The charasteristics of the supporting environment and mental health of university students after the Covid-19 pandemic

Pandemija COVID-19 je svojim učincima postavila mnoge nove izazove studentima i neočekivane stresne promjene. Istraživanja mentalnog zdravlja pokazuju da studentska populacija predstavlja vulnerabilnu skupinu. Od početka COVID-19 pandemije identificiran je velik broj rizičnih čimbenika koji mogu ugroziti mentalno zdravlje, ali i zaštitni čimbenici. U tom smislu ovaj završni rad se bavi obilježjima podrške okruženja i mentalnog zdravlja studenata nakon COVID-19 pandemije. U uvodnom dijela rada se prikazuju dosadašnje teorijske i empirijska spoznaje koje opisuju utjecaj COVID-19 pandemije na mentalno zdravlje, uloga podrške okruženja, teškoće mentalnog zdravlja studenata, pozitivno mentalno zdravlje i uloga psiholoških savjetovališta i ureda za studente s invaliditetom pri fakultetima i sveučilištima u tom smislu. Pored toga provedeno je i istraživanje na uzorku od 239 studenata Učiteljskog fakulteta u Zagrebu. Rezultati su pokazali da, kada se radi o obilježjima podrške okruženja najveća podršku studenti vide u obitelji, prijateljima i profesorima. Kada se radi o uvidu u samoprocjene pozitivnog mentalnog zdravlja studenti su iskazivali osjećaje vezane za bliske osobe s kojima imaju dobre odnose u kojima ima razumijevanja, iskustva zbog kojih su se razvili i postali bolja osoba, važnost osjećaja slobode za izražavanje mišljenja i ideja i zainteresiranost za vlastiti život. Dobiveni rezultati mogu biti smjernice u skladu sa svrhom istraživanja koja je povezana sa razvojem strategija koje promiču i održavaju visoku razinu mentalnog zdravlja studenata i njihove dobrobiti. Također, rezultati bi mogli pomoći sveučilišnim psihološkim savjetovalištima da pruže odgovarajuće usluge podrške za poboljšanje prilagodbe studenata i promicanja njihovog mentalnog zdravlja tijekom i nakon pandemije COVID-19. Vrijednost istraživanja je u činjenici da se ovaj završni rad bavi pitanjima pozitivnog mentalnog zdravlja studenata kao vulnerabilne populacije, mjerenjem trenutnog stanja sa svrhom fokusiranja i davanje smjernica za strategije koje promiču i održavaju visoku razinu mentalnog zdravlja studenata i dobrobiti općenito.The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic posed many new challenges for students and unexpected stressful changes. Research on mental health shows that the student population is a vulnerable group. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of risk factors that can endanger mental health, as well as protective factors, have been identified. In this sense, this final paper deals with the characteristics of the supportive environment and mental health of students after the COVID-19 pandemic. In the introductory part of the paper, the previous theoretical and empirical findings are presented, which describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, the role of environment support, difficulties in the mental health of students, positive mental health, as well as the role of psychological counseling centers and the offices for students with disabilities at colleges and universities in this meaning. In addition, a survey was conducted on a sample of 239 students of the Faculty of Teacher Education in Zagreb. The results showed that, when it comes to the characteristics of the supportive environment, students see the greatest support in family, friends and professors. When it comes to the insight into self-assessments of positive mental health, students expressed feelings related to close people with whom they have good relations, in which they understand each other, experiences that made them develop and become a better person, the importance of the sense of freedom to express opinions and ideas, and an interest in their own life. The obtained results can be guidelines in accordance with the purpose of the research, which is related to the development of strategies that promote and maintain a high level of mental health of students and their well-being. Moreover, the results could help university psychological counseling centers to provide appropriate support services to improve the adjustment of students and promote their mental health during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The value of the research is in the fact that this thesis deals with the issues of positive mental health of students as a vulnerable population, measuring the current state with the purpose of focusing and providing guidelines for strategies that promote and maintain a high level of mental health of students and well-being in general