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0265/2025 - The mental health of postgraduate students in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review
A saúde mental de estudantes de pós-graduação no contexto da pandemia da covid-19: uma revisão de escopo

Author:

• Breno Estevam Silva de Souza - Souza, BES - <brenno.estevam@gmail.com>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5590-7441

Co-author(s):

• Eduarda Gomes Onofre de Araújo - Araújo, EGO - <eduardaonofre@gmail.com>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7107-6107
• Livian Isabel de Medeiros Carvalho - Carvalho, LIM - <carvalholivianmed@gmail.com>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7605-1523
• Gabriela Salgado Colado - Colado, GS - <gabriellasalgado@hotmail.com>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4221-3973
• Ardigleusa Alves Coelho - Coelho, AA - <ardigleusacoelho@gmail.com>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8869-3793
• Sávio Marcelino Gomes - Gomes, SM - <savio.gomes@academico.ufpb.br>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6320-2502
• Franklin Delano Soares Forte - Forte, FDS - <franklinufpb@gmail.com>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4237-0184
• Cláudia Helena Soares de Morais Freitas - Freitas, CHSM - <chsmfreitas@hotmail.com>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0265-5396


Abstract:

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted public health and society, altering everyday life and interpersonal relationships. This study aims to map scientific evidence on the mental health of postgraduate students (master's and doctoral) during the pandemic, through a scoping review and registered in the Open Science Framework (DOI: https://osf.io/jbem6). The acronym PCC (population, concept, context) was used to define the population as postgraduate students, the concept as mental health, and the context as the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collection took place in July 2023, resulting in 2,575 articles, of which 23 were selected. Most of the studies were carried out in North America and China, with a predominance of cross-sectional studies. The results indicate an increase in the prevalence of mental disorders, such as anxiety and depression, influenced by the interruption of academic work. Life satisfaction was positively associated with optimism, and negatively with depression and stress. It is concluded that the pandemic has exacerbated mental health challenges for students, highlighting the need for inclusive support strategies capable of meeting the diverse needs of this group during and beyond periods of global crisis.

Keywords:

Mental Health; Health Postgraduate Programs; COVID-19; Pandemics; Psychological Distress.

Content:

The mental health of postgraduate students in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review


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Cite

Souza, BES, Araújo, EGO, Carvalho, LIM, Colado, GS, Coelho, AA, Gomes, SM, Forte, FDS, Freitas, CHSM. The mental health of postgraduate students in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review. Cien Saude Colet [periódico na internet] (2025/Jul). [Citado em 05/12/2025]. Está disponível em: http://cienciaesaudecoletiva.com.br/en/articles/the-mental-health-of-postgraduate-students-in-the-context-of-the-covid19-pandemic-a-scoping-review/19741



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