The public University of Magdalena has led a guide in catilla format to promote mental health and psychological well-being in university students.
The institution indicated that, through a closing ceremony, its creators socialized the 36-page guide in which they describe the experiences of students who, through the strategy University Students with Mental Health (UNISAM+), expose real cases where they face stress, anxiety, depression and suicide.
In this regard, the psychologist Kelly Obispo Salazar, research professor of the Cognition and Education Group, indicated that “the development of the guide involved the students in the entire proposal”.
The psychology professional also added that the guide “It is aimed at young people who go through very complex situations in the academic semester”.
It contains topics such as time management, study techniques, emotional management and dynamics that are applied to the academic context outside the university environment., that is, it can be replicated in junior high school youth to improve their psychological well-being. The participating students were co-investigators in the guide construction process.
“We found that it was possible to reduce indicators in symptoms of anxiety and depression. We increase others such as self-acceptance and motivation for the life project”, said Camilo Velandia Arias, a young researcher at CogniEd.
This tool is the final product of activities promoted by the Young Talent in Health strategy of Minciencias, the Rector’s Office of UNIMAGDALENA, the Vice-Rector’s Office for Research through the Cognition and Education Research Group (CogniEd).
The Psychological Attention Program (PAP), the Student Development Department, teachers and students of the Psychology Program also participated.
The project was carried out by six members of the research group Cognition and Education: young health research professionals Camilo Velandia Arias and Heygui Araujo Zúñiga, together with the Psychology Program students Andrea Cardona and Dayana Alfaro, with the guidance of teachers María Fernanda Cabas Manjarrés and Kelly Obispo Salazar, who were their tutors.