Mental Health of University Students in Mediterranean Countries: An Exploratory Cross-Cultural Study

Abstract

University life is generally recognized as challenging, and concerns about students’ mental health have increased, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the potential role of cultural differences in students’ experiences of psychological difficulties, we conducted an exploratory study to: (1) compare the psychological condition (distress, loneliness, emotion regulation, and dropout intention) of Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish university students two years post-pandemic; and (2) analyze the relationships between these psychological variables of interest and dropout intentions in all three countries. We recruited a non-random sample of 144 students (48 from each country; M_age = 20.3 ± 1.41 years) to complete an online questionnaire, which was distributed and accessed through links shared across social networks. A two-way MANCOVA revealed no significant differences across countries in levels of distress, emotion regulation, or dropout intentions (all p > .05). However, Spanish students reported significantly lower levels of loneliness than the other groups (p < .001). Linear hierarchical regression results demonstrated an association between psychological difficulties and dropout intention, with psychological distress uniquely accounting for 24% of the variance in dropout intention (β = .332, p < .005). Although preliminary, these findings indicate that all participants experienced high levels of psychological distress, with perceived loneliness notably lower in Spain. This underscores the need for further, large-scale research and reinforces the importance of addressing students’ mental health, particularly their distress levels, given the potential impact on dropout intentions.