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Background: Mental disorders in university students are a growing attention problem in the international community due to their high prevalence and serious consequences. One possible reason is university students' difficulties in coping with stress. Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is a transdiagnostic process that, when combined with stress, can lead to the development of various disorders. We aim to determine the effect of stress and RNT on predicting various mental health syndromes in university students across 7 days. Method: Prospective observational study using Momentary Ecological Assessment (EMA) with the OURMIND Mobile App. On day one, 238 university students responded to the SCL-90R questionnaire for symptoms of depression, anxiety, hostility, obsession, psychoticism, paranoia, somatization, and interpersonal sensitivity; RNT styles questionnaires, RRS for rumination and negative reflection, PSWQ for worry; SISCO-II for term academic stress, and sociodemographic. EMA consisted of five assessments a day for 6 days; each time, the students answered items about academic and non-academic stress (EMA-stress), reactive RNT duration and intrusiveness (EMA-RNT process), and reactive RNT rumination, reflection, and worry (EMA-RNT content). On day eight, symptoms were re-assessed. Seven hierarchical stepwise linear regression models were used to test the predictive power of the study variables in the development of SCL-90R symptoms. Results: When comparing models, adding baseline symptoms increased the models' predictive power in all symptom groups. In most cases, including EMA-stress generated greater predictive power, except for paranoia and interpersonal sensitivity. Adding the EMA-RNT process increased the prediction of paranoia and obsessive symptoms; for hostility symptoms, RNT styles increased predictive power. For the final regression models, considering the initial symptoms, the EMA-RNT process predicted the progression of symptoms in six out of eight groups, while EMA-non-academic stress predicted the remaining two. Additionally, living with other relatives or friends was a predictor of depressive symptoms. Discussion: The stress of university life impacts the development of psychiatric symptoms in university students. These results provide evidence of RNT as a transdiagnostic process in several syndromic groups. Universal preventive programs should consider the impact of academic and non-academic stress on university students' mental health. Targeting RNT would also benefit selective preventive interventions.

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OBJECTIVE: This research aimed to determine the stigma toward people with mental illness among mental health personnel and identify individual, professional, and contextual predictors. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational design was used. The sample consisted of 218 mental health personnel working in Outpatient Psychiatric Units belonging to hospitals and Community Mental Health Centers in Chile. Stigma was evaluated using a scale of humanized treatment, a scale of social distance, and a scale of attitudes in health personnel. In addition, sociodemographic and professional information was collected from mental health personnel and contextual information, particularly the type of outpatient mental health center and the technical-administrative unit that groups all the health centers in a territory. RESULTS: It was found that mental health personnel, in general terms, present low levels of stigma expressed in behaviors of comfort and support toward users, a desire for closeness and social interaction, and reduced stigmatizing beliefs and attitudes of infantilization toward individuals with MHPs. However, intimacy and trust were lower than expected.Only educational levels and health centers were related to stigma. CONCLUSIONS: The low levels of stigma may be due to the evolution of this phenomenon and the country's mental health policies.

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In a competitive and demanding world, academic stress is of increasing concern to students. This systemic, adaptive, and psychological process is composed of stressful stimuli, imbalance symptoms, and coping strategies. The SISCO-II Academic Stress Inventory (SISCO-II-AS) is a psychometric instrument validated in Chile. It evaluates stressors, symptoms, and coping, both individually and globally. For its practical interpretation, a scale is required. Therefore, this study aims to descriptively analyze the SISCO-II-AS and to obtain its corresponding scales. Employing a non-experimental quantitative approach, we administered the SISCO-II-AS to 1,049 second and third-year students from three Chilean universities, with a disproportionate gender representation of 75.21% female to 24.79% male participants. Through descriptive and bivariate analysis, we established norms based on percentiles. For the complete instrument and its subscales, significant differences by sex were identified, with magnitudes varying from small to moderate. For the full instrument and its subscales, bar scale norms by percentile and sex are presented. Each subscale (stressors, physical and psychological reactions, social behavioural reactions, total reaction, and coping) has score ranges defined for low, medium, and high levels. These ranges vary according to the sex of the respondent, with notable differences in stressors and physical, psychological, and social behavioural reactions. This study stands out for its broad and heterogeneous sample, which enriches the representativeness of the data. It offers a comprehensive view of academic stress in college students, identifying distinctive factors and highlighting the importance of gender-sensitive approaches. Its findings contribute to understanding and guide future interventions. By offering a descriptive analysis of the SISCO-II-AS inventory and establishing bar norms, this research aids health professionals and educators in better assessing and addressing academic stress in the student population.

