Mental distress and well-being of university students amid COVID-19 pandemic: findings from an online integrative intervention for psychology trainees

Vasiliki Yotsidi; Eirini-Konstantina Nikolatou; Elias Kourkoutas; Georgios A Kougioumtzis

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1171225

Mental distress and well-being of university students amid COVID-19 pandemic: findings from an online integrative intervention for psychology trainees

Front Psychol. 2023 Jul 13:14:1171225. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1171225. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Vasiliki Yotsidi¹, Eirini-Konstantina Nikolatou¹, Elias Kourkoutas², Georgios A Kougioumtzis^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Athens, Greece.
² Department of Primary Education, Research Center for the Humanities, Social and Education Sciences, University of Crete, Rethymno, Greece.
³ Department of Turkish Studies, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
⁴ Department of Psychology, Neapolis University Pafos, Pafos, Cyprus.

Abstract

Introduction: University students have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as significant changes supervened their academic and social life. To tackle these challenges, several adjustments in the educational methods may be warranted for cultivating a positive environment at higher education institutions. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk and protective factors of students' mental health and well-being as well as their potential for flourishing in an undergraduate clinical psychology course that took place online due to the COVID-19 restrictive measures and incorporated positive psychology exercises as a means to empower young people amid the adverse conditions of the lockdown.

Methods: In total, 124 students attended the course and completed mental health (i.e., DASS-9, HADS, ERQ) and well-being (i.e., MHC-SF, SWLS, PANAS, GQ-6, BRS) measures at two time points (pre-and-post-test), during the first restrictions in Greece (March-June 2020).

Results: According to the results, students aged 18-20 years old reported higher levels of stress [χ² = 14.72, p = 0.002], while students who felt that the quality of their studies had deteriorated [χ² = 6.57, p = 0.038] reported increased levels of anxiety. High levels of depression were correlated with worse relationships with significant others (z = 7.02, p = 0.030 and χ² = 11.39, p = 0.003 for family and friends, respectively), while gratitude and resilience were positively correlated with improved relationships with others, both during and after the lockdown. Factors associated with students' well-being were satisfaction with life and gratitude.

Discussion: These results suggest that well-being enhancement factors may have added value to current educational practices for promoting students' mental health and well-being in times of crisis.

Keywords: COVID-19; mental distress; online intervention; protective factors; resilience; risk factors; university students; well-being.