Fluctuations in mental health in students accessing a university-wide online mental health promotion intervention before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

ObjectiveGrowing evidence shows that online mental health interventions for university students are a cost-effective means for addressing mental health problems among university students. This study presents data on the numbers and characteristics of students who engaged in an online mental health promotion intervention called YOLO in the context of a university-wide rollout of the program before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsParticipants completed a questionnaire assessing socio-demographics and mental health (wellbeing and distress). A total of 240 students accessed the program over a 12-month period and of these, 164 provided reliable data.ResultsYOLO was accessed by students representing diverse socio-demographics including domestic vs. international student status, degree level, faculty, ethnicity, and age, although there was an over-representation of females (77.2%). Students who accessed YOLO pre-COVID-19 did not substantially differ across most mental health dimensions from those who accessed it during-COVID-19, although more students reported mild-moderate anxiety symptoms during-COVID than pre-COVID-19. The only socio-demographics significantly associated with mental health were age and degree level. Younger age was related to higher anxiety and 3(rd) and 4(th) year undergraduate students reported poorer mental health comparative to students in other years. Additionally, a higher proportion of these students accessed YOLO during-COVID-19 than at pre-COVID-19.ConclusionThe present data along with findings from other studies that have evaluated YOLO, suggest that online mental health promotion programs that do not require in-person contact are an important and necessary resource for all university students.

Visibility and perceptions of mental health among university students, access to services and university internal communication during the Covid-19 pandemic: Comparing experiences in four universities (France, Spain, Argentina, United States).

This study examines communication and information regarding mental health in four public universities in four countries and compares perceptions about the prevalence and importance of mental health problems and about the visibility of university health services. Therefore, the purpose is to better understand the space granted by the university to this issue, and the role that internal university communication could play in facilitating the renewal of social bonds. (English) [ FROM AUTHOR] Este estudio1 analiza la comunicación y la información respecto de la salud mental en cuatro universidades públicas pertenecientes a cuatro países y compara las percepciones acerca de la prevalencia y la importancia de los problemas de salud mental y sobre la visibilidad de los servicios de salud universitarios. Por consiguiente, el propósito es entender mejor el espacio otorgado por la universidad a esta problemática en sus diferentes territorios y el rol que puede tener la comunicación interna universitaria en esta temática. Finalmente se presenta la comunicación como agente facilitador de la renovación del lazo social pudiendo influenciar en las estrategias de comunicación universitarias. (Spanish) [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Zer: Journal of Communication Studies / Revista de Estudios de Comunicacion / Komunikazio Ikasketen Aldizkaria is the property of Universidad del Pais Vasco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Prioritising climate change actions post COVID-19 amongst university students, a Q methodology perspective in the United Arab Emirates

The COVID-19 pandemic caused strict regulations to lower transmission rates. Industries were shut down, people were in lockdown, and travel was curtailed. Restrictions were in effect for an enough period for people's behaviour to change. For example, online meetings rather than needing to travel. This opens the possibility for alterations to the perception that it is possible to commit to effective climate change actions. A Q methodology study was conducted to analyse how 33 university environmental students across the United Arab Emirates perceive the importance of prioritising climate change actions post-pandemic. Statistical analysis yielded four discourses. The first emphasises the need to learn lessons about climate sustainability and sustain them post-pandemic. The second, more pessimistic but advocates preventing a return to pre-pandemic norms by implementing post-pandemic climate change regulations. The third expects economic recovery to take priority over reducing emissions. The fourth raises opportunities and challenges for environmental sustainability post-COVID-19.

Investigating Factors That Influence College Students' Online Continuous Learning Intention during COVID-19 Epidemic

This study aims to explore university students' continuous intention toward online learning during COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 120 students enrolled in online learning were surveyed to collect their perception of an extended model by adding task value to the expectation-confirmation model. Structural equation modeling was employed to verify the hypotheses proposed in this study. The results indicated that task value and technology usefulness were significant predictors of students' continuous intention toward online learning. More specifically, technology usefulness had a direct impact on students' continuous intention, while students' perceived task value played an indirect role in the prediction of their continuous intention. However, the impacts of both confirmation and satisfaction were not statistically significant on students' continuous intention. The results suggest that practitioners and researchers should pay special attention to the technological usefulness of online learning environments and task value, especially task value, in order to enhance students' retention of online learning. This study would contribute to implications to better design and implement online learning. © 2023 IEEE.

