Intervenções para fortalecimento da autoeficácia em universitários: revisão integrativa da literatura

Abstract

University constitutes a period of great vulnerability for the appearance of emotional imbalances and the consolidation of mental illnesses. This scenario reflects the need to strengthen positive attributes of mental health, such as self-efficacy, which has the potential to provide important resources for managing the stress arising from a transition phase. Objectives: To analyze the interventions available in the literature on promoting/improving/strengthening self-efficacy in higher education students. Method: Integrative Literature Review, which followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guideline. The guiding question was What are the interventions described in the literature aimed at strengthening/improving/promoting self-efficacy in higher education students? The following databases were used for the search: Lilacs, PubMed, CinahL, and Cochrane, combining the descriptors self-efficacy, students, higher education, health promotion, nursing care, student health services, and mental health, without restriction on publication period. The search and analysis of the studies was carried out concomitantly by three professionals with expertise in the subject. Results: We identified 10 studies, only two conducted in Brazil and the others in North America (n=2), Europe (n2), Asia (n-3) and Oceania (n=1). Four studies did not obtain favorable results regarding self-efficacy improvement after some type of intervention, being one systematic review (NE: I) and three randomized clinical trials (NE=II). The others (n=6) showed favorable results (five studies with NE: II and one with NE: II). The construction of effective programs for strengthening self-efficacy should include a thematic approach to positive mental health, through a psychoeducation strategy, over a minimum period of eight to 12 weeks and including home exercises. The number of participants and the type of presentation, face-to-face or online, did not interfere in the effectiveness of the programs. Conclusion: The synthesis of evidence from this integrative review pointed to ways to build a program to strengthen self-efficacy to be implemented in universities. Although scarce, interventions to promote/improve/strengthen self-efficacy beliefs in higher education students are effective. However, heterogeneity among studies related to objectives, content, strategies, duration, and sample make conclusions difficult. This study presents an advance in the context of primary prevention, since it comprises the use of positive resources for the prevention of negative mental conditions, beginning with self-efficacy beliefs, which have been shown to be amenable to modification by brief interventions, in addition to reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression