Online psychoeducation groups for mental health promotion: Perceptions of Brazilian university students

Abstract

ObjectiveThis study aimed to understand the perceptions of university students regarding participation in an online psychoeducation group to promote mental health.MethodThis was a qualitative study that followed two groups over 8 weeks, carried out with 20 nursing students from a Brazilian public university during the COVID‐19 pandemic.ResultsThe online psychoeducation group was considered an efficient strategy for mental health promotion and an important resource for the provision of assistance to this population, especially in the pandemic scenario. The remote environment was considered welcoming and comfortable to share personal issues, and dispensing with commutes eased participation. On the contrary, some participants mentioned a lack of physical contact and difficulties with adherence/attendance, as well as the need for more meetings.Final considerationsFor this population, highly impacted by the pandemic, the online psychoeducation group was configured as a space for sharing life experiences, self‐knowledge and was designed to offer a welcoming environment, contributing to the construction of support networks in a social isolation scenario. It is recommended that these online group interventions continue to be investigated after the pandemic, especially by communicating about strengthening the welcoming actions in higher education.