Seize the day or seize theses? The challenges in undergraduate thesis writing

Thesis writing is an endeavour that many undergraduate students have to surmount coupled with its inevitable challenges. Consequently, this study was conducted to investigate the diverse thesis writing challenges experienced by arts and humanities students enrolled in Bachelor of Arts degrees in Communication, English Language, and Filipino Language in a state university in the northern part of Luzon, Philippines. A descriptive phenomenology was utilised via focus group discussions to collect data. Through thematic analysis, three main themes or facets of the diverse challenges in thesis writing have been identified. The facets are (1) student-emanating;(2) adviser-emanating;and (3) pandemic/emergency remote teaching-emanating. This research adds to the literature on the challenges in undergraduate thesis writing during emergency remote teaching, provides an input towards pedagogical implications, and recommends future research directions.

Flipped Classrooms in Undergraduate Statistics: Online Works Just Fine

Background The flipped classroom method requires that students engage with homework before coming to the classroom so that class time can be spent on active and collaborative learning exercises. Research has demonstrated that this can improve student performance versus traditional lecturer-led teaching methods. Objective During the COVID-19 pandemic, the vast majority of teaching has been entirely online such that even ‘in-class' time has been virtual. The current article examined whether online-only delivery affects the efficacy of the flipped classroom approach. Method Grades for a research methods and statistics module and a statistics portfolio assignment were compared across consecutive cohorts of undergraduate psychology students taught by different methods. Results Overall grades on the module did not differ significantly across teaching methods but student performance on statistics tests did. Flipped classrooms, whether accompanied by on-campus or synchronous online classes, led to significantly better performance than traditional methods. No detriment was observed by teaching entirely online. Conclusion The key advantages of the flipped classroom method appear driven by active learning which can occur irrespective of classroom context. Teaching Implications Using flipped classrooms can be a useful tool, particularly in subjects where students may otherwise be less engaged with the content.

On break: young people and managing "empty time" during the Covid-19 pandemic

Discussing the results of a qualitative research conducted with Italian university students (19-27 years), the article analyses young people's time management strategies during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic. The research highlights how the forced deceleration imposed by anti-Covid policies has rarely translated into a conscious "practice of the present" (Sloterdijk 2007). Rather, young people's experience of the time during the pandemic is marked by a strong projection towards the future expressed through compulsive practices of programming, planning and accumulation of skills (Rosa 2013) - and regression in the past - noticeable in the return to childhood practices, interests, and behaviors. The article reflects on the potential consequences produced by the combination of these two apparently antithetical dynamics in terms of a "leap" of the biographical time of youth.

Think Like a Scientist and Engineer: Schools, University, and Community Partnerships Using an Aquaponics Project During COVID-19

One way to expand the time spent teaching science in elementary grades and teacher access to science resources is through partnerships with local universities. This article examines one collaboration that aimed to help students "Think Like a Scientist and an Engineer " using aquaponics. This self-sustainable garden combines aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (growing plants in water). The Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) 5E Instructional Model was used to introduce the aquaponics project. This article first discusses the University-School partnership, highlighting the project logistics, successes, challenges, and lessons learned, andfollows up with recommendations for future STEM teaching projects.

The Relationships between University Students' Physical Activity Needs, Involvement, Flow Experience and Sustainable Well-Being in the Post-Pandemic Era

As the global sustainable development agenda advances, having a healthy lifestyle has become an important part of the common pursuit. Physical activity needs and experiences are becoming increasingly diverse, yet there is a paucity of research on issues associated with university students' physical activity needs, and their perceptions of their physical activity needs and sustainable well-being are not yet fully understood. Therefore, this study combines Self-Determination Theory with the existence, relatedness, and growth (ERG) Theory of Needs to explore the mediating effects of different variables on the relationship between university students' physical activity needs and sustainable well-being. A total of 900 Chinese university students were invited through an online survey to participate in this study, and the collected data were validated with a structural equation model. According to the results of the study, it was found that the level of involvement and flow experience in university students' sports activities have a mediating effect on the relationship between needs and sustainable well-being. Therefore, educators can enhance the level of sustainable well-being by stimulating university students' physical activity needs and improving their level of involvement and participation experience.

