Post-COVID-19 emotional health and academic performance in clinical laboratory students at the State University of Southern Manabí

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly disrupted daily life worldwide, adversely affecting both physical health and emotional well-being. Children and young people were particularly vulnerable during this period, representing approximately 28% of the global population. Within this context, a study was conducted among students enrolled in the Clinical Laboratory program at the State University of Southern Manabí to examine the relationship between emotional health and academic performance. This research adopted a quantitative, descriptive, and non-experimental design with an explanatory scope. The study population comprised 254 students, from which a sample of 154 participants was selected. Data were collected using the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale, which evaluates six dimensions of well-being, along with a standardized instrument assessing levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. The findings revealed that 59.1% of the participants demonstrated high levels of psychological well-being. With regard to mental health indicators, 44.2% of students reported no symptoms of depression, while 51.9% did not exhibit stress. Anxiety levels showed greater variability: 35.7% of students reported no anxiety, 26.0% moderate anxiety, and 29.2% extremely severe anxiety. Academic performance outcomes indicated that 95.5% of students achieved a “Good” level, 3.2% were classified as “Very Good,” and only 0.6% fell into the “Fair” and “Excellent” categories. Kendall’s Tau-c correlation analysis revealed no statistically significant relationship between emotional health and academic performance (p > 0.05), suggesting that emotional health did not significantly influence academic performance among Clinical Laboratory students at the State University of Southern Manabí.