Resilient skills as predictors of mental health of university adolescents in confinement

Abstract

Introduction. Mental health in adolescence represents a public health problem worldwide, since about 20% of adolescents have various mental health conditions (Olivari & Mellado, 2019). This will be compromised by the presence of emerging situations such as a pandemic. In the words of Castillo and Velasco (2020), the COVID19 pandemic brought with it a series of effects on university adolescents, the closure of schools and prolonged confinement generated transcendental changes in daily routine and lifestyle, coupled with stressful factors typical of the health emergency such as fear of contagion, duels, job loss, among others, had an unfavorable influence. Therefore, resilience capacity can become a central factor due to its adaptive power in the face of adversity. Objective. To determine the level of mental health in university adolescents and the influence on this of resilient skills as possible predictors. The hypothesis states that resilient skills influence the mental health of university adolescents. Method. It was based on a quantitative methodology, non-experimental design with a descriptive-correlational scope. The participants were chosen through an intentional non-random sampling, who were 381 adolescents attending university with an average age of 18.9 years; the instruments used were the General Health Questionnaire (Goldberg & Williams, 1988), which assesses self-perceived mental health through two factors: Well-being and affections and Coping and decision-making; the Resilience Scale of Connor and Davidson (2003) measures 5 factors: persistence and self-efficacy, control under pressure, adaptability and support networks, control and purpose, spirituality. These scales were applied through an online form, previously using informed consent. The data was analyzed with descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient and linear regression. Results. The findings show that mental health is compromised since high levels predominated in well-being and affections with 49.7%; followed by those who were located at the average level with 31%; in the coping and decision-making factor, high levels prevailed with 42.8%, close to the average level with 36%. The correlational analysis showed an inverse relationship between the Well-being and affects factor with resilience, in particular with persistence and self-efficacy (r=-.301; p>.001), control under pressure (r=-.391; p>.001) , adaptability and support networks (r=-.365; p>.001), control and purpose (r=-.385; p>.001). Correlations of coping and decision making with persistence and self-efficacy (r=-.510; p>.001), control under pressure (r=-.515; p>.001), adaptability and support networks (r=-. 536; p>.001), control and purpose (r=-.579; p>.001) and spirituality (r=.228; p>.001). Linear regression analysis showed that only the factors control under pressure and control and purpose of resilient skills predict 20% variance of well-being and affects; and that the same factors, in addition to adaptability and support networks, predict 40% of the variability of coping and decision making. Conclusions. It is concluded that there are indicators of affectations in the mental health of the participants since the highest percentage is located in the high levels, the third part of the participants are located in the average level. There is an inverse relationship between resilience and mental health; being resilient skills an influencing factor that predicts the mental health of adolescents, thus confirming the hypothesis. In light of the results, it is necessary to enhance personal strengths such as resilience due to its adaptive value in the face of any emerging situation such as confinement, given the decline in mental health, which will favor positive behavior patterns by providing resources for professional training.