Study protocol: a mixed methods study to assess the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among Portuguese and Swiss higher education students

Background Higher education students are particularly vulnerable to both everyday stressors and mental health problems. Public health emergencies may generate a range of unforeseen potential stressors for vulnerable individuals and communities. The current pandemic has apparently led to an increase in psychiatric symptoms among these students. This study will characterise the psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic among Portuguese and Swiss higher education students. Methods and design This project will use a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design in Portugal and Switzerland, with two consecutive phases. During phase I, a quantitative study will assess the psychological responses of higher education students during the COVID-19 pandemic. A convenience sampling method will be used for collecting information from students. The association between variables will be determined with univariable and multivariable analysis. During phase II, qualitative data will be collected in order to understand the determinants of psychological stress and the strategies adopted by students as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as identify their opinions and feelings about the teaching-learning process during quarantine. In this phase, participants will be selected using a maximum variation sampling method. Data from Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) will be coded and inductively analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Finally, quantitative and qualitative results will be merged during interpretation to provide complementary perspectives. Results This paper describes and discusses the protocol for this mixed-methods study, which will be completed in December 2021. This study was formally approved by the local ethics committee (CE/IPLEIRIA/22/2020) in Portugal, and authorized by the Swiss Association of Research Ethics Committees – Swissethics (Project ID: 2020-02889). Conclusion This research can contribute to the development of teaching tools and methods that reinforce positive mental health strategies, hope and adaptive coping among students, and to the development of a class on mental health interventions in the context of catastrophic/traumatic events. This project will also help government stakeholders and health/education professionals safeguard the psychological wellbeing of students facing an expanding COVID-19 pandemic.