Student Psychological Distress Research Articles

The impact of climate change on student psychological distress

Indonesia is now experiencing abnormal severe hot weather, where El-Nino causes the increasing temperature to be above the average. Although El Nino is a common phenomenon that occurs naturally, climate change factors exacerbate the adverse impact of El Nino on human life. Many studies have presented empirical evidence on how climate change significantly affects individuals’ mental health, distress, burnout, and other related psychological wellbeing. However, little attention has been paid to the relationship between students’ psychological wellbeing and climate change, especially in Indonesia. This research aims to understand how environmental aspects can harm students’ psychological wellbeing, by measuring the correlation between climate change, mental health, and psychological distress. The variables that will be observed in this research are climate change exposure, pro-environmental behaviour, psychological distress, and positive mental health. Using the online survey method, the respondents of this research will be undergraduate students from many different universities in Indonesia. This research is expected to present the negative impact of climate change on positive mental health and psychological distress, which is moderated by environmental awareness.

The Effect of Optimism on Psychological Distress in Student Victims of Body Shaming

Students who are victims of body shaming can experience psychological distress, namely symptoms of depression and anxiety. So it is important to maintain psychological well-being through an optimistic mindset. The aim of this research is to find out whether there is an influence of optimism on psychological distress in students who are victims of body shaming. Sampling used an accidental sampling technique with a total of 120 respondents who were Makassar State University students who were victims of body shaming. Hypothesis testing was carried out using non-linear regression analysis methods with exponential models. The results of this research hypothesis test show that there is a negative and very significant influence between optimism and psychological distress (r=-0.628; p=0.000). The contribution of optimism to psychological distress among Makassar State University students who are victims of body shaming is 39.5%. Other findings in this research show that the three aspects of optimism, namely permanence, pervasiveness and personalization, have a negative correlation with the two aspects of psychological distress, namely depression and anxiety. The conclusion in this research is that optimism has an influence on psychological distress in students who are victims of body shaming. The higher the optimism possessed by students who experience body shaming, the lower the level of psychological distress.

Factors related to students’ psychological distress during COVID-19 disruption across countries

BackgroundThe global outbreak of the novel COVID-19 virus presented a significant threat to students’ well-being across the globe. In this paper, we construct a measure of student psychological distress related to COVID-19 disruption. We then examine the variation in students’ psychological distress as a function of student demographic characteristics, home, school and student factors and compare the results across countries.MethodsWe use item response theory to construct a comparable scale for students’ psychological distress across participating countries. Furthermore, we employ linear regression to explore the association of student characteristics and other student and school factors.ResultsAn internationally comparable scale for students’ psychological distress was constructed using the model assuming equal item parameters across countries. This enables us to compare the levels of students’ psychological distress and its relationships with the construct across countries. The most important factors contributing to students’ psychological distress were school support, school belonging, disrupted sleep, difficulties in learning after the disruption and preparedness for future disruptions. In some countries, we find suggestive evidence that boys exhibited lower psychological distress than girls. We do not find any meaningful relationship between home resources and the students’ psychological distress scale.ConclusionsStudents across participating countries expressed negative feelings about schooling and events happening during the disruption and their effects on their future. We find indication that some school and student factors had a significant relationship with students’ psychological distress in many countries. This was especially the case in countries where remote learning took place during the disruption. In addition, differences across countries are found. The key finding is that high psychological distress is present in all countries studied around the world. However, it is important to note that the factors contributing to this distress are not the same everywhere. Therefore potential interventions must consider country specific factors.

Emotional intelligence and mental well-being of students in Indian higher education sector: an SEM based analysis

Purpose This study aims to provide empirical insights pertaining to the impact of trait emotional intelligence on the mental well-being of students in higher education institutions (HEIs) in India. Design/methodology/approach In the current study, responses from a total of 252 students were randomly taken from different universities of Uttarakhand (India). The analysis was done using structural equation modelling AMOS 23. Findings The current study empirically established the positive impact of trait emotional intelligence (TEI) on the mental well-being of students and highlighted the relevance of TEI in curbing the psychological distress in students of HEIs. Originality/value This study endeavours to bridge the empirical and population gap by examining the emotional intelligence and its impact on mental well-being of the students of Indian HEIs, where studies are still scant and demand massive exploration of the perceptions of students. Strong emotional intelligence is pivotal in strengthening the mental well-being of students so that they can make appropriate decisions pertaining to their career and personal life.