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Self-efficacy is a cognitive-emotional factor that is consistently associated with behavioral change and, in particular, with changes in health behavior. Eating self-efficacy, understood as adopting and maintaining behaviors such as controlling one's weight and trusting in one's ability to control one's eating behavior, has been proposed for managing obesity. This study aimed to validate the Chilean version of the Weight Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire (WEL) in a sample of adults from the general population. Four hundred sixty-nine individuals (69.08% women, mean age = 38.02; SD = 10.31) participated in the study. An instrumental design was used geared toward developing tests and psychometric instruments, including adapting existing ones. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. The instrument version validated in Spain was applied in the study. The analysis obtained an instrument of 11 items with adequate psychometric properties allowing its use in clinical and research settings. It can help assess eating self-efficacy in the general population.

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Introduction: Academic stress (AS) is a prevalent challenge faced by university students, potentially affecting molecular indicators such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and global DNA methylation (G-DNA-M). These indicators could illuminate the physiological ramifications of academic stress. Study Design and Methods: This research followed a quantitative, non-experimental, longitudinal panel design spanning two academic semesters, observing phenomena in their natural context. Students from the Medical Technology program at Universidad de Concepción, Chile were involved, with assessments at the beginning and during heightened academic stress periods. Sample: Of the total participants, 63.0% were females, with an average age of 21.14 years at baseline, and 36.92% were males, averaging 21.36 years. By the study's conclusion, female participants averaged 21.95 years, and males 22.13 years. Results: Significant differences were observed between initial and final assessments for the SISCO-II Inventory of Academic Stress and Beck Depression Inventory-II, notably in stressor scores, and physical, and psychological reactions. Gender differences emerged in the final physical and psychological reactions. No significant changes were detected between the two assessments in plasma BDNF or G-DNA-M values. A refined predictive model showcased that, on average, there was a 3.56% decrease in females' plasma BDNF at the final assessment and a 17.14% decrease in males. In the sample, the G-DNA-M percentage at the final assessment increased by 15.06% from the baseline for females and 18.96% for males. Conclusions: The study underscores the physiological impact of academic stress on university students, evidenced by changes in markers like BDNF and G-DNA-M. These findings offer an in-depth understanding of the intricate mechanisms regulating academic stress responses and highlight the need for interventions tailored to mitigate its physiological and psychological effects.

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Antecedentes: La población sobre 60 años va en aumento y es relevante tener más conocimiento sobre los factores que inciden en su bienestar y salud mental. Objetivo: Este estudio busca comprender la relación entre bienestar, apoyo social y sintomatología depresiva en personas mayores de la provincia de Concepción. Método: 538 adultos mayores fueron seleccionados aleatoriamente de 15 Centros de Salud Primaria de la provincia de Concepción, Chile. Se midieron sus niveles de bienestar (con el Pemberton Happiness Index), de apoyo Social (con la Escala Multidimensional de Percepción de Apoyo Social de Zimet) y de sintomatología depresiva (mediante el Patient Health Questionnaire-9). Resultados: Los adultos mayores mostraron un puntaje elevado (M=8,54; DE = 1,34) en bienestar, sin diferencias por sexo (t(536) = −1,065, p = 0,288 > 0,05). En los análisis de regresión lineal, el apoyo social (β =0,463, p<0,001) y la sintomatología depresiva (β =-1,585, p<0,001) aparecen como influyentes en el bienestar de las personas mayores; y el apoyo social actúa como un factor moderador (β=0,049, p=0,007, IC =0,021; 0,077) en la relación entre sintomatología depresiva y bienestar. Conclusiones: Las personas mayores muestran elevado bienestar. Los resultados refuerzan la relevancia del apoyo social como un factor protector en las personas mayores. Ello corrobora la importancia del fomento de este aspecto en los programas promocionales y preventivos destinados al bienestar y salud mental de adultos mayores.

Background: The population over 60 years of age is increasing. Aim: This research aims to understand the relationship between well-being, social support, and depressive symptoms in older Chilean people. Method: 538 older adults were randomly selected from 15 Primary Health Centers in the province of Concepción, Chile, 341 women and 197 men. Well-being was measured with the Pemberton Happiness Index, Social Support with the Zimet Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Depressive Symptomatology using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Results: Older adults showed a high mean score (M=8.54; SD=1.34) in well-being, with no differences by sex (t(536) = −1.065, p = .288 > .05.) In linear regression analyses, social support (β =0,463, p<0,001) and depressive symptomatology (β =-1,585, p<0,001) influence the well-being of the elderly, and social support acts as a moderating factor (β=0.049, p=0.007, CI =0.021; 0.077) in the relationship between social support and well-being. Conclusions: Older people show high well-being. The results reinforce the relevance of social support as a protective factor for the positive mental health of older adults. This corroborates the importance of including this aspect in promotional and preventive mental health programs for older adults.

