Psicoativos e sucesso escolar nos estudantes do ensino superior: uma análise em tempos de Pandemia Covid-19 / Psychoactive substances and school achievement in higher education students: an approach in times of Covid-19 pandemic

RESUMO

Enquadramento: na população estudantil do ensino superior, muitos comportamentos podem afetar o sucesso escolar.Objetivo: analisar a associação entre o consumo dos principais psicoativos e o sucesso escolar dos estudantes do ensino superior. Metodologia: estudo transversal, descritivo, quantitativo e analítico. Questionário online aplicado aos alunos do Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB), Portugal, após o primeiro semestre letivo de 2020/2021. Amostra de 825 alunos estratificada por escola, com base numa população de 8875 alunos matriculados. Resultados: evidenciou-se relação estatisticamente significativa entre quem consome medicamentos psicoativos e/ou drogas recreativas com o menor rendimento escolar. Verificou-se que as práticas abusivas de binge drinking/smoking e a que a combinação com um terceiro psicoativo também estão associados a menor desempenho académico. Com a pandemia Covid-19 os estudantes percecionaram aumento de consumos dos principais psicoativos e diminuição do sucesso escolar. Conclusão: o consumo abusivo de psicoativos causa insucesso escolar e a pandemia COVID-19 agravou ambos problemas. (AU)

ABSTRACT

Background: Many behaviours can affect school achievement in the higher education student population. Objective: To analyse the association between the consumption of the main psychoactive substances and the school achievement of higher education students. Methodology: A cross-sectional, descriptive, quantitative, and analytical study. The questionnaire was applied to the students at the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB), Portugal, after the first semester of 2020/2021. The sample comprised 825 students, stratified by school, based on a population of 8,875 enrolled students. Results: A statistically significant relationship was found between those who consume psychoactive medicines and/or recreational drugs with the lowest school performance. Abusive binge drinking/smoking practices and the combination with a third psychoactive substance were also found to be associated with lower academic performance. With the COVID-19 pandemic, students perceived increased consumption of the main psychoactive substances and decreased school achievement. Conclusion: abusive consumption of psychoactive substances causes school failure, and the COVID-19 pandemic has further aggravated these problems. (AU)