Psychometric properties of the Distress Questionnaire-5 (DQ5) for measuring psychological distress in adolescents

Screening for psychological distress may assist in identifying at-risk adolescents. While several measures of adolescent psychological distress have been used, most have limited or suboptimal psychometric properties. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Distress Questionnaire-5 (DQ5), a brief measure of psychological distress, in a large community-based sample of adolescents. Data for the study (n = 3117) were drawn from the baseline and 6-week follow-up assessments of the Future Proofing Study, which collected data from three cohorts of Year 8 students (M = 13.9 years; 48% female) between August 2019 and May 2022. Participants completed the DQ5 at each measurement occasion, as well as measures of depression, generalised and social anxiety, and suicidal ideation. The DQ5 had good fit to a unidimensional construct, with standardised factor loadings ranging between 0.69 and 0.90. The scale had strong criterion (AUC ranged from 0.84 to 0.93) and predictive (AUC ranged from 0.81 to 0.87) validity when compared against indicators for depression, generalised anxiety, social anxiety and suicidal ideation. The DQ5 cut-point of ≥14 had 80% sensitivity and 90% specificity for identifying adolescents meeting symptom thresholds for any of the assessed mental health conditions. Changes in DQ5 scores over 6 weeks had moderate associations with changes in other symptom scales, suggesting sensitivity to change. In conclusion, the DQ5 demonstrates strong psychometric properties and is a reliable measure of psychological distress in adolescents. Given its brevity and ease of interpretation, the DQ5 could be readily used in schools to screen for psychological distress in students.

Promoting Nursing Student Mental Health Wellness: The Impact of Resilience-Building and Faculty Support.

Being aware of elevated levels of student psychological distress by nursing faculty, and subsequently responding to it, may diminish nursing students' experience of negative mental health well-being. Relationships between perceived faculty support, resiliency, and the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among undergraduate nursing students were explored. An exploratory mixed-methods design was used for this descriptive, cross-sectional study. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21, Brief Resilience Scale, Perceived Faculty Support Scale, a demographic questionnaire, and open-ended questions were used to collect data. A convenience sample of 989 undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students from across the United States completed the surveys. Study results revealed resilience strategies and psychological and functional supportive faculty behaviors and actions are substantial predictors of lower depression, anxiety, and stress in undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students. Investments in faculty development to support nursing student resilience may reduce the degree of negative mental health well-being that students exhibit related to nursing education and promote their successful transition to nursing practice.

Is Psychological Distress a Risk Factor or an Outcome of School Violence and Cyberbullying Perpetrated by Adolescents? A Short-Term Longitudinal Panel Study.

Although the associations between adolescent psychological distress (i.e., depression, anxiety, and somatization), school violence, and cyberbullying have been examined using cross-sectional data, little evidence from longitudinal panel data exists to determine the temporal association. A two-wave longitudinal panel data with a 10-month interval were obtained from a random sample of 487 Chinese junior high school students (grades 7-9) in Tianjin in Mainland China. The cross-lagged panel analysis showed that adolescent psychological distress in the first wave of the survey was significantly associated with subsequent school violence against peers and teachers in the second wave but not in the opposite direction. Student psychological distress in the first wave of the survey was not significantly associated with cyberbullying perpetration in the second wave and vice versa. The findings suggested that adolescent psychological distress was a risk factor rather than the consequence of violence against peers and teachers in school. However, the temporal associations between adolescent psychological distress and cyberbullying perpetration were non-significant. These findings were relevant to both sex groups. The findings may imply that potential interventions and policies to prevent students from committing school violence should consider reducing students' psychological distress as one of the core elements.

PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS DUE TO ACADEMIC STRESS AMONG FIRST YEAR MEDICAL STUDENTS OF GOVERNMENT MEDICAL COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL OF PATIALA

Objective: Numerous studies have shown that mental distress is a common problem among medical students. The impact of medical student psychological distress on academic performance has not been systematically examined. This study provided an opportunity to explore problems faced by struggling undergraduate 1st-year medical students and the influence of demographics and academic distress on these rates of distress.to assess the level of mental distress and associated factors among medical students. Methods: The study was conducted on medical students at Government Medical College and Hospital, Patiala. Data were collected from 154 consenting 1st-year medical students using a three-part structured, self-administered questionnaire (Part I: Background Data, Part II: The 20- item Self Reporting Questionnaire [SRQ-20] English version, and Part III: Academic Stress Score [ASS-40]). Results: Analysis shows that 35.06% of the sample is experiencing high levels of psychological distress. Results further suggests that psychological distress is related to perceived health and academic stress. There were no significant differences in gender and other demographic variables. Conclusions: The study shows that the prevalence of mental distress among medical students at medical college is higher than that reported by students of other streams. Continued supportive interventions for medical students and proper counseling and mentorship programs are highly recommended.

