Positive Mental Health in University Students and Its Relations with Psychological Vulnerability, Mental Health Literacy, and Sociodemographic Characteristics: A Descriptive Correlational Study

Sónia Teixeira, Carme Ferré-Grau, Teresa Lluch Canut, Regina Pires, José Carlos Carvalho, Isilda Ribeiro, Carolina Sequeira, Teresa Rodrigues, Francisco Sampaio, Tiago Costa and Carlos Alberto Sequeira
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Sónia Teixeira: CINTESIS—Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Porto School of Nursing, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Carme Ferré-Grau: Faculty of Nursing, Universitat Rovira y Virgili, 43003 Tarragona, Spain
Teresa Lluch Canut: Department of Public Health, Mental Health and Maternal and Child Health Nursing, Nursing School, University of Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
Regina Pires: CINTESIS—Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Porto School of Nursing, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
José Carlos Carvalho: CINTESIS—Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Porto School of Nursing, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Isilda Ribeiro: CINTESIS—Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Porto School of Nursing, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Carolina Sequeira: Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
Teresa Rodrigues: CINTESIS—Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Porto School of Nursing, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Francisco Sampaio: CINTESIS—Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Higher School of Health Fernando Pessoa, 4200-253 Porto, Portugal
Tiago Costa: CINTESIS—Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, 4434-502 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
Carlos Alberto Sequeira: CINTESIS—Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Porto School of Nursing, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 6, 1-12

Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate positive mental health (PMH) and its relation with sociodemographic characteristics, mental health literacy, and the psychological vulnerability scale (PVS) in Portuguese university students aged 17 to 62. A descriptive correlational study was carried out. An online survey was conducted to evaluate demographic variables, and several questionnaires were applied to evaluate positive mental health, psychological vulnerability, and mental health literacy. The data was collected from 1 November 2019 to 1 September 2020. Overall, 3405 students participated in the study. The results show that 67.8% of students revealed a high level of PMH, 31.6% presented a medium level of PMH, and 0.6% had a low level of PMH. Male students reported higher personal satisfaction ( t (3170) = −2.39, p = 0.017) and autonomy ( t (3170) = −3.33, p = 0.001) in PMH compared to female students. Students without a scholarship scored higher ( t (3127) = −2.04, p = 0.42) in PMH than students who held a scholarship. Students who were not displaced from their home reported higher ( t (3170) = −1.99, p = 0.047) self-control in PMH than those displaced from their home. University students with higher PMH results had lower PVS results and higher literacy results. The findings of this study will contribute to identifying students’ PMH intervention needs.

Keywords: mental health; mental health literacy; psychological vulnerability; health promotion; adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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