Abstract

CAVALCANTI, Jaqueline Gomes et al. Covid-19 and mental health: A study of social representations with university studentsCovid-19 y salud mental: un estudio de representaciones sociales con estudiantes universitßrios. Estud. psicol. (Natal) [online]. 2021, vol.26, n.2, pp. 128-138. ISSN 1413-294X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.22491/1678-4669.20210013.

The objective was to apprehend the Social Representations (SR) of university students from a private Institution about Covid-19 and mental health. There were 294 participants, between 18 to 59 years old (M = 27.43; SD = 6.05). These participants submitted to a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Free Word Association Technique (stimuli: coronavirus and health mental), applied online. Process the data using the TRIDEUX-MOTS software through the Factor Analysis of Correspondence. The results pointed to consensualities between the "coronavirus" and "mental health" stimuli anchored in the psycho-emotional sphere, aimed at anxiety, fear, anguish, and sadness. These stimuli also share other nuclei of a meaning of SR, anchored in protective elements of mental health, faith, health, care, and family. Thus, understanding how SR from different groups in the face of this new phenomenon can help preventive actions to face the disease and preserve mental health.

Keywords : mental health; university students; social representation; pandemic.

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