Digital Interventions for Psychological Well-being in University Students: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BackgroundLife at university provides important opportunities for personal growth; however, this developmental phase also coincides with the peak period of risk for the onset of mental health disorders. In addition, specific university lifestyle factors, including impaired sleep and academic and financial stress, are known to exacerbate psychological distress in students. As a result, university students have been identified as a vulnerable population who often experience significant barriers to accessing psychological treatment. Digital psychological interventions are emerging as a promising solution for this population, but their effectiveness remains unclear.ObjectiveThis systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess digital interventions targeting psychological well-being among university students.MethodsDatabase searches were conducted on December 2, 2021, via Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science.ResultsA total of 13 eligible studies were identified, 10 (77%) of which were included in the meta-analysis. Mean pre-post effect sizes indicated that such interventions led to small and significant improvement in psychological well-being (Hedges g=0.32, 95% CI 0.23-0.4; P<.001). These effects remained, albeit smaller, when studies that included a wait-list control group were excluded (Hedges g=0.22, 95% CI 0.08-0.35; P=.002). An analysis of acceptance and commitment therapy approaches revealed small and significant effects (k=6; Hedges g=0.35, 95% CI 0.25-0.45; P<.001).ConclusionsDigital psychological interventions hold considerable promise for university students, although features that optimize service delivery and outcomes require further assessment.Trial RegistrationPROSPERO CRD42020196654; https:/www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=196654

EFFECT OF COVID-19 ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF STUDENTS IN PAKISTAN: THE ONLINE EDUCATION PRESSURE, FEAR OF FAILING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS

The Covid-19 pandemic has been around for a long time in Pakistan and it has resulted in the shutting down of education sector over a long period of time. Despite this hurdle, government has implemented Online Education System in universities throughout Pakistan. But this online education system comes with its own caveats and problems. The many gaps and oversights in Pakistan's online education system as well problems of being developing country have all contributed to deterioration of students' mental health. This article focuses on negative effects this lockdown and online education has caused on student's studies, how their mental health has deteriorated over the time span of online classes. The questionnaires were designed to assess online education pressure, psychological distress and fear of failing in students. Findings shows that online education pressure has caused a severe and significant increase in student's Psychological Distress, especially in context of Fear of Failure. This study will help policy makers in solving the issue of psychological distress in students by taking appropriate steps and adopting better strategies.

Parenting Styles and Psychological Distress in CamEd Students

ABSTRACT Psychological distress in students remains a worrying problem globally, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to analyze psychological distress in students from CamEd Business School and its relationship with the parenting styles of parents of these students. The relationship between psychological distress and parenting styles and the influence of traditional Asian culture on both is analyzed in the literature review. One hundred sixty-four respondents scored the Perceived Stress Scale and the Parental Authority Questionnaire to measure psychological distress and parenting styles, respectively. Scores of the PSS were compared with norm scores by One sample t-test. We conducted independent sample t-tests to analyze gender differences and regression analysis to examine the relationship between parenting styles and psychological distress. The results show a significantly higher amount of psychological distress (M=22.43) in this population than in norm groups (M= 19.63). The female gender was linked with significantly higher amounts of psychological distress than the male gender. This study found no significant correlation between parenting styles and psychological distress. The paper discusses the limitations and implications of these findings. However, we need further research on variables in psychological distress and parenting styles for this population. Keywords: Psychological distress; Students; Parenting styles; Asian culture

Psychological Distress, Somatic Complaints, and Their Relation to Negative Psychosocial Factors in a Sample of Swedish High School Students.

Background: Adolescence is a period in life characterized by major neurobiological, physiological, and psychological changes. Those changes may give rise to worsened mental health and an increased prevalence of somatic complaints combined with a negative psychosocial environment. Rapid changes in society, which may also affect young people in several ways, call for a renewed screening of today's adolescents' mental and somatic well-being.Aim: The present study's primary aim was to measure the level of self-rated psychological distress and the prevalence of somatic complaints in a sample of Swedish high school students. As a secondary aim, it identifies gender-specific patterns and examines mental and somatic health in relation to negative psychosocial factors (such as parental alcohol use problems or the experience of physical or psychological abuse).Method: Two hundred and eighty-seven Swedish high school students completed a survey including the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and a questionnaire about the presence of defined somatic complaints. In order to examine the relationship between negative psychosocial factors and mental and somatic health, three groups were formed: those reporting (i) parental substance use problems, (ii) previous experience of abuse, (iii) none of these problems.Results: The majority of the Swedish high-school students (>80%) reported no or only a few problems with psychological distress and no or only one somatic complaint. Female students disclosed a significantly higher psychological distress level captured by each BSI domain. The number of somatic complaints was similarly distributed between the genders. The students rarely reported parental substance use problems, but almost 40% of the male and 50% of the female students indicated the experience of physical and/or psychological abuse. Such negative psychosocial circumstances were related to an increased level of anxiety in the male and an increased general level of psychological distress in female students.Conclusions: The study confirmed female students' higher psychological distress level. Gender differences in the type of somatic complaints, but not in the number were detected. The experience of physical and/or psychological abuse was found to significantly worsen psychological distress in students of both genders.

