Three out of four university students in Porto felt a significant decline in psychological well-being at the start of this academic year, and more than half have no psychological support, says a study by the Academic Federation of Porto (FAP).
The survey “Perspectives on mental health in the Academia do Porto”, carried out by FAP on the occasion of International Mental Health Day and carried out from 1 to 9 October among 833 students of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Porto. , shows that 54% of respondents choose “performance pressure” as the main reason for decreased psychological well-being.
When asked whether they felt a significant decline in psychological well-being, “three out of four students responded in the affirmative, and more than half (54%) of those surveyed said they had had little or no mental health support in the past two years.” academic years.
Rising costs of living and financial difficulties in obtaining higher education also manifest themselves in a decrease in psychological well-being and are the main reason chosen by 17% of students surveyed.
Fourteen percent (14%) of respondents attributed the main cause of deteriorating mental health to problems with college integration, with the remaining factors causing symptoms related to “occupational and salary prospects,” according to the document, which Lusa had access to on Tuesday.
On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means “not at all” and 5 means “a lot,” a third of students (33%) admitted to feeling “very anxious” over the past year, a figure that rises to 57%. , considering students who reported feeling anxious.
About 40% of students said they felt unmotivated, and 42% said they had difficulty concentrating.
In terms of these data, 43% of respondents report changes in their sleep and at least 31% acknowledge changes in their appetite.
Regarding the response capabilities of universities, of the students who sought psychological support, only 15% said that they used the answers provided by educational institutions, but more than half (52%) admitted that the answers available at universities were not enough.
FAP says it is concerned about the lack of answers and the delay in implementing a mental health plan in higher education.
FAP President Ana Gabriela Cabillas warns that “the plan for mental health in higher education has not yet been implemented.”
“A month after the start of the new school year, the FAP warns that the plan must be urgently implemented. The data we collected through the survey is alarming and students cannot continue to wait for the next academic year,” he noted Gabriela Cabillas. .
Among students who sought mental health support outside of university, 43% found the cost “expensive” and 11% of respondents did not continue receiving support due to “not being able to afford the costs.”
The distribution of respondents by education system is as follows: 77% study in public institutions and 23% attend private or cooperative higher education institutions.
Of the respondents, 80% are 1st year students, 18% are 2nd year students, 0.7% are third year students and 1.3% attend Higher Professional Technical Courses.
The transition to higher education involves significant changes in the lives of students.
“This investigation presents a number of alarming data that warrant the government’s attention,” confirmed the FAP president.
Tuesday 10 October marks International Mental Health Day.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Tifany Hawkins, a professional journalist with years of experience in news reporting. I currently work for a prominent news website and write articles for 24NewsReporters as an author. My primary focus is on economy-related stories, though I am also experienced in several other areas of journalism.