Expressions of psychological distress among students at the Federal University of Tocantins

Abstract

The theme of this article is the psychological distress of students in the context of public universities. This is a subject of growing discussion due to the increasing number of cases evidenced in statistics on depression, suicide, and mental illness among higher education academics. The study is grounded in interdisciplinary theoretical reflection, encompassing foundations of education and teaching, with an emphasis on aspects of communication and perspectives proposed by medicine. Employing complementary quantitative and qualitative methodological tools, the research analyzed 342 questionnaires completed by students, faculty, and technical staff at the Federal University of Tocantins, aiming to investigate various aspects of distress within the selected sample. Through analysis, it is possible to observe the complexity of the emotions and relationships experienced by students in the university setting, concluding that psychological distress should be considered a troubling academic reality. In this scenario, it is suggested that the development and investment in institutional public policies promoting health and quality of life for students and faculty in higher education are needed. The discussion is of paramount importance and may contribute to the development of practices that alleviate suffering in the context of public higher education

Keywords
Psychological distress; Mental health; University