The role of passion for studies on academic procrastination and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Procrastination is a maladaptive behaviour that students often experience in academic activities and can result in negative consequences to mental health. The challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic can contribute to increase procrastination behaviors in academic activities that the student does not like and in those he/she is passionate. The main objective of this research was to test an integrative model of passion, procrastination, satisfaction with life and psychological distress in students during pandemic. The sample was comprised of 416 university students aged between 18 and 57 years (Mage = 24.81 ± 7.02, 78.1% women). Structural Equation Modeling results revealed that academic procrastination is negatively linked to harmonious passion, and positively linked to obsessive passion. Academic procrastination in turn is negatively linked to satisfaction with life and positively linked to psychological distress. Harmonious passion also was directly positively associated to satisfaction with life and negatively associated to psychological distress. These results suggest that students’ harmonious passion for their studies plays a protective role against academic procrastination and mental health indicators, while obsessive passion represents a risk factor.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction for medical students: a narrative review.

BackgroundMedical students are at high risk of depression, distress and burnout, which may adversely affect patient safety. There has been growing interest in mindfulness in medical education to improve medical student well-being. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a commonly used, standardized format for teaching mindfulness skills. Previous research has suggested that MBSR may be of particular benefit for medical students. This narrative review aims to further investigate the benefits of MBSR for undergraduate medical students.MethodsA search of the literature was performed using MedLine, Embase, ERIC, PSYCInfo, and CINAHL to identify relevant studies. A total of 102 papers were identified with this search. After review and application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, nine papers were included in the study.ResultsMBSR training for medical students was associated with increased measures of psychological well-being and self-compassion, as well as improvements in stress, psychological distress and mood. Evidence for effect on empathy was mixed, and the single paper measuring burnout showed no effect. Two studies identified qualitative themes which provided context for the quantitative results.ConclusionsMBSR benefits medical student well-being and decreases medical student psychological distress and depression.

Psychological distress in the COVID-19 pandemic: prevalence and associated factors at a nursing college.

to analyze the prevalence and factors associated with psychological distress in students and workers at a public nursing college during the COVID-19 pandemic. this is a cross-sectional study, carried out by a structured survey based on the internet with a sample of 477 students and workers. Prevalence ratios were calculated and adjusted Prevalence Ratios were obtained by Poisson Regression, with robust variance control and stepwise backward technique. the prevalence of psychological distress was 19.29% (95%CI: 15.98-23.09). Testing (PR 1.55; p-value 0.026) and belonging to the COVID-19 risk group (1.71; p-value 0.005), perception of family atmosphere (PR 3.10; p-value <0.001), feelings of loneliness (PR 2.64; p-value <0.001) and family violence (PR 2.21; p-value 0.005) were associated with distress. the high magnitude of the event and its association with COVID-19, loneliness and family dynamics arouse the need to build strategies that promote a place of protection for schools.

Emotion Dysregulation and Psychological Distress in Students

The given study found relationship between emotion dysregulation and psychological distress in students. Correlation research design was used to explore the results of 400 students of age ranges 15-25, (male=200, female=200) from different educational institutes of Lahore. Difficulties in emotion regulation scale (DERS; Gratz &amp; Roemer, 2004) and Kessler’s scale of psychological distress (Kessler, 2002) were used to found dysregulated emotions and psychological issues respectively. Analysis was conducted to find relationship between emotion dysregulation and psychological distress as well predicting role of emotions for outcome variable psychological distress. Result showed significant relationship between emotion dysregulation and psychological distress. Moreover, result showed emotion dysregulation positively predicted psychological distress. on the basis of this information future mental health related programs and advanced intervention plans would be introduced at educational institutes to reduce distress due to dysregulated/maladaptive emotions

Effect of sleep, breakfast and physical activity on test anxiety and psychological distress

