Mental health and internet use by university students: coping strategies in the context of COVID-19

Mota, Daniela Cristina Belchior; Silva, Yury Vasconcellos da; Costa, Thaís Aparecida Ferreira; Aguiar, Magna Helena da Cunha; Marques, Maria Eduarda de Melo; Monaquezi, Ricardo Manes

doi:10.1590/1413-81232021266.44142020

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Free Themes • Ciênc. saúde coletiva 26 (6) • June 2021 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232021266.44142020 copy

Mental health and internet use by university students: coping strategies in the context of COVID-19

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of Common Mental Disorders (CMD) among university students and analyze the relation between disorders and internet use and the use of coping strategies in the face of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a quantitative cross-sectional study using a non-probability sample of 275 students. Data was collected online using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire, Problematic Internet Use Scale and a coping strategies inventory. We conducted a descriptive and inferential analysis of the data and multiple linear regression was performed to determine the variables that best explained the variation in the problematic internet use. Prevalence of CMD was 58.5% and the presence of CMD was positively correlated with frequency of internet use and the use of avoidant coping strategies, based on confrontation, the search for social support and acceptance of responsibility (p<0.05). The presence of CMD and the use of confrontation coping strategies were the variables that best explained problematic internet use (R2=0.33%; p<0.00). High levels of digital socialization should be taken into account in mental health care actions aimed at university students in the context of COVID-19.

Key words
Mental health; Internet; Coping; Students; COVID-19

Variable		N	%
Sex
	Female	175	63.6
	Male	100	36.4
Age
	17 to 21 years	108	39.3
	22 to 24 years	80	29.1
	25 to 27 years	31	11.3
	28 to 30 years	13	4.7
	Over 30 years	43	15.6
Color
	White	203	73.8
	Brown	46	16.7
	Black	23	8.4
	Yellow	3	1.1
Marital status
	Single	238	86.5
	Married	28	10.2
	Separated	8	2.9
	Widow	1	0.4
Monthly family income
	Up to R$ 1,000.00	25	9.1
	R$ 1,000.01 to R$ 2,000.00	71	25.8
	R$ 2,000.01 to R$ 3,000.00	61	22.2
	More than R$ 3,000.00	118	42.9
Residence
	With family	147	53.5
	With relatives	40	14.5
	Alone	51	18.5
	Student accommodation	30	10.9
	Boarding house	7	2.5

CMD		Possible absence of CMD	Possible presence of CMD
Cutoff point for CMD^a a Cutoff point for CMD was 7/8 affirmative answers to the items of the SRQ-20 and values are expressed in percentages;		41.5	58.5
SRQ-20 items by symptom groups^b b Values expressed in percentages.		Affirmative answers
Depression/anxiety
	Do you feel nervous, tense or worried?	58.8	99.4
	Are you easily frightened?	17.5	63.4
	Do you cry more than usual?	5.3	47.8
	Have you felt unhappy recently?	11.4	67.7
Somatic symptoms
	Do you have uncomfortable feelings in your stomach?	11.4	59
	Do you sleep badly?	28	73.9
	Is your digestion poor?	14	53.4
	Do you often have headaches?	25	67.1
	Do your hands shake?	5.3	36.6
	Is your appetite poor?	9.6	29.8
Decrease in vital energy
	Are you easily tired?	35.1	91.9
	Do you feel tired all the time?	21.9	85.1
	Do you find it difficult to make decisions?	36.8	80.7
	Do you have trouble thinking clearly?	24.6	70.2
	Do you have trouble getting satisfaction out of your tasks s	14.9	75.8
	Is your daily work suffering?	9.6	69.6
Depressive thoughts
	Have you lost interest in things?	10.5	70.2
	Has the thought of ending your life been on your mind?	10.5	38.5
	Is it easy to feel useful/important ?	14.9	62.7
	Do you feel that you are a worth less person?	4.4	31.7

CMD^a a Cutoff point for CMD was 7/8 affirmative answers to the items of the SRQ-20.	Mean internet use score	SD	P-value^* * Significant p-value with 99% confidence interval.
Possible absence of CMD	14.6	8.0	0.00^* * Significant p-value with 99% confidence interval.
Possible presence of CMD	21.4	6.6

Coping strategies	Possible absence of CMD^a a Cutoff point for CMD was 7/8 affirmative answers to the items of the SRQ-20.		Possible presence of CMD^a a Cutoff point for CMD was 7/8 affirmative answers to the items of the SRQ-20.		P-value^* * Significant p-value with 99% confidence interval.
Coping strategies	M	SD	M	SD
Confrontation	4.1	2.7	6.5	3.3	0.00^* * Significant p-value with 99% confidence interval.
Withdrawal	7.8	3.5	9.5	3.6	0.00^* * Significant p-value with 99% confidence interval.
Self-control	6.7	2.6	7.1	3.1	0.28
Social support	8.0	3.8	9.1	3.9	0.02^* * Significant p-value with 99% confidence interval.
Acceptance of responsibility	7.3	4.7	9.3	4.2	0.00^* * Significant p-value with 99% confidence interval.
Escape and avoidance	3.2	1.8	4.5	1.7	0.00^* * Significant p-value with 99% confidence interval.
Problem-resolving	6.6	2.6	4.7	2.6	0.00^* * Significant p-value with 99% confidence interval.
Positive reappraisal	13.1	5.9	10.6	5.2	0.00^* * Significant p-value with 99% confidence interval.

Variables	R	^R2	F	Sig(F)	Beta	T	p
Probability of CMD	0.50	0.25	90.98	0.00	0.50	9.53	0.00
Confrontation-based coping	0.47	0.22	78.83	0.00	0.47	8.87	0.00

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