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Background: This study aims to describe the relationship between life satisfaction, positive affect, depression and anxiety symptoms with sociodemographic, psychosocial and clinical variables, and to identify the relative importance of these predictor groups. Methods: We evaluated life satisfaction (SWLS), positive affect (PANAS), depressive (PHQ-9), and anxiety (GAI) symptoms and their association with sociodemographic, psychosocial and clinical variables in a multistage, random general population sample of fully functioning individuals aged 60-80 years from the Concepción province and Gran Santiago, Chile (n = 396). We performed weighted multiple regression analysis, considering the complex sample structure with age group, sex, and geographical area, complemented with general and conditional dominance analyses to estimate the relevance of the predictor groups. Results: We found significant associations with the geographical area, sex, age, education level, household members, having a partner, employment status, caregiver status, economic satisfaction, presence of chronic diseases, medication use, and alcohol use. Satisfaction with health was the most important predictor for positive affect (p < 0.001), depressive (p < 0.001), and anxiety (p < 0.001) symptoms, while alcohol use was the most significant predictor for life satisfaction (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Simultaneously studying the positive and negative dimensions of wellbeing and mental health in older adults allows for a more comprehensive perspective on the challenges faced during this stage of life. This study accounts for previously unknown associations and contributes to the identification of common and specific predictors in both dimensions.

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INTRODUCTION: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is essential for brain physiological processes influencing memory and learning. BDNF levels can be affected by many factors, including stress. Stress increase serum and salivary cortisol levels. Academic stress is of the chronic type. BDNF levels can be measure from serum, plasma or platelets, and there is still no standard methodology, which is relevant to ensure reproducibility and comparability between studies. HYPOTHESIS: (i) BDNF concentrations in serum show greater variability than in plasma. (ii) In college students with academic stress, peripheral BDNF decreases and salivary cortisol increases. GENERAL OBJECTIVE: To standardize plasma and serum collection for BDNF levels and to determine whether academic stress affects peripheral BDNF and salivary cortisol levels. DESIGN: Quantitative research, with a non-experimental cross-sectional descriptive design. PARTICIPANTS: Student volunteers. Under convenience sampling, 20 individuals will be included for standardization of plasma and serum collection and between 70 and 80 individuals to determine the effect of academic stress on BDNF and salivary cortisol. PERIPHERAL BLOOD AND SALIVARY CORTISOL SAMPLING, MEASUREMENTS: 12 mL of peripheral blood (with and without anticoagulant) will be drawn per participant, separated from plasma or serum and cryopreserved at -80°C. Additionally, they will be instructed in the collection of 1 mL of saliva samples, which will be centrifuged. Val66Met polymorphism will be performed by allele-specific PCR, while BDNF and salivary cortisol levels will be determined by ELISA. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: (i) descriptive analysis of the variables, through measures of central tendency and dispersion, and the categorical variables through their frequency and percentage. (ii) Then a bivariate analysis will be performed comparing groups using each variable separately. EXPECTED RESULTS: We expect to (i) determine the analytical factors that allow a better reproducibility in the measurement of peripheral BDNF, and (ii) the effect of academic stress on BDNF and salivary cortisol levels.

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la alfabetización en salud mental (ASM) se define como el conocimiento y las creencias sobre los trastornos mentales que ayudan a su reconocimiento, manejo y prevención. Se buscó traducir, adaptar y validar el instrumento canadiense Test Mental Health & High School Curriculum Guide (TMHHSCG) en estudiantes de secundaria y universitarios chilenos. Materiales y métodos: estudio de diseño instrumental en adolescentes (n = 454) y jóvenes (n = 434). Se llevó a cabo un proceso de adaptación compuesto por traducción y retrotraducción, y entrevistas cognitivas y de validación a través de análisis factorial para la validez de criterio y de constructo, análisis de validez convergente y divergente y análisis de invarianza factorial. Resultados: las dimensiones del TMHHSCGCL que conforman la ASM (conocimiento sobre trastornos mentales y salud mental, estigma hacia las personas con trastorno mental y búsqueda de ayuda) cumplieron con el requisito de un factor superior o igual 0.3. Hubo niveles de correlación moderada, positiva y significativa entre las dimensiones del test y entre este y las tres escalas utilizadas para probar la validez de criterio, tuvo buena consistencia interna y validez de constructo, convergente y discriminante. El análisis de invarianza de medición comparó modelos de manera progresiva y mostró una buena invarianza factorial. Conclusión: el TMHHSCGCL muestra adecuadas propiedades psicométricas que incorpora todos los componentes de la ASM. Ello permitirá medir el nivel de ASM para desarrollar intervenciones de prevención y promoción en salud mental en estudiantes de educación secundaria y universitaria.

