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Symptoms of post-traumatic stress and mental health in a sample of university students: the mediating role of resilience and psychological well-being

Publication . Ala, Sílvia Maria Fernandes; Ramos-Campos, Francisco; Relva, Inês Carvalho

The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the most stressful events in recent times across the world. The long-term effect of these experiences raises several concerns, including the development of post-traumatic stress symptomatology. However, little is known about the psychological processes that mediate this association. The aim of this study was to explore the association of emotional exhaustion and anxiety in post-traumatic stress symptomatology, and the mediating role of resilience and psychological well-being in university students. A total of 526 university students of both sexes participated in this study, and they were aged between 17 and 62 years old. Symptoms of anxiety and emotional exhaustion were significantly higher in females, in contrast, males showed on average more resilience and psychological well-being. Additionally, participants with COVID-19 infection had higher levels of emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and PTSD. The results indicated that the variables were correlated with each other (p < 0.001). A conceptual model was confirmed that describes anxiety and emotional exhaustion as predictors, post-traumatic stress symptomatology as an outcome variable, and resilience and psychological well-being as mediators. Resilience and psychological well-being can be important protective factors for adaptive responses in stressful situations. The findings obtained in this study will provide a theoretical basis for designing targeted interventions to improve psychological health, whether for crisis intervention, the process of adapting to higher education, or for recovery plans from psychological trauma.

2024Journal article

Open access

Psychological impact of the Sars-Cov-2 pandemic in university students: a systematic review

Publication . Ala, Sílvia Maria Fernandes; Campos, Francisco Ramos; Relva, Inês Carvalho

The objective of this research is to point out studies that describe variables that are associated with the impact of contingency measures resulting from the pandemic on the mental health of university students. A systematic review was carried out, following the PRISMA-P guidelines and PECO approach, the review protocol was registered in INPLASTY. The search was carried out in five databases, from December 2019 to December 2022. A selection process was carried out by title, abstract and full text, according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Initially, 27,458 articles were identified, and after eliminating duplicates, applying the inclusion criteria and critical analysis, 11 original articles were selected for qualitative analysis. The sample size was 47,552 participants, the majority of whom were women (68.07%) with an average age of 21.07 years. It was concluded that contingency measures (social isolation, quarantine, distancing) as a measure to prevent the spread of the pandemic had a negative impact on the psychological well-being of university students. Adequate support and research into which interventions can mitigate these risks are essential. We suggest the implementation of psychological interventions, which should be promoted proactively, to minimize negative impacts.

2024Journal article

Open access

Emotional Exhaustion Scale (ECE): Psychometric Properties in a Sample of Portuguese University Students

Publication . Ala, Sílvia Maria Fernandes; Campos, Francisco Ramos; Relva, Inês Carvalho

Academic emotional exhaustion is the first stage of academic burnout syndrome, and it is necessary to assess it and intervene early, as the consequences can lead to harmful effects on psychological well-being. The main objectives of this study were to explore the psychometric properties of the Emotional Exhaustion Scale (ECE); to assess the association with suffering and positive well-being, using the MHI-5 Inventory; and to provide information on its validity and to compare it with these constructs. A total sample of 526 university students (81% female and 19% male) aged between 17 and 62 (M = 21.42 years and SD = 5.78) took part in this study. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were carried out. In the internal consistency assessment, the ECE was 0.89 and the MHI-5 was 0.81 (Cronbach’s alpha). Exploratory factor analysis was carried out with Varimax rotation and confirmatory analysis, obtaining the factor that explains 50.5% of the variance. The results indicated that the ECE has adequate psychometric properties for use with higher education students in Portugal. Its use by mental health professionals in higher education institutions could be very relevant for screening for emotional exhaustion and thus preventing possible serious pathologies.

2024Journal article

Open access