University of Luzon Faculty and Alumni Set to Present Mental Health Research in Thailand at International Conference

The University of Luzon (UL) is preparing to mark a significant achievement on the international academic stage, as a faculty member is set to present research co-authored with her alumni at the 6th International Multidisciplinary Conference on Research and Education (IMCRE). The highly anticipated event will be hosted from November 6 to 8, 2025, at the prestigious Prince Palace Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. The conference, themed “Embracing the Culture of Research and Aligning Inquiry with Contemporary Global Challenges,” will serve as a crucial platform for the University of Luzon to disseminate its impactful scholarly work globally.

Leading the research team and serving as the university’s representative in Bangkok is Ms. Marienne C. Bauzon, RN, a current faculty member in the College of Nursing and Midwifery. The co-authors—Lady Lee Abalos, Kyla Mae Palazo, Rolando Palisoc, and Sharmaine Ungay—are now successful alumni of the University of Luzon, having conducted this research as a significant project during their college days. Ms. Bauzon’s presentation highlights the university’s strong commitment to fostering collaborative faculty-alumni research and celebrating the lasting impact of student scholarly work. Their presented paper, titled “Mental Health Awareness and Coping Mechanisms Among Nursing Students,” will address a critical and timely issue impacting health education across the globe. The study’s primary objectives were to assess the mental health awareness levels of third-year nursing students at the University of Luzon and to subsequently identify the specific coping mechanisms these students employ when dealing with depression, anxiety, and stress.

The paper details a robust descriptive-quantitative research design, which utilized a structured questionnaire for data collection. This included the standardized Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and a coping mechanism checklist, which was administered to seventeen purposively selected nursing students. The research findings that Ms. Bauzon will share indicate that the participants generally experienced moderate levels of depression and anxiety, while their reported stress levels remained within the normal range. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that the students most frequently resort to practical, socially oriented coping strategies such as engaging in household tasks, seeking social support, and pursuing enjoyable activities. More introspective methods, like meditation and journaling, are reported as the least utilized among the study participants.

The central conclusion of the paper emphasizes that nursing students exhibit moderate mental health concerns and tend to rely on readily accessible and socially engaging strategies to cope. This outcome highlights a significant area for institutional focus: the compelling need for structured mental health programs to be integrated within the nursing education curriculum. The researchers strongly advocate that such programs must be culturally relevant and evidence-based to effectively support and enhance the students’ psychological well-being throughout their rigorous academic journey. The research presentation will be held concurrently with the ETCOR Awards Night (Year-end Conferment) and a Book Launching Ceremony, underscoring the conference’s role as a nexus for recognizing scholarly excellence and fostering intellectual contribution across multiple disciplines.

This forthcoming presentation and the important recommendations stemming from the study align directly with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically, the research strongly supports SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being by focusing on the mental health of future healthcare professionals and advocating for supportive structures within the university environment. It also reinforces SDG 4: Quality Education by advocating for the integration of vital mental health support into the academic experience. We encourage all Luzonians to anticipate and celebrate this spirit of inquiry and commitment to global well-being, as demonstrated by their faculty representative and the collective work of her team, driving forward the University of Luzon’s mandate to address contemporary global challenges through impactful research and education.