DIGITAL LIBRARY
A STRATEGY FOCUSED ON THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF STUDENTS
Akaki Tsereteli State University (GEORGIA)
About this paper:
Appears in: ICERI2022 Proceedings
Publication year: 2022
Page: 6281 (abstract only)
ISBN: 978-84-09-45476-1
ISSN: 2340-1095
doi: 10.21125/iceri.2022.1552
Conference name: 15th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation
Dates: 7-9 November, 2022
Location: Seville, Spain
Abstract:
Research actuality:
The pandemic issue concerning COVID-19 is a major challenge.
Teaching and education in the covid era are not an easy process, during the last years the workload of medical students has increased significantly. About 47% of the student in the world has been affected by the spread of covid 19. The management of the pandemic were not focused on psychological and psychiatric needs. That is why the well-being of students of medical programs and their mental health has become an actual topic of study by education experts.

Aim of the research:
The purpose of the study was to reveal the impact of COVID 19 on the mental health of the students and to reduce the harmful effects of the pandemic.

Research method:
Quantitative research was conducted at ATSU with the participation of students from the Faculty of Medicine. Research tool was elaborated, 88 MD infected students by COVID-19 were selected and interviewed. Among them, 46% infected - 3 months ago, 32% infected - 2 months ago, 22% infected. - 1 month ago. Their concentration on the learning process, learning ability, motivation, sleep quality, anxiety level, academic performance were evaluated.

Outcomes:
68 students of the Medical and 56 students of the Faculty of Social Sciences participated in the Research. 46% of students surveyed COVID-19 has been confirmed 3 months ago, 42% - 2 months ago, 12% - 1 month ago.
Majority of the total students surveyed state their learning ability before the pandemic was very good. But, at the onset of the pandemic, 66% of Medicine students stated a significant worsening in their learning ability, while for 34% - neither improved nor worsened.
After being infected, most of students stated a slight worsening their learning ability, while few of them thought that their ability to learn had not changed.
There is a little difference in the results of the survey of students of the Faculty of Social Sciences. More than a half of them think that their learning ability has worsened a bit during the onset of the pandemic, while others think that it has worsened a lot.
As for academic achievement, most of the surveyed medical students state that their semester activity (maximum 60 points) ranges from 35 to 45 points.
46% of respondents - learning ability and well-being were better before the pandemic, 12% showed a sharp deterioration of learning ability and difficult concentration of attention on the learning process, deterioration of sleep quality and anxiety.
Based on the analysis of the results, the administration of the faculty has developed a strategy which is focused on the social, emotional and mental health of students by involving psychologists and providing additional support to students. At the stage of distance education, daily interaction of infected students with professors, individual consultations, and frequent interaction with students in small groups were carried out.

Following tasks were developed:
- Identification of various problems faced by students
- Identification of individual needs
- Developing appropriate evidence-based strategies

Conclusion:
It has become a challenge for educational institutions to develop a coherent teaching strategy by implementing various services tailored to the needs of students.
Keywords:
Impact of COVID 19, social, emotional and mental health of students, well-being.