Mental health management in university students: Challenges and recommendations for support programs
[e-2508]:https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17477122
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17477122Keywords:
Mental health, search, university students, well-beingAbstract
Addressing mental health among university students is crucial, requiring identification of challenges and recommendations for effective support programs. Objective: To examine the relationship between perceived need and actual help-seeking behavior. Method: A total of 2,425 university students from Manizales, Colombia, completed an online self-administered survey assessing psychological help-seeking. Data were analyzed using SPSS v27 with descriptive statistics and chi-square tests (p ≤ 0.05), within the Building the Future macroproject. Results: Students showed limited awareness of institutional wellness services, relied mainly on close personal networks, and tended to manage difficulties independently. Conclusions: Not all individuals in need of help actively seek or accept it. Understanding the contextual factors underlying this paradox is essential for designing culturally relevant and effective preventive strategies. The results indicate that the emphasis was on the need and does not imply seeking help.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Jaime Alberto Carmona Parra, Carlos Urrego
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