Supporting University Students' Learning and Careers in a Pandemic Context
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Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic is an unexpected and unpredictable event that generates multiple challenges and difficulties for individuals in various contexts of their lives, including academic life and career more generally. This study aimed to identify and prioritise the psychoeducational support needs of university students in times of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 261 Portuguese students of both genders (n = 209, 80.1% female), aged between 18 and 50 years (M = 22.17, SD = 4.36), attending undergraduate (n = 138, 52.9%) and postgraduate (123, 47.1%) degree courses, in domains as health, business, natural and social sciences, arts and humanities, engineering and technologies, in different higher education institutions, with emphasis on the northern region of the country (n = 187, 71.6%) participated in the study. There was a greater need for support in issues related to individual study, performance evaluation, time management, understanding interests and competencies, and career choices. The results of a two-way ANOVA indicate a main effect of academic level and an interaction effect of academic level and study cycle on learning concerns. In students with higher academic average, it is undergraduate students who have more learning support needs compared to postgraduate students. In university students with lower academic average, the opposite pattern was observed. With regard to the preferred support modalities, students showed more interest in individual counselling and workshops. The results of this study may guide research and career interventions with university students in pandemic and post-pandemic context.
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