Confinamiento por Covid-19 y su impacto sobre la salud mental en estudiantes madres de la carrera de Género y Desarrollo de la Universidad de Cuenca, durante el período marzo-julio 2020

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused specific impacts on the mental health of student mothers. This study aimed to determine the presence of stress, anxiety and depression generated by the impact of the confinement during Covid-19 outbreak on the mental health of student mothers at the Gender and Development career - Universidad de Cuenca. For this purpose, a qualitative methodology was used with inductive and phenomenological research methods. After free and informed consent, the Goldberg Anxiety and Depression scales, the Holmes and Rahe life events scale and the in-depth interview technique were applied anonymously and voluntarily to a sample of 10 university mothers who met the selection criteria, taking as a reference two kinds of conditions: one, the double condition of mother-student and two, the triple condition of mother, student and worker. The results of the respective scales showed that all the student mothers presented a high level of anxiety, while only 9 university mothers had a high prevalence of depression and 8 out of 10 student mothers experienced an intermediate level of stress. Furthermore, these three symptomathologies were manifested together with signs of fatigue, tiredness, insomnia, overexertion and difficulties in concentration, causing emotions such as frustration, anguish, worry, guilt, sadness and irritability. The findings allowed to understand and conclude that multiple roles such as teleworking, the educational process and gender stereotypes that revolve around motherhood plus risk factors such as being head of household, student and lack of co-responsibility within the home, are the main causes of stress, anxiety and depression in these mothers