"SCOPERTA_PSYCH: Promoting psychological well-being in students"

Adolescent mental health is a growing concern, with an increasing number reporting poor psychological well-being. Early manifestations of mental disorders often emerge during adolescence, a vulnerable period when stress exerts significant negative impacts. Poor mental health can impact many areas of adolescents’ life, also influencing academic engagement and success. This study focuses on Verona's high school students, aiming to: 1) assess their psychological well-being, 2) determine the prevalence of psychological distress, 3) plan future interventions based on collected data.



Conducted as a cross-sectional study, the online survey involved 500 Verona’s high school students participating in university orientation classes. The survey consists of four self-administered standardized scales (K-10, PHQ-9, GAD-7, WHO 5) assessing psychological distress, depression, anxiety symptoms, and psychological well-being. A descriptive analysis of the study population and the results of the questionnaires has been performed. 



Results show a moderate degree of psychological distress (K-10 score mean 24.21; SD 6.98) indicating that they are likely to have a mild mental disorder), a moderate depression severity (PHQ-9 score mean 10.11; SD 5.29), a mild anxiety severity (GAD-7 mean 8.69; SD 4.57) and medium-low level of psychological well-being (WHO 5, score mean 11.97; SD 4.87). 



Significant gender-related differences were observed, with females exhibiting higher distress, anxiety and depression levels and lower psychological well-being than males. Nonbinary students scored worse across all scales, indicating potential general distress, although we cannot draw conclusions for individual scales due to the small group size.



This study enhances understanding of Verona's high school students' psychological well-being. Although not indicative of psychiatric pathology, the findings signal the need for attention to students' mental health. The results are particularly important to early identify distress and to plan future studies for the implementation of interventions for promoting psychological well-being and for preventing distress from generating into more serious mental disorders.