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Export Reference (APA) 
Fontes, A. (2025). Psychological Capital Promotion in Universities. 17th European Public Health Conference.
Export Reference (IEEE) 
A. M. Fontes,  "Psychological Capital Promotion in Universities", in 17th European Public Health Conf., lisbon, 2025
Export BibTeX 
@misc{fontes2025_1765575058670,
	author = "Fontes, A.",
	title = "Psychological Capital Promotion in Universities",
	year = "2025",
	howpublished = "Digital"
}
Export RIS 
TY  - CPAPER
TI  - Psychological Capital Promotion in Universities
T2  - 17th European Public Health Conference
AU  - Fontes, A.
PY  - 2025
CY  - lisbon
AB  - Background: The rise in student depression and anxiety highlights a crucial intersection between education and public health. Academic pressures intensify mental health issues, necessitating comprehensive strategies to address them.

Objectives: This study assessed the effectiveness of a Psychological Capital (PsyCap) intervention in enhancing university students' PsyCap and reducing anxiety, aligning with broader public health education goals.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted, where students either received a PsyCap intervention or were placed on a wait-list. The intervention, based on Luthans et al.’s guidelines, was delivered online and included self-reflection, goal-setting, and resource assessment.

Results: Post-intervention, the PsyCap of students in the intervention group significantly increased (M = 1.098, SD = 0.24, CI [0.98, 1.21], t(17) = 19.72, p < .001). There was also a significant reduction in GAD scores (M = -0.24, SD = 0.46, CI [-0.47, -0.01], t(17) = -2.19, p = .043). No significant changes were observed in the control group.

Conclusions: Short-term PsyCap interventions can significantly improve students' mental resilience and decrease anxiety, suggesting their integration into educational curricula. This study underlines the need for educational and public health sectors to collaborate in mitigating mental health issues among students, particularly in response to crises like COVID-19.

Main Message: Addressing the rising anxiety among students through brief, online PsyCap interventions shows promise. This approach not only enhances PsyCap but also lowers anxiety, advocating for their regular inclusion in educational settings to support student mental health.


ER  -