ADDRESSING EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL NEEDS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A STUDY AT THE AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF NAYARIT

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the areas of opportunity perceived by first-year students in the Bachelor's program in Administration at the Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, to identify their main emotional, social, and academic challenges, and propose strategies to strengthen their integral development. Today, all young people face significant challenges that affect their academic performance. Despite the growing importance of these soft skills, many institutions lack effective mechanisms to address these needs, contributing to high dropout rates and dissatisfaction. Therefore, investigating students' perceptions can help academic programs improve their comprehensive education. This research takes a qualitative approach and was conducted with ninety-six students who expressed emotions and problem areas they believed were important to address in themselves. The responses were grouped into eight categories, facilitating a deep understanding of the factors affecting their well-being and adaptation. The analysis evidence that 74.23% of students face challenges in areas such as emotional management, impulsivity, lack of concentration, and insecurity, which requires attention and intervention to improve their emotional and social well-being. This, in turn, contributes to enhancing their academic performance, boosting their self-confidence, and reducing dropout rates.