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Mental Health Support in Higher Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study and Recommendations for Practice

Author

Listed:
  • Alicja Lisiecka

    (Faculty of Education and Psychology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-400 Lublin, Poland)

  • Dorota Chimicz

    (Faculty of Education and Psychology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-400 Lublin, Poland)

  • Agnieszka Lewicka-Zelent

    (Faculty of Education and Psychology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-400 Lublin, Poland)

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in the lives of many university students around the globe, including students at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Poland. Isolation, a sense of threat, and the transition to remote learning resulted in numerous, mainly psychological, negative consequences for students. The university aimed to provide students with effective assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The question now is whether it has succeeded or failed. This study demonstrates good practices in mental health support at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University during the pandemic and post-pandemic period. Methods: The study was conducted between October and December 2022. The case study method and purposive sampling were used in the study. A total of 19 participants took part in this study. Of the respondents, 16 were females, 3 were males. Ages ranged between 26 and 55 years. Results: Research has shown that the university provided students with various forms of mental health support. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in the 2020/2021 academic year, students and university staff were provided with pedagogical, psychological, and/or psychotherapeutic consultations. Among the main problems reported by students and staff were anxiety, lowered mood, depressive conditions, failure to cope with stress, relationship problems at university, a spectrum of pandemic-related problems, life crises, and discrimination related to sexual orientation. Support was provided via web platforms, social networking websites, and by phone, directly and free of charge. Conclusions: The impact of the pandemic has exposed strengths and weaknesses in the management of the mental health support system at the university. It also showed new needs and directions of support. The university has new goals; one of the greatest is preparing students for the challenges of the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Alicja Lisiecka & Dorota Chimicz & Agnieszka Lewicka-Zelent, 2023. "Mental Health Support in Higher Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study and Recommendations for Practice," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-16, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:6:p:4969-:d:1094637
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cuiyan Wang & Riyu Pan & Xiaoyang Wan & Yilin Tan & Linkang Xu & Cyrus S. Ho & Roger C. Ho, 2020. "Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors during the Initial Stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Epidemic among the General Population in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-25, March.
    2. Francesco Di Gennaro & Damiano Pizzol & Claudia Marotta & Mario Antunes & Vincenzo Racalbuto & Nicola Veronese & Lee Smith, 2020. "Coronavirus Diseases (COVID-19) Current Status and Future Perspectives: A Narrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-11, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Chiara Buizza & Clarissa Ferrari & Giulio Sbravati & Jessica Dagani & Herald Cela & Giuseppe Rainieri & Alberto Ghilardi, 2023. "Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Well-Being, Social Relationships and Academic Performance in a Sample of University Freshmen: A Propensity Score Match Evaluation Pre- and Post-Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(15), pages 1-19, July.
    2. Kamila Litwic-Kaminska & Aleksandra Błachnio & Izabela Kapsa & Łukasz Brzeziński & Jakub Kopowski & Milica Stojković & Darko Hinić & Ivana Krsmanović & Benedetta Ragni & Francesco Sulla & Pierpaolo Li, 2023. "Resilience, Positivity and Social Support as Perceived Stress Predictors among University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(19), pages 1-13, October.

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