Academic and Emotional Challenges Beyond COVID-19. Analysis of Years and Branches of Study in 35 Spanish Universities

Background: Evidence indicates an increasing prevalence of psychological issues among university students, exacerbated by COVID-19. However, conclusive data on the situation in Spanish universities is lacking. Objective: This study explores academic, interpersonal, and emotional problems, as well as the differences between years and branches of university studies. Method: 5,221 students from 35 Spanish universities completed an online questionnaire covering standardized tests. Results: The mean scores show students overwhelmed by academic work, struggling to distance themselves from personal problems and seeking help, with stress and physical discomfort, and emotional symptoms consistent with a probable clinical case of anxiety. Students report declines in attention, concentration, and emotional well-being due to the pandemic. Factorial ANOVAs showed a high transversality of the problems between years of study but identified differences between study branches. Conclusions: The results offer valuable information for university psychological support services to assess identified issues and develop specific interventions among students. Antecedentes: Existen evidencias del aumento de problemas psicol & oacute;gicos en estudiantes universitarios, agravados por la COVID-19. Sin embargo, carecemos de datos concluyentes sobre la situaci & oacute;n en la universidad espa & ntilde;ola. Objetivo: El trabajo se propone identificar problemas acad & eacute;micos, interpersonales y emocionales y explorar las diferencias entre cursos y ramas de estudios. M & eacute;todo: 5,221 estudiantes de 35 universidades espa & ntilde;olas cumplimetaron un cuestionario online que inclu & iacute;a medidas estandarizadas. Resultados: Las puntuaciones medias muestran a unos alumnos con sobrecarga acad & eacute;mica, mucha dificultad para distanciarse de problemas personales y buscar ayuda, malestar f & iacute;sico y sintomatolog & iacute;a emocional compatible con un probable caso cl & iacute;nico de ansiedad. A consecuencia de la pandemia se refiere deterioro de la atenci & oacute;n y concentraci & oacute;n y del estado emocional. Los ANOVA factoriales muestran una gran transversalidad de los problemas entre cursos, pero aparecen diferencias entre ramas de estudio. Conclusiones: Los resultados pueden ser & uacute;tiles para que los servicios universitarios de atenci & oacute;n psicol & oacute;gica eval & uacute;en los problemas detectados y pongan en marcha intervenciones espec & iacute;ficas con sus estudiantes.