Nursing Student Teaching-Learning: Resonances and Dissonances of Caring/Care

Objective: To describe and analyze the resonances and dissonances of caring perceived by the student during the teaching-learning process. Method: A qualitative, descriptive study with a phenomenological and dialectical approach. The information was collected utilizing an in-depth interview, using thematic content analysis. Twenty-one nursing students from the ninth and tenth cycles of a private university took part in the study, and the setting was the nursing school in the city of Trujillo. Results: four categories emerged: resonances of care, dissonances, awareness in the practice of human values, and innovative strategies. Conclusion: Teaching-learning with resonances of humanized care is visualized when the teacher is open, attentive, and transmits values, trust, and empathy, generating a sensitive and humane environment. But students also perceive dissonance as teacher neglect generated by negative attitudes. The teaching-learning process requires constant innovation so that nursing care is transmitted in the best way from a humanistic, scientific, ethical, and technological point of view and is experienced by the actors involved: teachers and students.

Validation of CES-D8 among Czech university students during COVID-19 pandemic

Objectives: Due to the rise of depressive symptomatology especially among vulnerable populations such as young adults during the COVID-19 outbreak, a reliable measuring tool is needed. Because of the lack of such studies, the authors decided to validate the 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D 8) among Czech university students capturing the beginning of lockdown experience. Statistical analyses: Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted and structural equation modelling with diagonally weighted least squares estimation using lavaan was employed. Different hypotheses about the dimensionality of the CES-D 8 scale were tested. The authors assessed the measurement equivalence of the CES-D 8 scale according to gender using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. The effect of socio-demographic and COVID-19 issues variables on depression was examined. Results: One dimensional model with correlated errors showed sufficient validity and therefore, the best fit. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis results revealed that the factor structure is invariant across gender. Women and those who reported financial distress and academic stress showed a higher level of depressive symptomatology. On the other hand, relationships proved to have a protective effect. Limitations: The sample came from an online survey, respondents were self-selected. There was a gender imbalance in the sample that cannot be explained by a higher number of women in the Czech university environment. Conclusions: The CES-D 8 proved to be a useful instrument for measuring depressed mood that opens further possibilities for depression research in the university environment and during pandemic situations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Czech) Cile: Vzhledem k narustu depresivni sympto-matologie behem pandemie covid-19 zejmena u zranitelnych skupin, jako jsou mladi dospeli, narostla potrebnost spolehliveho nastroje na mereni depresivity. Z duvodu chybejici validizace se autori rozhodli overit osmipolozkovou skalu Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D 8) u ceskych vysokoskolskych studentu v dobe sameho pocatku pandemie. Statisticke analyzy: Byla provedena konfirmacni faktorova analyza za pouziti strukturniho modelovani metodou DWLS (diagonally weighted least squares) pomoci baliku laavan. Byly testovany ruzne hypotezy o dimenzionalite skaly CES-D 8. Pomoci MCFA (multigroup confirmatory factor analysis) autori posuzovali ekvivalenci mereni skaly CES-D 8 podle pohlavi. Byl zkouman vliv sociodemografickych promennych a promennych tykajicich se problematiky covid-19 na depresivni symptoma-tologii. Vysledky: Jednodimenzionalni model s korelo-vanymi rezidualnimi rozptyly u dvou polozek prokazal dostatecnou validitu a nejlepe odpovidal datum. Vysledky MCFA ukazaly, ze faktorova struktura zvoleneho modelu byla invariantni vzhledem k pohlavi. Zeny a osoby, ktere byly ve financni nouzi nebo prozivaly zvyseny stres ze studia, vykazovaly vyssi uroven depresivni symptomatologie. Naopak partnersky vztah se ukazal mit protektivni efekt. Limity prace: Vzorek pochazi z online pruzku-mu, respondenti byli vybrani samovyberem. Nadreprezentaci zen-studentek v datech nelze zduvodnit vyssim podilem zen na ceskych univerzitach. Zaver: CES-D 8 se ukazal byt uzitecnym nastro-jem pro mereni depresivity, jenz otevira dalsi moznosti pro vyzkum deprese v univerzitnim prostredi a behem pandemickych situaci. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Educational needs of people in Mazandaran province about COVID-19 in 2020: an Internet-based study