Mental Health Literacy (mhl) is defined as knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders that aid in their recognition, management and prevention. We sought to translate, adapt and validate the Canadian instrument Test Mental Health & High School Curriculum Guide (tmhhscg) in Chilean high school and university students. Materials and methods: Instrumental design study in adolescents (n = 454) and young adults (n = 434). An adaptation process consisting of translation and back-translation, and cognitive and validation interviews was carried out by means of factor analysis for criterion and construct validity, convergent and divergent validity analysis, and factorial invariance analysis. Results: The dimensions of the tmhhscg-cl that compose the mhl (knowledge about mental disorders and mental health, stigma towards people with mental disorders, and help-seeking) met the requirement of a factor greater than or equal to 0.3. There were moderate, positive and significant levels of correlation between the test dimensions and between the test and the three scales used to test criterion validity, had good internal consistency and construct, convergent and discriminant validity. The measurement invariance analysis compared the models progressively and showed good factorial invariance. Conclusion: The tmhhscg-cl shows adequate psychometric properties incorporating all the components of mhl. This will allow measuring the level of mhl, in order to develop prevention and promotion interventions in mental health in high school and university students.

a alfabetização em saúde mental (asm) é definida como o conhecimento e as crenças sobre perturbações mentais que ajudam no seu reconhecimento, gestão e prevenção. Procurámos traduzir, adaptar e validar o instrumento canadiano Test Mental Health & High School Curriculum Guide (tmhhscg) em estudantes chilenos do ensino secundário e universitários. Materiais e métodos: estudo de concepção instrumental em adolescentes (n = 454) e jovens adultos (n = 434). Foi realizado um processo de adapta-ção que consiste na tradução e retrotradução, entrevistas cognitivas e validação através da análise de fatores para critérios e construção de validade, análise de validade convergente e divergente, e análise de invariância fatorial. Resultados: as dimensões tmhhscg-cl que compreendem o asm (conhecimento sobre perturbações mentais e saúde mental, estigma para pessoas com perturbações mentais, e procura de ajuda) cumpriram a exigência de um fator maior ou igual a 0,3. Havia níveis moderados, positivos e significativos de correlação entre as dimensões do teste e entre o teste e as três escalas utilizadas para testar a validade dos critérios, boa consistência interna e validade construtiva, convergente e discrimi-nante. A análise da invariância das medições comparou progressivamente os modelos e mostrou uma boa invariância fatorial. Conclusão: o tmhhscg-cl mostra propriedades psicométricas adequadas incorpo-rando todos os componentes da asm. Isto permitir-nos-á medir o nível de asm a fim de desenvolver inter-venções de prevenção e promoção da saúde mental em estudantes do ensino secundário e universitário.

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The coronavirus disease has exposed the population to psychosocial threats that could increase mental health problems. This research analyzed the relationships between emotional states (negative [−EWB] and positive [+EWB] experienced well-being), personal resources (resilient coping [RC]), dispositional resources (control beliefs about stress [BAS]), and social resources (social support [SS]), and anxiety and depressive symptoms in a sample of the Chilean population (n = 592), who answered an online questionnaire. Multiple and moderated multiple regression analyses were carried out. Depressive symptoms showed a positive relationship with −EWB (ß = 0.805; p < 0.001) and negative relationship with +EWB (ß = −0.312; p < 0.001), RC (ß = −0.089; p < 0.01), BAS (ß = −0.183; p < 0.001) and SS (ß = −0.082; p < 0.001). Anxiety symptoms showed a positive relationship with −EWB (ß = 0.568; p < 0.001), and a negative relationship with +EWB (ß = −0.101; p < 0.03) and BAS (ß = −0.092; p < 0.001). BAS moderated the relationship between experienced well-being and depression symptoms, and RC moderated the relationship between experienced well-being with both depression and anxiety symptoms. Findings confirm the buffering effect of personal and dispositional resources when facing a sanitary and social crisis. Moreover, they help to understand the role of internal psychological processes during a crisis and how to cope with life-threatening events.