Coping mechanisms for students with mental disorders: An exploratory qualitative study at Busitema University's Mbale and Busia Campuses

Enid Kawala Kagoya; Joseph Mpagi; Paul Waako; Martha R L Muhwezi; Agnes Namaganda; Allan G Nsubuga; Christine Etoko Atala; Francis Okello; Ambrose Okibure; Ronald Kibuuka; Ernest Wandera; Kalisiti Ndamanywa; Joseph Kirabira

doi:10.1371/journal.pgph.0002113

Coping mechanisms for students with mental disorders: An exploratory qualitative study at Busitema University's Mbale and Busia Campuses

PLOS Glob Public Health. 2025 Jan 3;5(1):e0002113. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002113. eCollection 2025.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Community Health, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University, Mbale, Uganda.
² Department of Academics, Research and Innovation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University, Mbale, Uganda.
³ Busitema University, Busia, Uganda.
⁴ Forum for Africa Women Educationalists (FAWE) Africa, Kampala, Uganda.
⁵ Department of Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
⁶ Department of Anesthesia, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.
⁷ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University, Mbale, Uganda.

Abstract

In recent years, Ugandan universities have faced a rising incidence of mental health issues among students, with prevalence rates of mental disorders reaching up to 60% among undergraduates. These challenges significantly impact both academic performance and social interactions. This study aimed to investigate the coping mechanisms among students with mental disorders at Busitema University. We conducted 42 key informant interviews with students diagnosed with mental disorders, as determined by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Interviews were guided by a structured protocol developed by the research team, and all participants provided informed consent. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis. This approach was chosen for its efficiency and directness. Nvivo software facilitated the coding and organization of themes. The study identified several coping strategies used by students at the two Busitema University campuses. Five main themes emerged: Alcohol and Substance Use, Use of Sedatives, Social and Personal Initiatives, Seeking Counseling Services, Withdrawal and Confrontation, and Faith Healing. Various subthemes were also noted, including substance use, withdrawal, confrontations, witchcraft, participation in co-curricular activities, abortions, and seeking psychosocial support. These findings are detailed in Table 2. Addressing the mental health challenges faced by university students requires a thorough understanding of their coping strategies. While some strategies are self-developed, others involve university-led interventions. It is crucial to reinforce effective coping mechanisms and address detrimental ones to improve students' mental health outcomes. Mental disorders, coping strategies, university students, Uganda.

Copyright: © 2025 Kagoya et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Grants and funding

The study received minimal funding from the University due to the urgency of the phenomenon that we explored, and the funds were mainly used to facilitate data collection. The funders (BURIFs) grant no. 3/DGSRI/22 had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. None of the investigators received salary from the funders. JK, a senior lecturer in the department of Psychiatry was responsible for the small money that facilitated the data collection exercise.