Mental health in latin american universities: an integrative review of anxiety, academic stress, social media use, and academic performance

This study aimed to critically analyze recent scientific evidence on university students’ mental health in Latin America, focusing on variables such as anxiety, depression, academic stress, family dysfunction, problematic social media use, and their relationship with academic performance. An integrative literature review was conducted using databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, SciELO, and Google Scholar, applying inclusion criteria for empirical studies published between 2014 and 2024. The findings reveal a consistent association between high levels of anxiety, depression, and stress with poor academic performance and increased dropout risk. Excessive social media use and dysfunctional family dynamics also emerged as significant risk factors for emotional deterioration. Most studies employed quantitative designs using validated instruments such as GAD-7 and PHQ-9; however, mixed-method approaches are gaining relevance for integrating qualitative insights. The study concludes that university mental health requires a comprehensive approach that combines institutional preventive strategies, promotion of emotional self-care, and regulation of digital habits to enhance academic achievement and student retention in contexts of high psychosocial vulnerability.