Alta conectividade e os efeitos na saúde mental de universitários

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the relationship between symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress with internet addiction among university students. The research was divided into two studies: one of a documentary nature and the other of a cross-sectional correlational nature. The first study, using a Systematic Literature Review (RSL) and knowledge network analysis, analyzed 462 studies published between 2004 and 2024 that used the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) in university students. The knowledge network analysis revealed 9 thematic clusters, highlighting the centrality of keywords such as "well-being", "sleep quality", "mental health", and "covid-19". Based on this general overview, a Networked Integrative Literature Review (RIRL) was conducted on smartphone addiction, based on 6 articles selected from the corresponding cluster. The RIRL identified 4 clusters of variables, with smartphone addiction as the vertex with the highest intermediation centrality. The analysis revealed a strong interdependence between the variables, highlighting the relationship between smartphone addiction, anxiety, stress, depression, rumination, schizotypal traits, internet addiction, and Facebook addiction. The second study, of a cross-sectional correlational nature, investigated the relationship between levels of depression, anxiety, and stress with internet addiction among 400 university students in the state of Pará. Using the DASS-21 and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the research revealed that 52.2% of students presented symptoms of anxiety, 49.7% of depression, and 54.5% of stress, with a significant portion of these students presenting severe or very severe levels of these symptoms. In addition, 52.5% of participants demonstrated some degree of internet addiction. Spearman's correlation analysis indicated a moderate relationship between levels of depression, anxiety, and stress with internet addiction, with anxiety presenting the strongest correlation. Multiple linear regression showed that depression and anxiety were statistically significant predictors of internet addiction, while stress was not significant. The results of the dissertation demonstrate the vulnerability of university students to the development of mental disorders and internet addiction, reinforcing the need for preventive and interventional actions in this context. The investigation highlighted the importance of considering internet addiction as a potentially related factor to symptoms of depression and anxiety, especially in times of transition and adaptation such as entering university. The dissertation contributed to the understanding of the relationship between mental health and internet addiction among university students, highlighting the need for preventive and interventional actions in this context. The research results provide important subsidies for the development of strategies that promote the psychological well-being of university students and enable a healthier and more balanced academic experience.