A Pilot Study of the Effectiveness of Cognitive Resilience Training on Anxiety, Depression, and Suicidal Ideation Among Students of a Selected University in Mexico

ABSTRACT

Mental distress burdens student populations; meanwhile, intervention-based studies are insufficient. This pilot study examined the effectiveness of cognitive resilience training (CRT) in enhancing students’ mental health. This experimental design study recruited 29 participants (mean age = 21.70; SD = 2.55) from the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juarez (UACJ) in northern Mexico. A questionnaire pack containing the General Anxiety Disorder-2, Patient Health Questionnaire-2, Plutchik Suicide Risk Scale, and Brief Resilience Scale was utilized. At the pretest, there was no significant difference between the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG). At the posttest, the CG scored higher on anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation compared to its EG counterparts. However, the EG’s participants exhibited higher resilience, leading to a reduction in mental distress compared to their control group counterparts. The study concluded that CRT is an effective intervention for enhancing students’ mental health. Therefore, it is recommended for use in university clinical settings.

KEYWORDS:

• Anxiety
• cognitive resilience training
• CRT
• depression
• mental health
• suicidal ideations

Authors contributions

RO conceived the research ideas, organized the research, performed the studies, analyzed the data, drafted and revised the manuscript, and also analyzed the data and interpreted the results. MGV redrafted and revised the manuscript. All authors contributed to writing sections of the manuscript and read and approved the submitted version.

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank the Authority of Servicios Universitarios De Atención Psicológica (SUAPSI) of the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juárez, Juárez, Mexico, for allowing this research to be conducted at the unit, as well as the individuals who volunteered to take part in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).