A Simple Method for Assessing the Mental Health Status of Students in Higher Education

Factors associated with dental students' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study

The aim of the present study was to examine the relationships between gender, sense of coherence (SOC), social support, perception of academic environment and mental health of dental students during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A longitudinal study involving 65 undergraduates enrolled from the first to sixth semesters in the bachelor dental course of Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil, was conducted. Baseline data (2018) included age, gender, SOC, social support, stress control and perception of education environment. Depression, anxiety and stress were assessed at baseline (response rate: 93%) and two-year follow-up (2020; response rate: 37%). Structural Equation Modelling was used to test the relationships between independent variables and depression, anxiety and stress during COVID-19 pandemic. Lower social support (β = -0.15), lower stress control (β = -0.20) and lower SOC (β = -0.39) were directly linked to higher depression (β = 0.22). Female gender (β = 0.22), worse perception of educational environment (β = -0.24) and lower SOC (β = -0.57) directly predicted higher anxiety. Female gender (β = 0.18), lower stress control (β = -0.21), and lower SOC (β = -0.46) directly predicted higher stress. The link between gender and both depression and stress, was mediated by stress control. Social support was indirectly linked to depression and stress via SOC. Perception of educational environment mediated the link between SOC and anxiety. Mental health of dental students during COVID-19 pandemic was influenced by demographic characteristics, perception of educational environment, social support and SOC through both direct and indirect pathways.

Evaluating the Psychometric Properties and Clinical Utility of a Digital Psychosocial Self-Screening Tool (HEARTSMAP-U) for Postsecondary Students: Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Existing screening tools for mental health issues among postsecondary students have several challenges, including a lack of standardization and codevelopment by students. HEARTSMAP-U was adapted to address these issues.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of HEARTSMAP-U as a self-screening tool for psychosocial issues among postsecondary students by evaluating its validity evidence and clinical utility.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study was conducted with University of British Columbia Vancouver students to evaluate HEARTSMAP-U's predictive validity and convergent validity. Participating students completed baseline and 3-month follow-up assessments via HEARTSMAP-U and a clinician-administered interview.

RESULTS

In a diverse student sample (n=100), HEARTSMAP-U demonstrated high sensitivity (95%-100%) in identifying any psychiatric concerns that were flagged by a research clinician, with lower specificity (21%-25%). Strong convergent validity (r=0.54-0.68) was demonstrated when relevant domains and sections of HEARTSMAP-U were compared with those of other conceptually similar instruments.

CONCLUSIONS

This preliminary evaluation suggests that HEARTSMAP-U may be suitable for screening in the postsecondary educational setting. However, a larger-scale evaluation is necessary to confirm and expand on these findings.

Psychological distress and mental health literacy in university students

PURPOSE

This study aimed to assess university students' levels of psychological distress and mental health literacy.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This descriptive and cross-sectional study using self-assessment instruments with 417 volunteer university students was conducted in the fall semester of the 2019-2020 academic year.

FINDINGS

More than half of the participants had diagnosable psychological distress in terms of mental illness. The participants had a low level of mental health literacy, females and people with a mental illness had higher mental health literacy scores.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The results indicated that the scales could be used to develop interventions to assist Turkish students' transition to healthy adulthood. Determining individuals' psychological distress allows early detection of mental problems.