Pedagogical strategy for anxiety management in university students

Abstract

Mental health is a central issue in the 21st century, especially for the new generations of university students who face challenges in personal, social, family and economic areas. The objective of this article is to analyze the influence of Bandura's self-efficacy theory in the control of anxiety among fourth semester students of Social Communication at the University of Pamplona, Cúcuta extension. The methodology used was a qualitative study of incidence with an action-research design, developed in seven phases: observation, collection, performance, reflection, evaluation and proposal. The data collection instruments included a diagnostic interview to obtain an initial knowledge of the population and a semi-structured interview to evaluate the impact of the pedagogical strategy. The data collected were analyzed through a coding and categorization process. The pedagogical proposal was carried out in a series of five meetings in which the key components of Bandura's self-efficacy were socialized. The results showed that students now have a greater interest and commitment to their emotional self-care, recognizing that this is fundamental for their academic success. They learned to identify and manage their emotions and beliefs, taking steps to reduce their anxiety levels before important periods such as midterm week. The conclusions pointed out the importance of delving deeper into the family, social and economic conditions of the students to develop specialized strategies that recognize the crucial role of mental health in their formation as future professionals.