Background and purpose: Considering the global spread of COVID-19, it seems that correct information obtained from reliable sources and training based on the need for self-care behaviors are useful solutions to reduce the harm caused by the disease. This study aimed at assessing the educational needs of people in Mazandaran province about COVID-19. Materials and methods: In a cross-sectional study, 1220 people were recruited via convenience sampling in 2020. A researcher-made questionnaire was administered and information such as demographic characteristics, disease condition, and educational needs for COVID-19 were recorded. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and parametric tests, correlation, analysis of variance, and t-test. Results: The mean age of the participants was 39.34 +or- 8.74. Educational level included diploma (42.5%) and university education (38.9%). About 73.3% of the participants were women. According to findings the main sources of information about COVID-19 were social networks (68.4%), satellite programs (20.9%), Ministry of Health notices (8.1%), national media (1.6%), other sources (0.6%), and family members (0.4%). Online methods were the most desirable educational methods (94.6%) reported by the people living in Mazandaran province. The overall mean score for educational needs was 3.89+or-0.96. The educational need for the disease (3.76+or-0.84) and self-care needs (4.03+or-1.07) indicated high needs for educational trainings and significant differences between these areas (P=001). Conclusion: In this study, social networks and media were the primary sources of information about COVID-19. Designing and implementing self-management and self-care training programs could improve the health of people in Mazandaran province and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Norms, appropriation, and social affordances in studying in emergency remote teaching: a meta-analysis of student experiences

In March 2020, all Swedish university education went online practically overnight due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study focuses on how university students experienced emergency remote teaching in the autumn of 2020. This article provides a thematic meta-analysis of 53 student group reports based on a total of 247 interviews with third-year university students. The findings suggest three themes of particular interest regarding what areas the students themselves find important or challenging: awareness of what it means to be a student, technology reframing communication, and the need for explicit guidance. The findings are discussed in relation to norms, appropriation, and social affordances, as important factors to consider in emergency remote teaching. [or as] blended or hybrid courses and that will return to that format once the crisis or emergency has abated” (Hodges et al., 2020, p. 7). The primary objective "is not to re-create a robust educational ecosystem, but rather to provide temporary access to instruction and instructional support in a manner that is quick to set up and is reliably available during an emergency or crisis” (Hodges et al., 2020, p. 7). One important characteristic of ERT is that it is a short-term solution, with the ambition of going back to the format used before ERT. Therefore, ERT's "intent is to create temporary access to instruction and instructional support that is easily implemented and available during [a] crisis” (Rivera et al, 2021, p. 213). Although ERT is a short-term solution without any explicit pedagogical or didactical ambitions, ERT may include qualities that the unique students appre-ciate. In this article, we use ERT as a descriptive framing of the educational situation in the autumn of 2020. Scope and research question Although there is a growing body of primarily quantitative studies on ERT, there is still a limited number of qualitative studies on students' experiences of ERT during the COVID-19 pandemic. An in-depth understanding of students' experiences is essential in order to provide a nuanced picture of the qualities and challenges associated with ERT. The research question for this study is thus: How do university students experience emergency remote teaching (ERT)? The scope of this study is a qualitative analysis of Swedish university students' responses to interview questions regarding their experiences of ERT. The empirical data give a unique insight into how 247 third-year university students experienced ERT during the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2022 Patrik Hernwall, Annika Käck & Johan Stymne.

