Protective factors and mental health in university students seeking psychological counseling

Authors

Keywords:

mental health; psychological resilience; psychological well-being; students; university psychological counseling center

Abstract

Introduction: Mental health problems show a high prevalence among university students, which makes it relevant to examine the protective factors of their mental health.

Objective: To analyze the relationship between protective factors and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress in university students seeking care at a psychological counseling center.

Methods: Quantitative study with a correlational and explanatory scope and a cross-sectional design. Data were collected from 760 university students in Santiago, Chile, between 2024 and 2025. The instruments were the DASS‑21, the CD‑RISC‑10, and the Ryff‑6.

Results: Severe levels of depression, anxiety, and stress were observed, with frequent co-occurrence among these symptoms. Resilience and psychological well-being showed negative and weak correlations with the symptoms and explained a small portion of their variance.

Conclusions: Students seek counseling with distress, which suggests that these resources are not sufficient on their own and that broader institutional interventions are required.

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References

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Published

2026-10-30

How to Cite

1.
Marín Medina C, Araneda Bengoechea ME, Tartakowsky Pezoa V. Protective factors and mental health in university students seeking psychological counseling. Rev. cuba. med. mil [Internet]. 2026 Oct. 30 [cited 2026 Nov. 3];55(3 (Suplemento 1):e026077753. Available from: https://revmedmilitar.sld.cu/index.php/mil/article/view/77753

Issue

Vol. 55 No. 3 (Suplemento 1) (2026): Teaching in Health

Section

Research Article

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Copyright (c) 2026 Claudio Marín Medina, María Eugenia Araneda Bengoechea, Viviana Tartakowsky Pezoa

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