Exploring the social and emotional representations used by students from the University of the Basque Country to face the first outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

In 2020, COVID-19, a new emerging infectious disease (EID), was spread throughout the world, including Europe. Spain, in particular, witnessed a significant outbreak of the pandemic. In consequence, all classes were cancelled and the Government declared a state of emergency, ordering the lockdown of the entire population from March to May. The aim of this research is to explore the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the representations of young university students from the University of the Basque Country and their emotional response when the crisis started. A free-association exercise was completed by 503 students from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) (Northern Spain). To analyze the content, the Reinert method was used with the Iramuteq software for lexical analysis. The results showed that students placed COVID-19 at a distance from the self, pointing out issues related to social response and disinformation, while showing concerns for self-related issues that are linked to negative emotions, academic consequences, and potentially close victims. The students’ concerns were categorized at four main levels: the communicative-informative level, health-emotional level, community-social level, and academic level. All of this has created overwhelming feelings of nervousness, along with anger and emotional fatigue. These results indicate the necessity for universities to work from a holistic standpoint, not only in terms of responding to academic needs but also from psychological, communicative, social, health, and well-being perspectives.

Men's psychological well-being during COVID-19: the moderator role of posttraumatic growth

“…The results showed that emotional representations also contributed to psychological wellbeing. This is in line with Mondragon et al [64], that found that emotional representation, in university students, to face the first outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, negatively affected their well-being. In addition, traumatic stress also contributed to explain psychological well-being.…”

Learning nursing during the COVID-19 pandemic: The importance of perceived relatedness with teachers and sense of coherence

“…A recent study among nursing students direct the necessity for universities to work from a holistic viewpoint, in terms of not only responding to academic needs but also from psychological, communicative, social, health, and well-being perspectives. [2] The salutogenic prespective utilized in this study is holistic, [10,11,14] representing an answer to this necessity.…”

“…This situation created an upheaval, leading to problems with motivation, concentration, manageability and efficiency, emotions of nervousness, fear, worry and sleeplessness among students. [1][2][3][4] In Norway, there is an increasing shortage of Registered Nurses (RNs), causing serious challenges for the health care sector and the society in the years to come. Consequently, it is crucial that students choose to study nursing and complete their education.…”

“…[15] As previously stated, among nursing students the COVID-19 pandemic caused an upheaval of stress, anxiety, nervousness, uncertainty, fear and sleeplessness causing low motivation, concentration and study efficiency. [1][2][3][4] Consequently, universities should embrace the pandemic situation in health promoting ways, as well as identifying salutogenic learning resources. Currently, there is a call for studies applying salutogenesis to fields beyond the health care sector.…”

IV. Ikergazte. Nazioarteko ikerketa euskaraz. Kongresuko artikulu bilduma. Gizarte Zientziak eta Zuzenbidea

“…Hala ere, bakardade eta bakardade sentimenduak berriak dira. Neurri batean sentimendu horiek ezarritako itxialdiaren neurriekin lotuta egon daitezkeen arren, nabarmentzekoa da emozio horien berri ez dela eman COVID-19ren antzeko ikerketetan, ez gazteengan (Idoiaga et al, 2021a), ez populazio orokorrean (Idoiaga et al, 2021b). Berger eta Poirieren arabera (1995), bakardadea oso esperientzia mingarria da, intimitatearen eta gizarte-harremanen premia asebetegabearen batuketa, nahikoa ez dela edo guztiz asebetegarriak ez direla sentitzen dena.…”