Differences in Perceived Stress and Depression among Weight (Dis)Satisfied Midwestern College Students during COVID-19

Background: Stress and depression are common mental health concerns among college students. Factors related to weight status and stigma are associated with poor mental health outcomes. We sought to describe the prevalence of weight dissatisfaction in relation to stress and depression among college students (n = 551). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted via a convenient sample between December 2020 and February 2021. Mean differences in the Perceived Stress Scale-10 scores and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale scores were examined using a one-way analysis of variance. Associations between stress, depression, and weight dissatisfaction were measured by logistic regression. Results: Weight dissatisfied (75.1%) students had significantly higher mean depression scores compared to weight satisfied. The weight dissatisfied students were 1.05 times more likely to be depressed compared to those who were weight satisfied. Significant mean differences in stress and/or depression were found for weight dissatisfied students by gender, race, parental status, marital status, residence, and U.S. citizenship. Weight dissatisfaction was higher than that reported in the literature, possibly due to the influence of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: Strategies to reduce the prevalence of weight dissatisfaction for improved mental health should be explored, particularly efforts to reduce weight stigmatization and expand access to mental health care. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of COVID is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Identifikace prediktorů duševní pohody vysokoškolských studentů během pandemie covidu-19

Pandemie covidu-19 byla široce zkoumána jako ekonomická i zdravotní krize s důrazem na zvyšování duševního zdraví a pohody vysokoškolských studentů. Tato studie zkoumá vztahy mezi fyzickým zdravím, sociální podporou a gramotností v oblasti duševního zdraví s duševní pohodou studentů malajsijských univerzit během pandemie covidu-19. Studijní soubor tvořilo 199 studentů. Průřezový průzkum byl proveden pomocí dotazníků, které si sami zadali. Tyto dotazníky využívaly Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS), nástroj Multidimenzionální škála vnímané sociální podpory a nástroj Škála duševního zdraví. Průzkum zahrnoval i položky z dotazníku Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). Výsledky této studie ukázaly, že fyzické zdraví má pozitivní a silný vztah k duševní pohodě. Podobně výsledky ukázaly, že sociální podpora má významný a pozitivní vztah k duševní pohodě. Nicméně duševní zdravotní gramotnost nebyla významně spojena s duševní pohodou. Výsledky tohoto výzkumu by mohly poskytnout zákonodárcům, odborníkům z praxe a vedení univerzit užitečné poznatky, které podporují pozitivní výsledky provádění intervenčních programů ke zlepšení duševní pohody studentů.Alternate :The Covid-19 pandemic has been widely examined to be both an economic crisis and health with updates of increasing the mental health and well-being of university students. This study examines the relationships between physical health, social support, and mental health literacy with the mental well-being of Malaysian university students during the Covid-19 pandemic. The study population comprised 199 students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with self-administered questionnaires that used the Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support instrument, and the Mental Health Literacy Scale. The survey also included items from the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). The results of this study showed that physical health had a positive and strong relationship with mental well-being. Similarly, the results indicated that social support had a significant and positive relationship with mental well-being. However, mental health literacy was not significantly associated with mental well-being. The results of this research might provide policymakers, practitioners, and university management with useful insights that foster the positive outcome of conducting intervention programs to improve the mental well-being of students.

Coming out of the shadows: investing in English private tutoring at a transition point in Kazakhstan's education system during the global pandemic

Unequal access to language learning resources has been exacerbated by the global expansion of English private tutoring (EPT). Despite its popularity, no study has examined the implications of EPT during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this mixed-methods study explored the nature and effectiveness of EPT that first-year Kazakhstani undergraduate students had experienced over the previous 12 months during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was informed by Benson's (2011) model of language learning beyond the classroom. Data were collected through a close-ended questionnaire and semi-structured online interviews. The study found that 318 out of 750 (42.4%) had experienced EPT, and 64% of respondents had received face-to-face EPT although it was considered a health risk during the pandemic. All the interviewees perceived EPT sessions as an encouraging environment for coaching towards the university entrance examination and expanding their knowledge. They attributed this mainly to the individual attention they obtained from their tutors, which was lacking in online classes with their English teachers due to teachers' indifferent attitude to students' questions and the limited duration of video conferencing sessions. The participants acted agentively by evaluating the advantages and drawbacks of online EPT. Pedagogical implications and areas for further research are suggested.

