Revista Interamericana de Psicología/Interamerican Journal of Psychology

Effects of Sociocultural and Academic Factors on the Mental Health of College Students: A Systematic Review

Elainy Camilo Loiola, Susana Coimbra, Antônio Abel Pires — Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Mental disorders among college students, especially in the medical field, are a rising public health concern and can impede academic progress. Despite their prevalence, the impact of sociocultural and academic factors on students' mental health across diverse disciplines and academic levels remains under-explored. Our systematic review sought to understand how factors, including gender identity, ethnicity, racial background, sexual orientation, housing status, economic conditions, course specifics, academic performance, and field of study, influence depression, anxiety, or suicidal ideation. We screened five databases, prioritizing longitudinal, cross-sectional, and case-control studies, excluding intervention-based or qualitative research, reviews, theses, and editorials, or those without validated tools. From the studies, 32, representing 642,893 students, were pertinent. A noteworthy finding from our review was the pronounced prevalence of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation among these students. Risks were particularly heightened for females and individuals from marginalized sexual, racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. Given the growing importance and diversity of student populations, our review emphasizes the urgent need for further research and mental health initiatives that cater to students' vast array of sociocultural and economic backgrounds.

Cross-national invariance of the Spanish version of the 8-item Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form (PTGI-SF) in people who experienced the death of loved ones from four South American countries

Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Post-pandemic, there is concern about the increase in mental health problems associated with grief due to COVID-19. Recent studies have identified positive outcomes that may have emerged in the face of adversity, which can lead to positive psychological changes, such as posttraumatic growth. The aim of the study was to evaluate the transnational measurement invariance of the 8-item Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form (PTGI-SF) in individuals who experienced the death of loved ones during the post-COVID-19 period. A total of 1,820 individuals were recruited from four South American countries (Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia) using non-probabilistic snowball sampling. The highest average age of participants was observed in Colombia (M = 35.8; SD = 12.5 years), while the lowest was recorded in Bolivia (M = 28.4; SD = 10.5 years). Similarly, a higher proportion of women (>57%) was found across all countries. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) methods were used. The results indicated that a model for measuring posttraumatic growth across the five countries was supported, encompassing four factors: relating to others, appreciation of life and opportunities, personal strength, and spiritual change. Furthermore, the four-factor structure showed sufficient strict invariance across the five countries. Similarly, the PTGI-SF-8 items demonstrated adequate discrimination and difficulty parameters. The findings provide initial evidence to consider the PTGI-SF-8 as a psychometric instrument for assessing posttraumatic growth.

Social memory and decolonial challenges: reflections from a study on representations of historical personalities in Brazil and Portugal

Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In this paper, we aim to reflect on social memory and the decolonial challenges of the present by analysing a study on representations of historical personalities carried out in Brazil and Portugal. We conducted a survey in which participants were asked to freely evoke people or groups they considered to be the most important in national history, and to what extent they considered their impact on the country to be positive or negative. 260 people took part: 96 Brazilians (M= 34.6; SD = 11.8), mostly men (55.2%) and 164 Portuguese (M= 19.92; SD = 2.66), mostly women (78%). Among the results, we observed that there was not a single woman - androcentrism - among the 10 most evoked personalities in each country. We also observed a focus on politics, with an emphasis on individual agency to the detriment of collective agency - solipsism. This is particularly evident in the data collected in Portugal, where the emphasis is on kings, rulers, navigators and writers. Personalities associated with the ‘Discoveries’ were frequent, but there was almost no mention of personalities related to decolonisation. In the data from Brazil, on the other hand, ‘Indigenous’ and ‘Afro-descendants’ were among the most evoked. We discussed the implications of ‘rememberings’ and ‘forgettings’ for social memory and the decolonisation of thought as a crucial and particularly challenging task.

Mental Toughness and Sport Motivation: What Matters Most in Predicting Sport-Related Anxiety Among Highly Active Adult Esport Players?

Pablo Christian González Caino, Juan Ignacio López, Edward Chang — Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

The present study examined the relationship between mental toughness, sport motivation, and sport anxiety in a sample of 106 highly active adult esports players (94 males and 12 females) with ages ranging from 18 to 30 years (M = 22.3, SD = 3.3), who engaged in games such as League of Legends. Participants completed the Mental Toughness Inventory (MTI), the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS), and the Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2). The results of the correlation analysis indicated that mental toughness was negatively associated with concentration distraction. Intrinsic motivation showed a positive association with worry, whereas extrinsic motivation was positively related to concentration distraction. Moreover, amotivation sub-scale correlated with both increased somatic anxiety and concentration distraction. Furthermore, results of conducting regression analyses indicated that amotivation was the only significant predictor of somatic anxiety and concentration disruption, whereas intrinsic motivation was the only significant predictor of worry. Findings emphasize that motivational factors, rather than mental toughness, are more significant in accounting for sport-related anxiety among highly active esports players.

The effectiveness of a third-generation cognitive behavioral therapy intervention program on psychological well-being for nursing professionals

Carlos Patiño, Jefferon Elizalde-Sócola, Omayck Fernando Valarezo-Bravo — Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Nursing professionals (NPs) play a crucial role in public health by providing direct care and maintaining the quality of health services. However, they face emotional challenges that can affect their psychological well-being (PW). The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the implementation of a Dialectical Behavioral Skills Training (DBT) program could increase PW levels among NPs in healthcare centers in the Northern Cuenca District of the Ministry of Public Health (MSP). The present research is an experimental study employing a two-group randomized design with pre- and postintervention measures. The instruments used were a sociodemographic instrument and the Ryff Psychological Well-being Scale. The study included 83 nursing professionals (NPs) from health centers in Cuenca. Nonprobabilistic convenience sampling was used due to Ministry of Health restrictions. A minimum sample of 30 participants (27 female, 3 male) aged 20-65 years ensured statistical accuracy while considering workplace demands and resources. The results indicated that the contextual therapy intervention program significantly improved the psychological well-being (PW) of nursing professionals (NPs), offering an effective strategy to address the emotional challenges they encounter in their work. This study emphasizes the importance of implementing targeted interventions, such as dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), to increase the psychological well-being of healthcare professionals.