated by the declaration of a pandemic state. It is a process that can be modified, correlated with sociodemographic factors and interpersonal relationships, and therefore deserves proper attention from both the students themselves and the institutions they belong to.