Bending not breaking: coping among Filipino University students experiencing psychological distress during the Global Health Crisis

Abstract

and well-being (Deasy et al., 2014) and needs prevention and early intervention measures.Young people, particularly university students, are at greater risk for psychological distress in health emergencies (Bert et al., 2020) and traumatic events (Villani et al., 2021). Previous studies have reported that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, university students experienced mental health challenges (Mudenda, 2021;Cao et al., 2020) and high levels of psychological distress (Hughes et al., 2022;Akbar & Aisyawati, 2021). Psychological distress was identified as the most prevalent mental health problem for university students (Gibbons et al., 2019). Anxiety, depression, and stress are among the psychological issues university students experience (Waseem et al., 2020;Khan et al., 2020;Aruta et al., 2022). Restrictions could have caused these psychological problems during pandemic-related lockdown (Alzueta et al., 2021).Psychological distress poses a threat to the safety and well-being of university students. It is linked with risk behaviors and physical illness (Deasy et al., 2014), reduced students' academic performance (Mudenda, 2021), andThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) brought about a pandemic that negatively impacted individuals' mental health (Sameer et al., 2020). It led to the experience of psychological stress, fear (Arvidsdotter et al., 2016), accumulated anxiety, and worries about health. The pandemic has led to significant psychological distress for everyone. Psychological distress (PD) is a state of poor psychological well-being, characterized by undifferentiated mixtures of symptoms extending from depression and anxiety symptoms (Drapeau et al., 2012). Its occurrence is detrimental to mental health

Family, friends, school and nation: Socio‐ecological determinants of mental health among Filipino college students post‐lockdown

“…Consistent with research conducted during the second year of the pandemic (Egcas et al., 2021), the current study indicates moderate well‐being among college student participants. Moreover, the present findings note high levels of psychological distress post‐lockdown, similar to an early COVID‐19 study conducted among Filipino university students (Serrano et al., 2022). Although the final multivariate models of the present study significantly predict both ends of the mental health spectrum, the results also suggest that socio‐ecological determinants have stronger explanatory power for mental well‐being (28.60% of variance) than psychological distress (9.83% of variance).…”

“…Consistent with research conducted during the second year of the pandemic (Egcas et al, 2021), the current study indicates moderate well-being among college student participants. Moreover, the present findings note high levels of psychological distress post-lockdown, similar to an early COVID-19 study conducted among Filipino university students (Serrano et al, 2022).…”

Students and Faculty Experiences, Perceptions and Knowledge on Distress during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

“…18 This cross-sectional survey revealed that the transition to online learning and work in the pandemic context may be a cause of distress among UP Manila students both from the perception of students and faculty members. Similar studies ascertained the distress situation among college students in the United States of America 19 , China 20 , Germany 21 , Belgium 22 , and the Philippines 23 have been published in the past two years.…”

“…This study did not consider academic stressors. 24 However, with regards the personal and family stressors, unclear boundaries between school and home, and family duties are among the factors that were perceived by both faculty and students as among those that are most common. An empirical study presents the importance of family relationships during pandemic periods when promoting preventive health behaviors of Filipino undergraduate students.…”

Gratitude, academic self-efficacy, and well-being outcomes among Filipino undergraduate students

“…This is in addition to the preexisting sociocontextual challenges (e.g., lack of educational opportunities and technological resources, financial and employment issues, volatile familial conditions, and risk of dropping out from the university) that undergraduate students in the Philippines, a developing country in Southeast Asia, are already facing. The Philippines are one of the most heavily affected countries by the pandemic in Southeast Asia, and as Filipino students transition to the post pandemic phase of education, it is important to identify psychological resources that can be utilized to foster resilience, enhance well-being, and boost academic performance and success (Serrano & Reyes, 2022). Gratitude-based interventions offer promising results in enhancing university students’ well-being and buffering their mental health amid these psychosocial challenges (Datu, Buenconsejo, et al, 2022; Geier & Morris, 2022).…”