Mental health in time of pandemics: Study protocol to incorporate risk and protective factors contributing to psychological stress among portuguese and swiss higher education students

IntroductionThe ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is inducing fear, and a timely understanding of mental health status is urgently needed for society. Previous research has revealed a profound and wide range of psychosocial impacts on people at the individual, community, and international levels. On an individual level, people are likely to experience fear of falling sick or dying themselves, feelings of helplessness, and stigma. Currently, there is little understanding of mental well-being assessment under scenarios of pandemics that oblige to social isolation and quarantine.ObjectivesThis study aims to: a) establish the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms;b) identify risk and protective factors contributing to psychological stress;and c) identify coping strategies to promote better adjustment during and after the pandemic crisis.MethodsWe will adopt a mixed-method approach, firstly with a cross-sectional survey design (in both Portugal and Swiss context) to assess the higher education student’s psychosocial response during and after the pandemic, by using an anonymous online questionnaire. In a 2nd phase, and in order to gain more insight into the psychological stress faced by the students as a result of pandemic, a qualitative approach was chosen, focusing on the experiences of the participants.ResultsThis study has received ethical approval from both international and local institutional review boards. Data collection will start in November 2020 and will be completed at February 2021.ConclusionsThe findings of this study will provide important data to assist government agencies and healthcare professionals in safeguarding the psychosocial wellbeing of the community in the face of COVID-19 outbreak expansion.

Adaptation and validation into Spanish of the EMMBEP Psychological Well-being scale in Nursing students

INTRODUCTION. The COVID-19 pandemic could be leaving psychological consequences in the population, both the expected fact of a global reinfection, and the unequal temporal distribution between countries, impose on us the need to be prepared and have tools with the ability to measure in the appropriate context the personal response to this Crisis. OBJECTIVE. To carry rut the translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation for students of Bachelor of Nursing in Spain of the "Measurement Scale of the Manifestations of Psychological Well-being" . METHOD. The target population was the students of the four courses of the Nursing Degree of the Catholic University of Valencia, Data collection was implemented through an online questionnaire within the @students ON quarentine protocal, The final sample was made up of 375 students. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION. The factcrial structure of the Portuguese scale is maintained, KMO: 0,923;Bartlett's 1. 4552,347 (p = .000) and Pearson's r by factors between .702 and .861, Therefore, we have an instrument with optimal criteria of construct validity and reliablity for the measurement of Psychological Well-being in Nursing Degree students in conditions of isolation.