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- Predictors of positive mental health in higher education students. A cross‐sectional predictive studyPublication . Nogueira, Maria José; Seabra, Paulo; Alves, Patrícia; Teixeira, Delfina; Carvalho, José Carlos; Sequeira, CarlosPurpose To describe positive mental health (PMH) psychological vulnerability (PV) and identify predictors of PMH in higher education students (HES). Design and Methods A cross-sectional, predictive study was performed with a convenience sample of 3322 students, using an online questionnaire with sociodemographic information, the PMH Questionnaire, and the PV Scale. Findings The majority scored a flourishing level, and 67.7% of the participants scored high levels of PV. The Regression Model found a significant predictive variable for PMH. Practice Implications Gender, age, regular exercise, healthy diet, number of meals per day, and leisure activities are significant positive predictors of PMH. PV is the sole significant negative predictor. Therefore, improving mental health literacy can be a strategy to support HES
- The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the mental health of Portuguese university studentsPublication . Sequeira, Carlos; Araújo, Odete; Lourenço, Tânia; Freitas, Otília; Carvalho, José Carlos; Costa, PatrícioWorldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a disruptive effect on daily routines, especially for university students. This study aimed to compare pre-pandemic domains of students’ mental health during the pandemic lockdown. One cross-sectional study was conducted in two waves with academic students from 20 Portuguese universities, in March 2020 before the COVID19 pandemic (n = 3579) and 2 months after the first lockdown in May 2020 (n = 1228). The Positive Mental Health Questionnaire (PMHQ), the Mental Health Knowledge Questionnaire, the Mental Health-promoting knowledge, and the Psychological Vulnerability Scale were used. Statistical analyses were performed by bivariate associations and multiple linear regression models. Students were mostly women (79%), with an average age of 23.2 years (SD = 6.6), displaced from their family environment (43%), out-of-home (43%), and scholarship holders (37%). Higher scores found in the PVS were associated with decreased PMHQ in both moments (P < 0.01). These crosssectional studies showed a slight variation in the mental health variables studied in the period before and during the COVID-19 outbreak. Being a woman, younger, out-of-home, and having a scholarship (P < 0.01) seem to increase susceptibility to mental health variation before and during the pandemic. Universities should develop strategies that promote students’ mental health.
- Construction and Validation of the Positive Mental Health Literacy Assessment Scale in AdultsPublication . Chaves, Cláudia; Duarte, João; Sampaio, Francisco; Coelho, Joana; Gonçalves, Amadeu; Santos, Vanda; Sequeira, CarlosLow mental health literacy levels have a profound negative effect on healthcare outcomes, usage of healthcare services and healthcare expenditure. To date, there is little research and a lack of instruments available to address and assess positive mental health literacy levels in community-dwelling adults. Thus, this study sought to develop an instrument to assess positive mental health literacy in adults and to evaluate its psychometric properties. A scale developed in European Portuguese and composed of 32 items was designed to assess positive mental health literacy among community-dwelling adults and was validated using exploratory factor analysis. Five latent factors were identified (decision making, prosocial attitudes, perception of resources, community involvement, and problem solving), whose hypothesised structure was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modelling. Evidence showed that the scale’s factor structure is reliable and valid and adequately represents the theorised constructs. Thus, this may be a useful assessment tool for clinical practice since it will allow a more rigorous assessment of positive mental health literacy and better mental health promotion interventions in the population.