Mental Health Support in Higher Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study and Recommendations for Practice.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in the lives of many university students around the globe, including students at Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin, Poland. Isolation, a sense of threat, and the transition to remote learning resulted in numerous, mainly psychological, negative consequences for students. The university aimed to provide students with effective assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The question now is whether it has succeeded or failed. This study demonstrates good practices in mental health support at Maria Curie-Sklodowska University during the pandemic and post-pandemic period. Methods: The study was conducted between October and December 2022. The case study method and purposive sampling were used in the study. A total of 19 participants took part in this study. Of the respondents, 16 were females, 3 were males. Ages ranged between 26 and 55 years. Results: Research has shown that the university provided students with various forms of mental health support. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in the 2020/2021 academic year, students and university staff were provided with pedagogical, psychological, and/or psychotherapeutic consultations. Among the main problems reported by students and staff were anxiety, lowered mood, depressive conditions, failure to cope with stress, relationship problems at university, a spectrum of pandemic-related problems, life crises, and discrimination related to sexual orientation. Support was provided via web platforms, social networking websites, and by phone, directly and free of charge. Conclusions: The impact of the pandemic has exposed strengths and weaknesses in the management of the mental health support system at the university. It also showed new needs and directions of support. The university has new goals; one of the greatest is preparing students for the challenges of the future.

Mood and Emotions among Inmates after COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: During imprisonment, inmates face many difficulties in adapting to life behind bars. The aim of the study was to find out (a) how challenging for inmates were the selected COVID-19 pandemic-related changes and stressors, (b) what moods and emotions are most commonly experienced by prisoners just after the difficult period of the COVID-19 pandemic, and (c) which of the selected factors determine the positive and negative mood of inmates. METHODS: The research was conducted in July 2022 in six randomly selected Polish prisons. Prisoners (N = 250) were invited to participate. Comparative and regression analyses were carried out. Two scales measuring moods: the General Mood Scale and the Mood Scale (positive and negative), the Emotions Questionnaire by B. Wojciszke and W. Baryla, and a proprietary questionnaire were used. RESULTS: Sanitary restrictions implemented in prisons resulted in a moderate experience of discomfort among prisoners, mainly in terms of not being able to have direct contact with family and friends, limitation in their personal freedoms to do their jobs, self-development, and deterioration of mental and physical health. A depressed mood predominated among the prisoners, making them feel unhappy, discouraged, tense, and uptight. They reported dominant feelings of alienation, distress, anxiety, and worry at the time of the survey. The mood of inmates was changing from more positive to more negative; on average, it was described as moderate. Based on the regression coefficients, the significant predictors of inmates' positive mood were perceived happiness (for those who got sick with COVID-19 during their prison sentence) and joy, angst, and contentment (for the healthy ones). In the group of SARS-CoV-2-infected prisoners, unhappiness, age, concern, cheerfulness, and rage were found to be predictors of their negative mood. The feeling of joy appeared to be a significant predictor of negative mood for those inmates who had no personal experience with COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to provide convicts with continuous psychological care and to monitor their mood. Such measures should be the foundation for restorative interventions.