A mixed-methods study on the assessment of the mental health concerns among university students in the Philippines

In recent years, there has been a growing concern about the health issues young individuals face, and the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated this trend. It is crucial to explore effective methods of delivering mental health services to provide psychosocial support and prevent the onset of severe mental illnesses. The objective of this study was to assess the mental health problems and needs of university students to lay the groundwork for the development of an intervention program. To achieve this, a mixed-method design consisting of two components was employed. First, an online survey was conducted on 634 university students to assess their health symptoms. Second, four focus groups were conducted, with an average of nine participants each. These participants had completed the survey and displayed moderate symptoms of depression and anxiety. The focus groups utilized a semi-structured interview guide. The results of the study revealed that 84.4% of the survey respondents experienced severe levels of depressive symptoms, while 74.6% reported severe levels of anxiety symptoms. Notably, LGBTQ+ individuals and fourth-year students exhibited higher levels of anxiety symptoms compared to other groups. Through data analysis, several themes emerged: (1) balancing outside and inside demands, (2) characteristics of mental health problems, (3) pain-protecting wall, and (4) pain relieving techniques. Overall, our findings highlight that the majority of university students experienced moderate to severe levels of depression and anxiety symptoms, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on these findings, researchers will develop interventions aimed at preventing the worsening of anxiety and depressive symptoms among university students.