The Covid-19 health emergency has entailed the need to reorganize academia’s research, teaching and third mission activities as well as its services for students. Adapting to distance learning, in association with social restrictions, has led to an increase in university students’ distress and levels of anxiety and depression. From November 2020, the Psychological Counseling Service of the University of Cagliari has shifted to the online mode, supported by two trainees of the University’s School of Specialization in Health Psychology. The online counseling mostly follows the in-person model, which consists of a first interview to collect both general socio-demographic information and to identify the reasons for seeking help; then, four sessions and a follow up session after three months are offered. Questionnaires are administered throughout the process to monitor the individual’s state and progresses. The trainees were included in the monthly planned activities under the supervision of the structured psychologist. During the psychological counseling, the trainees have helped the students to increase their self- awareness, to clarify and redefine the meaning of their emotional experiences and to activate their individual resources, with particular attention to the impact of the forced social isolation due to Covid- 19 on their psychophysical wellbeing. Indeed, the enhancement of life skills and resilience, the development of autonomy, and fostering functional, cognitive and metacognitive strategies are fundamental in the prevention and promotion of health and wellbeing. The results show a significant improvement in the aforementioned dimensions and in the reduction of the students' levels of anxiety and depression. Moreover, they confirm the need for a psychological support service for students and suggest the implementation of further activities aimed at improving the level of psychological wellbeing, and at reducing mental distress and university dropouts.
The psychological counseling service of Foggia: safeguarding the psychological well-being of the university population during the pandemic
Celia G.
Writing – Original Draft Preparation
;Limone P.
2021-01-01
Abstract
The Covid-19 health emergency has entailed the need to reorganize academia’s research, teaching and third mission activities as well as its services for students. Adapting to distance learning, in association with social restrictions, has led to an increase in university students’ distress and levels of anxiety and depression. From November 2020, the Psychological Counseling Service of the University of Cagliari has shifted to the online mode, supported by two trainees of the University’s School of Specialization in Health Psychology. The online counseling mostly follows the in-person model, which consists of a first interview to collect both general socio-demographic information and to identify the reasons for seeking help; then, four sessions and a follow up session after three months are offered. Questionnaires are administered throughout the process to monitor the individual’s state and progresses. The trainees were included in the monthly planned activities under the supervision of the structured psychologist. During the psychological counseling, the trainees have helped the students to increase their self- awareness, to clarify and redefine the meaning of their emotional experiences and to activate their individual resources, with particular attention to the impact of the forced social isolation due to Covid- 19 on their psychophysical wellbeing. Indeed, the enhancement of life skills and resilience, the development of autonomy, and fostering functional, cognitive and metacognitive strategies are fundamental in the prevention and promotion of health and wellbeing. The results show a significant improvement in the aforementioned dimensions and in the reduction of the students' levels of anxiety and depression. Moreover, they confirm the need for a psychological support service for students and suggest the implementation of further activities aimed at improving the level of psychological wellbeing, and at reducing mental distress and university dropouts.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
