Factores psicosociales de la salud mental postpandemia en estudiantes ULEAM Manta, 2023: Aproximación cualitativa

Abstract

The negative impact of the pandemic on the mental health of university students worldwide is mentioned by several authors; However, it is a topic that has been little researched in Latin America and, specifically, in Ecuador. The objective of this article is to identify, describe and classify in depth the psychosocial factors that affect the mental health of students at the Universidad Laica Eloy Alfaro de Manabí (ULEAM) in the period after the covid-19 pandemic.  To this end, patterns and trends related to psychosocial factors and the mental health of students were identified to understand how emotional, social and academic aspects have influenced said mental health during the pandemic and in the post-pandemic adaptation period.  The qualitative methodology, fulfilling the requirement of triangulation of techniques: participant observation, systematic literature review and semi-structured interview, which was applied to a qualitative sample of 30 people carefully selected to signify the diversity of the student population of Manta.  The analysis of results reveals that the majority of students have suffered a negative impact on mental health after the pandemic, focused on a decrease in academic performance, constant pressure and loss of interest in learning as predominant problems, these factors also impact general well-being and significantly affect mental health, causing psychological discomfort such as stress, anxiety and depression, among the most notable. Furthermore, the analysis of these results offered valuable information to guide the implementation of specific student well-being interventions and programs, adapted to the needs identified in this particular context