EMOTIONAL DISORDERS AS CORRELATES OF POOR MENTAL HEALTH IN STUDENTS

Abstract

The article provides an overview of existing psychological theories on the importance of the quality of mental health of students and an empirical study of the frequency of their depressive states. The theoretical part of the work was based on a comparative analysis of domestic scientific and theoretical studies on the problem of emotional disorders and their impact on the quality of mental health in students. On the basis of theoretical searches and generalisations, a programme for empirical testing of the identified provisions was developed. The validity and reliability of the results were ensured by the scientific and methodological validity of the study, the use of methods adequate to the tasks and the representativeness of the sample. The article attempts to integrate scientific provisions on emotional disorders and their features and causes in student age. The object of our study was defined as the emotional sphere, and the subject of the study was emotional disorders in student age. The main focus of the article was on depression. This is an emotional disorder characterised by a constant or prolonged bad mood, loss of interest and pleasure in activities, and low vitality. Depression affects many aspects of a person’s life, including emotional state, physical well-being, mental functioning and social interactions. The empirical study showed that the perception of the quality of one’s own life could be better: the majority of students demonstrated a low score. The results of the study of depression were also disappointing. We recorded a high prevalence of depression among students. Moreover, a large proportion of students experience symptoms of depression throughout their academic life. It is clear that the prevalence of negative emotional experiences among young people has a negative impact on their mental well-being. Such an unsatisfactory situation requires the involvement of representatives of the educational environment and parents in the academic life of young people, especially during their adaptation to university.