Introduction: Student psychological distress, emotional disorders, burnout and suicidal ideation are a bitter reality of our present day competitive educational system. Stress is heightened during examination periods. The essentiality of predictors is to find coping techniques to reduce test anxiety and psychological distress, simultaneously maintaining healthy stress and a healthy body, which is needed to drive performance. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study of female medical students for test anxiety and psychological distress was done on, the effects of sleep the night before examination, breakfast consumption before exam and students involvement with exercise or sports. Westside test anxiety scale and Kessler’s psychological distress K10 scale was used to assess the test anxiety and psychological distress along with self-reporting of breakfast consumption, involvement in exercise or sports and sleep duration in the night before exam. Results: This study shows significant negative correlation of test anxiety and psychological distress with duration of sleep. The mean test anxiety and psychological distress were higher with less sleep but odd ratio was not significant. The odds ratio of high Psychological distress were significantly lesser with physical activity Exp(B) 0.562 (95%CI 0.333, 0.949) and with breakfast consumption Exp(B) 0.456 (95%CI 0.268, 0.777). The odds ratios for high test anxiety with exercise and breakfast consumption are lower but not significant. Conclusion: Educational institutions should teach students on the beneficial effect of sleep, breakfast and exercise to reduce academic stress which can enhance students’ performance.

Impact of "e-Learning crack-up" perception on psychological distress among college students during COVID-19 pandemic: A mediating role of "fear of academic year loss".

While literature reveals the positive perception of e-Learning, this study examined and assessed the impact of e-Learning crack-up perceptions on psychological distress among college students during COVID-19 pandemic. Kessler psychological distress scale (K10) was used to evaluate stress symptoms. This study first conducted an online focus group discussion (OFGD) with the target population to develop the scale of "e-Learning crack-up" and "fear of academic year loss". Afterward, a questionnaire was developed based on OFGD findings. An online survey was conducted amongst college students in Bangladesh using a purposive sampling technique. Results show that "e-Learning crack-up" perception has a significant positive impact on student's psychological distress, and fear of academic year loss is the crucial factor that is responsible for psychological distress during COVID-19 lockdown. This study can provide an understanding of how "e-Learning crack-up" and "Fear of academic year loss" influence college students' mental health. Theoretically, this study extends and validated the scope of Kessler's psychological distress scale with two new contexts. Practically, this study will help the government and policymakers identify the student's mental well-being and take more appropriate action to address these issues.

College Student Psychological Distress: Relationship to Self‐Esteem and Career Decision Self‐Efficacy Beliefs

College students experience a number of stressors, such as adjustment to a new environment, postgraduation planning, and the balancing of changing roles and responsibilities. These stressors may contribute to increased rates of psychological distress that have implications for their educational and career development. The purpose of this study was to extend understanding of the nature of the relationships among psychological distress, self‐esteem, and career decision self‐efficacy (CDSE) beliefs. Results from 292 undergraduate students demonstrated support for the proposed hypotheses. Psychological distress negatively related to self‐esteem and to CDSE. Self‐esteem was positively related to, yet distinct from, CDSE, and both self‐esteem and psychological distress contributed unique variance to the prediction of CDSE. Results highlight the importance of attending to student psychological distress in the provision of career counseling services. Future research that centralizes mental health is needed to better understand relationships among career development processes over time and within diverse student populations.

Medical Student Psychological Distress and Mental Illness Relative to the General Population: A Canadian Cross-Sectional Survey.

To provide national data on Canadian medical students' mental health and show how their mental health compares with that of similarly aged postsecondary graduates from the general population. In 2015-2016, the authors conducted a survey of medical students in all years of study at all 17 Canadian medical schools. The surveys included validated items and instruments to assess for psychological distress, suicidal ideation, and diagnosed mood and anxiety disorders. Comparative analyses were performed between medical students and similarly aged postsecondary graduates using data from the Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health 2012. The participation rate across all medical students was 40.2% (4,613/11,469). Relative to the general population of postsecondary graduates aged 20-34, medical students aged 20-34 had significantly higher rates of diagnosed mood disorders, diagnosed anxiety disorders, suicidal ideation, and psychological distress. Among medical students, being female was associated with having a mood or anxiety disorder, lifetime suicidal ideation, moderate or severe psychological distress, and higher mean Kessler Psychological Distress Scale 6-item summative scores. Being in clinical training was associated with having suicidal ideation, moderate or severe psychological distress, and mood and anxiety disorders. Compared with postsecondary graduates from the general population, medical student respondents had significantly higher rates of psychological distress, suicidal ideation, and mood and anxiety disorders. Further research is needed to understand the factors that are contributing to these higher rates.