Qualidade de vida e saúde mental: uma comparação entre estudantes trabalhadores e não trabalhadores

Abstract

The increasing need to balance work and studies has become a challenge for many university students, potentially impacting their quality of life and mental health. The university environment and the job market, when combined, create a stressful scenario for students, raising levels of mental exhaustion and fatigue, affecting academic performance. This exploratory study aimed to compare the levels of mental health and quality of life between students who work and those who do not. 674 students were evaluated using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire. Parametric statistics were used, with a significance level of 5%. The results indicated moderate levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, and satisfactory levels on quality of life. The correlation between the measured mental health symptoms and quality of life was strong and negative. The group of students who work showed higher rates of depression, anxiety, and stress and lower levels of quality of life compared to the group of students who do not work. The variables significantly associated with mental health and quality of life indicators were gender, race, study shift, family income, and educational level of the head of the family. The study concludes by highlighting the important role of psychologists in this scenario, in the prevention, early identification, and management of signs of psychological distress among university students, as well as in the development of strategies and public policies for coping, support, and promotion of mental health.