Manuela de Mendonça Figueirêdo Coelho, Kaylane Morais Ribeiro, Anna Luísa de Oliveira Parnaíba, Isaque Lima de Farias, Melissa Bezerra Machado, Mariana Araújo Rios, Francisca Semirames de Sousa Silvestre, Manuela Dos Santos Gomes, Paula Sacha Frota Nogueira, Janaína Fonseca Victor Coutinho, Fabiane do Amaral Gubert, Mariana Cavalcante Martins
{"title":"Latent Profiles of Psychological Distress and Social Inequalities in Brazilian Higher Education.","authors":"Manuela de Mendonça Figueirêdo Coelho, Kaylane Morais Ribeiro, Anna Luísa de Oliveira Parnaíba, Isaque Lima de Farias, Melissa Bezerra Machado, Mariana Araújo Rios, Francisca Semirames de Sousa Silvestre, Manuela Dos Santos Gomes, Paula Sacha Frota Nogueira, Janaína Fonseca Victor Coutinho, Fabiane do Amaral Gubert, Mariana Cavalcante Martins","doi":"10.1177/00207640261478550","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To identify latent profiles of psychological distress in the Brazilian academic community and analyze their association with sociodemographic inequalities.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A nationwide online survey was conducted with 3,770 participants, including undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and administrative staff from public higher education institutions. Standardized instruments were used to assess symptoms of common mental health conditions. Statistical modeling was applied to identify distinct profiles of psychological distress and examine their relationship with sociodemographic characteristics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Five profiles of psychological distress were identified: acute anxious-depressive (14.0%), substance-related distress (9.0%), multimorbidity (10.6%), low symptom burden (39.4%), and severe internalizing (27.0%). These profiles were consistent across students, faculty, and staff. Higher levels of psychological distress were observed among undergraduate students, women, non-binary individuals, and participants from Black, Brown, and Indigenous groups, as well as those with lower income. Older age and higher income were associated with lower likelihood of belonging to more severe profiles. The findings reflect a high burden of self-reported symptoms rather than prevalence of diagnosed mental disorders.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Psychological distress in higher education is heterogeneous and socially patterned. The identification of distinct profiles highlights the need for targeted and equitable institutional strategies, including mental health screening, psychosocial support, and interventions focused on vulnerable groups.</p>","PeriodicalId":14304,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Social Psychiatry","volume":" ","pages":"207640261478550"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7000,"publicationDate":"2026-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Social Psychiatry","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640261478550","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PSYCHIATRY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: To identify latent profiles of psychological distress in the Brazilian academic community and analyze their association with sociodemographic inequalities.
Methods: A nationwide online survey was conducted with 3,770 participants, including undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and administrative staff from public higher education institutions. Standardized instruments were used to assess symptoms of common mental health conditions. Statistical modeling was applied to identify distinct profiles of psychological distress and examine their relationship with sociodemographic characteristics.
Results: Five profiles of psychological distress were identified: acute anxious-depressive (14.0%), substance-related distress (9.0%), multimorbidity (10.6%), low symptom burden (39.4%), and severe internalizing (27.0%). These profiles were consistent across students, faculty, and staff. Higher levels of psychological distress were observed among undergraduate students, women, non-binary individuals, and participants from Black, Brown, and Indigenous groups, as well as those with lower income. Older age and higher income were associated with lower likelihood of belonging to more severe profiles. The findings reflect a high burden of self-reported symptoms rather than prevalence of diagnosed mental disorders.
Conclusions: Psychological distress in higher education is heterogeneous and socially patterned. The identification of distinct profiles highlights the need for targeted and equitable institutional strategies, including mental health screening, psychosocial support, and interventions focused on vulnerable groups.
期刊介绍：
The International Journal of Social Psychiatry, established in 1954, is a leading publication dedicated to the field of social psychiatry. It serves as a platform for the exchange of research findings and discussions on the influence of social, environmental, and cultural factors on mental health and well-being. The journal is particularly relevant to psychiatrists and multidisciplinary professionals globally who are interested in understanding the broader context of psychiatric disorders and their impact on individuals and communities.
Social psychiatry, as a discipline, focuses on the origins and outcomes of mental health issues within a social framework, recognizing the interplay between societal structures and individual mental health. The journal draws connections with related fields such as social anthropology, cultural psychiatry, and sociology, and is influenced by the latest developments in these areas.
The journal also places a special emphasis on fast-track publication for brief communications, ensuring that timely and significant research can be disseminated quickly. Additionally, it strives to reflect its international readership by publishing state-of-the-art reviews from various regions around the world, showcasing the diverse practices and perspectives within the psychiatric disciplines. This approach not only contributes to the scientific understanding of social psychiatry but also supports the global exchange of knowledge and best practices in mental health care.
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