Effects of an Existential Nursing Intervention for College Students in the COVID-19 Pandemic Situation

Abstract

This study designed an intervention based on logo-autobiography to reduce Korean college students’ stress and depression and help them find meaning in their lives amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. A quasi-experimental design was used to conduct group interventions among college students. A total of 22 and 26 participants were included in the experimental and control groups, respectively. The experimental group received six sessions of a logo-autobiography for college students (LAC). The effects of the LAC interventions were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and four weeks after the program’s end to determine their retention rate. The effects of group, time, and the group-by-time interaction were verified using generalized estimating equations with an autoregressive correlation structure. The experimental group exhibited significantly lower levels of stress and depression and higher levels concerning the meaning of life than the control group. However, only the effects on stress and the meaning of life continued four weeks after the intervention’s end. Based on this study’s results, LAC can be considered a useful method for reducing stress and depression in college students who have just started their adult life, as well as for aiding them in their pursuit for the meaning of life.

The need for accessible mental health interventions for young adults in the COVID-19 pandemic: A student psychologists’ perspective and rapid systematic review

“…Four studies were randomized control trials (RCT 32, 39,40,42 ), while the others had no controlled or randomized design. While two studies took place as in-person seminars 40,41 , all other interventions were online or app-based, and self-administered (i.e., participants decided on when to do the intervention). Five out of eight interventions were Cognitive-Behavioral-Therapy (CBT)-based 37,38,40,42 or included elements of CBT, such as behavioral activation and cognitive restructuring 39 .…”

“…The other interventions used mindfulness practices 36,38 , logo-autobiography 41 and a synergistic mindset intervention 32 . The length of the interventions varied between approximately 40 minutes for a single intervention 39 and five 1.5-hour sessions 42 .…”

“…Drop-out rates varied between 13% and 50%. The longest follow-up of all included studies was 4 weeks 41 .…”

“…In all studies focusing on anxiety, stress and depression, reductions in following the intervention were recorded [36][37][38][40][41][42] . In the study of González-García and colleagues 36 41 .…”

“…In all studies focusing on anxiety, stress and depression, reductions in following the intervention were recorded [36][37][38][40][41][42] . In the study of González-García and colleagues 36 41 . Yeager and colleagues 32 showed reductions of 0.97 scale points in anxiety symptoms (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale [GAD-7]) post intervention, but only in students with a negative mindset at baseline.…”