Technological Devices and Digital Competences: A Look into the Digital Divides for University Continuity during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Virtual education has gained great relevance in recent years, due to the pandemic. The access to electronic devices and services represents an urgent necessity and thus the concern for acquiring digital competences, which allow a proper interaction within the teaching–learning process. Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of having digital resources and the adaptability of their use from the university students' homes during the pandemic crisis. This research intends to identify the relevant challenges regarding the accessibility to technological devices and digital competences that university students had to face to obtain suitable learning during the lockdown, due to the pandemic. The sample information consisted of 9326 Peruvian university students. The data was obtained from the National Homes Survey from the Statistics and Information National Institute, and it was distributed in twenty-five regions (in groups of five macro-regions) over a period of three years (2019–2021). The results showed significant differences in the number of students with internet access from home: between 40% and 60% access classes with a desktop or laptop, and digital competences have improved in the last year. This is evidence that digital divides set limits on the opportunities for a quality education.

Burnout syndrome and remote learning strategies during the pandemic of COVID-19: a longitudinal study of Agrarian Sciences students

Purpose:We aimed to evaluate the levels of Burnout Syndrome (BS) in Agricultural Sciences students, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic period.Design/methodology/approach:We accessed 77 students for Burnout Syndrome using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) on two occasions, the first in February and the second in October 2020. Sixty-three students completed both phases. The data were analyzed in a mixed factorial scheme (Three-way ANOVA;p < 0.05).Findings:Academic efficacy improved over time without interference of sex or physical activity frequency (p < 0.001). The emotional exhaustion domain significantly reduced over time in women who declared to practice physical activity (p = 0.037). A similar effect was observed in both men and women for the cynicism domain (p < 0.001). Online teaching strategies and the regular practice of exercise were associated to reduced levels of BS during the pandemic.Practical implications:The adoption of the emergency remote education system (ERE) associated with the practice of exercise can mitigate the harmful effects of the COVID-19 quarantine on the mental health of students.Theoretical implications:The ERE can be an effective strategy to mitigate BS levels in Agricultural Science students in the post-pandemic period.Originality/Value:This is the first study that presents results of BS in students of Agricultural Sciences, comparing before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Connection, desperation and disillusionment: Exploring student wellbeing at a university in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic

University students' mental health and wellbeing has been a global public health issue of increasing concern in recent years, with a growing body of empirical evidence suggesting university students are a 'very high-risk population' for mental disorders and psychological distress. Pre-existing mental health challenges among university students have consequently been compounded by the global COVID-19 pandemic. A sample of 20 students registered in the education faculty at a large urban university in South Africa participated in a Photovoice study. The research required them to capture three photos or images of their experiences of wellbeing during the pandemic. The findings showed that students experienced mental health concerns and disillusionment with higher education. Their wellbeing was associated with a sense of connection with themselves, their peers and the campus space, and the cultivation of resilience.

Prediction of stress-related conditions in students and their prevention through health-enhancing recreational physical activity

Introduction. Persistent negative mental-emotional experiences and the body's responses to stress may have a negative impact on physical condition and mental-emotional status of students and provoke behavioral disorders. Health-enhancing recreational physical activity helps to cope with the negative influence of stress factors. The study was focused on the prediction of stress-related conditions in students and their prevention through healthenhancing recreational physical activity (HRPA). The aim of the study was to develop predictive models for assessing stress-related conditions among students and to identify the opportunities for their prevention through engagement in health-enhancing recreational physical activity based on the assessment of the relationship between physical activity and emotional status. Material & methods. The study involved 573 higher education students from various regions of Ukraine. The following methods were applied: surveying, statistical analysis using non-linear estimation methods and statistical classification methods based on data mining and machine learning methods, such as neural networks. Results. Statistically significant (p<0.05) logistic binary models were developed and scientifically substantiated, which can be used to predict stress-related conditions among higher education students based on data about their HRPA and behavioral characteristics in a long-term stressful situation. According to the survey data, the military conflict on the territory of Ukraine has provoked the emergence of emotional distress in 80.8% of respondents. It was found that regular engagement in HRPA and an active lifestyle allows predicting the maintenance of emotional well-being among students with a probability of 78.0%. Conclusions. The behavioral disorders in higher education students combined with lack of HRPA during the period of armed conflict on the territory of Ukraine significantly increase their risk of anxiety, aggressiveness, depressive states, and mood swings as well as lead to deterioration in physical condition and mental-emotional status. An active lifestyle, regular engagement in health-enhancing recreational physical activity, and cessation of bad habits increase students' adaptability to the impact of stress factors.