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Healthcare
Special Issues
Mental Health and Health Care in Vulnerable Contexts
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Mental Health and Health Care in Vulnerable Contexts

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 854

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Juan Manuel Moreno-Manso

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
Interests: child abuse; intimate partner violence; family violence; mental health; psychopathology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Carlos Barbosa-Torres

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
Interests: neuroscience; mental health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the rise in mental health problems in recent years, this topic has been attracting scientific, social, and clinical interest. This situation has brought mental health into the public eye. However, despite progress, the statistics on these problems remain concerning. Mental health research is crucial to understanding and improving care for individuals with or without mental disorders, as it plays a fundamental role in overall well-being.

This Special Issue aims to address the integration of mental health into services not directly related to mental health in particularly vulnerable populations, such as in children; the elderly; people with disabilities, physical or psychiatric illnesses, and psychological problems; people in situations of social exclusion; and/or anyone in a state of special vulnerability. Therefore, this Special Issue explores how systems not directly related to healthcare can better integrate mental health services. A good example of this are social institutions and NGOs (child protection centers or foster homes, third sector entities, and institutions dedicated to combating violence against minors and intimate partner violence) and educational institutions (schools, sports, and leisure centers), where policies to improve mental health are implemented, despite not being health institutions, to ensure that people have a better quality of life.

Early detection of these problems and the implementation of preventive and intervention measures are key elements to protect people with mental health problems and prevent them from becoming chronic.

For this Special Issue, we invite you to submit articles on original research with primary and/or secondary data, with high-quality systematic reviews also being welcome.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Juan Manuel Moreno-Manso
Dr. Carlos Barbosa-Torres
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mental health
  • research
  • health systems
  • healthcare
  • institutional care
  • family care
  • therapy

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 610 KiB  
Article
The Mediating Role of Active Coping Strategies in the Relationship Between Academic Stressors and Stress Responses Among University Students
by Cristina Ruiz-Camacho, Margarita Gozalo and Inmaculada Sánchez Casado
Healthcare 2025, 13(14), 1674; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13141674 - 11 Jul 2025
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Academic stress is a major factor affecting university students’ psychological well-being and overall functioning. This study examined whether three active coping strategies—positive reappraisal, social support seeking, and strategic planning—mediate the relationship between academic stressors and self-reported stress responses. Methods: A [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Academic stress is a major factor affecting university students’ psychological well-being and overall functioning. This study examined whether three active coping strategies—positive reappraisal, social support seeking, and strategic planning—mediate the relationship between academic stressors and self-reported stress responses. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional, non-experimental design was employed. The sample comprised 1014 students from the University of Extremadura (Mage = 20.56, SD = 3.50). Three subscales of the Academic Stress Questionnaire (CEA) were administered: Academic Stressors (E-CEA), Stress Responses (R-CEA), and Coping Strategies (A-CEA). Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and a multiple mediation model using structural equation modeling (SEM) tested direct and indirect effects, controlling for gender, study year, and academic field. Results: (1) Academic stressors were inversely related to positive reappraisal (β = −0.34, p < 0.001), planning (β = −0.12, p < 0.001), and social support seeking (β = −0.09, p < 0.01). (2) All three coping strategies were significantly associated with fewer stress symptoms, with positive reappraisal showing the strongest effect (β = −0.13, p < 0.001), followed by social support seeking (β = −0.06, p < 0.05) and planning (β = −0.03, p < 0.05). (3) Stressors had a strong positive direct effect on stress responses (β = 0.54, p < 0.001). (4) Coping strategies partially mediated the stressor–symptom link (total indirect effect: β = 0.12, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.08, 0.16]). Conclusions: Active coping partially buffers the negative effects of academic stressors on perceived distress. Findings underscore the importance of enhancing students’ coping skills and implementing institutional policies that reduce structural stress and support psychological well-being. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mental Health and Health Care in Vulnerable Contexts)
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24 pages, 366 KiB  
Article
Triadic Perspectives on Decision Making in Psychiatry: A Qualitative Study on Service Users, Caregivers and Healthcare Professionals in Latvia
by Solvita Olsena, Inese Stars, Elza Eliza Rozenberga, Karina Konstantinova and Ksenija Baidina
Healthcare 2025, 13(12), 1416; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13121416 - 13 Jun 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Decision making is fundamental to personal autonomy and person-centered, rights-based psychiatric care. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of decision making in psychiatric care from the perspectives of service users, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, identifying contexts that facilitate or hinder these [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Decision making is fundamental to personal autonomy and person-centered, rights-based psychiatric care. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of decision making in psychiatric care from the perspectives of service users, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, identifying contexts that facilitate or hinder these practices. Methods: An exploratory–descriptive qualitative design was applied, using semi-structured interviews with eight service users, six caregivers, and seven healthcare professionals (21 interviews in total). Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed through inductive content analysis. Results: Four main categories were identified: (1) antecedents for decision making, (2) challenges in decision making, (3) consequences of decision making, and (4) recommendations for improvement. Conclusions: This study provides insight into how decisions in psychiatric care are made in Latvia, highlighting the legal, personal, and institutional factors influencing these processes. Participants offered valuable perspectives, identifying both facilitators and barriers to autonomous decision making, as well as suggesting necessary improvements. The findings suggest the need for legal reform and systemic improvements in practices that favor agency in decision making. Additionally, they underscore the importance of strengthening individual capacities to support meaningful collaboration among service users, caregivers, and healthcare professionals in making healthcare decisions that enhance the quality of care and well-being of people with mental health difficulties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mental Health and Health Care in Vulnerable Contexts)
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