Chinese College Students' Stress and Anxiety Levels Under COVID-19

The outbreak of COVID-19 at the end of 2019 has had a significant impact on people. While attention is paid to the immense physical harm it has caused, the psychological impact should not be underestimated. The main purpose of this study was to explore the stress, anxiety, and depression levels of different groups of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted an online questionnaire survey of college students by using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 items (PHQ-9), and the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). A total of 1,586 questionnaires were collected and analyzed in R language. The results showed that students with moderate to severe stress (PSS-10 ≥ 14) accounted for 67.50%; the detection rate of depression (PHQ-9 ≥ 5) reached 43.77%; and 20.60% of students had anxiety (SAS standard score ≥ 50). There were significant differences in PSS-10/SAS among different genders, majors, whether returning to school or not, and those with different psychological experiences (negative or positive, P < 0.05). It is notable that the median of female, medical student, non-resumption of schooling, and negative experience was higher than that of positive experience (P < 0.05). The results of principal component analysis showed that there were significant differences in PHQ-9, PSS-10, and SAS between the resumption of schooling group and the non-resumption group. Therefore, it is inferred that the stress and anxiety level of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic is generally high, especially for those who have not yet resumed school. Long-term negative emotions can easily lead to serious mental diseases such as cognitive impairment. Education departments should attach great importance to the mental health of college students, and it is necessary to provide precise psychological interventions for groups experiencing greater pressure levels and marked anxiety and depression.

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Assessment of new-onset depression and anxiety associated with COVID-19

Middle East Current Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s43045-021-00112-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 28 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Eman Hurissi ◽

Ethar Abu-jabir ◽

Amnah Mohammed ◽

Mashael Mahnashi ◽

Sana Alharbi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Final Sample ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Patient Health ◽

Males And Females ◽

Arabian Population ◽

New Onset

Abstract Background Psychological disorders are common among individuals who experienced COVID-19. Previous studies have shown that females report higher depression and anxiety than males. The present study aims to test the differences in depression and anxiety between males and females who have experienced COVID-19. This a descriptive, observational, comparative study, among Saudi Arabian population. A total of 686 participants have been recruited. Participants completed an online questionnaire that contains questions about sociodemographic, COVID-19, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) questionnaire, and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to measure anxiety and depression, respectively. Results Twenty-six percent of the participants were excluded and our final sample consisted of 507 participants (median age 23; 65% females). Of the final sample, 23% (118) have been previously diagnosed with COVID-19. There is no significant difference in GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores between COVID-19- positive and COVID-19-negative populations. However, females who have experienced COVID-19 reported significantly higher GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores compared to males. Conclusion The results of our study show that females are significantly at a higher risk for depression and anxiety as a result of COVID-19 infection compared to males. Further epidemiological studies are required for a better understanding of this correlation.

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Use of Personal Listening Devices and Knowledge/Attitude for Greater Hearing Conservation in College Students: Data Analysis and Regression Model Based on 1009 Respondents

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17082934 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (8) ◽

pp. 2934

Author(s):

Sunghwa You ◽

Chanbeom Kwak ◽

Woojae Han

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Hearing Loss ◽

Regression Model ◽

Positive Attitude ◽

Principal Component ◽

Detailed Knowledge ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Questionnaire Response ◽

Hearing Conservation ◽

Survey Tool

Given the concern regarding increased hearing loss in young people who use personal listening devices (PLDs), the present study analyzes the experience of PLDs among college students to identify their knowledge of and attitude toward hearing conservation. It also explains their relationship between knowledge of hearing loss and attitude-related hearing conservation as a questionnaire response using a regression model. A total of 1009 Korean college students responded to an online questionnaire. As a survey tool, the Personal Listening Device and Hearing Questionnaire was adapted as a Korean version with 78 modified items under 9 categories. Using principal component analysis, specific factors were extracted, and their relationships and paths were confirmed using multiple regression analysis. The results of the knowledge category of the questionnaire indicate that most respondents knew how to maintain healthy hearing and understood the signs of hearing loss. Regardless, many college students habitually use PLDs at high levels in noisy environments; they do not recognize how to prevent hearing loss. Even though they continue their current use pattern for PLDs, they also had a positive attitude toward receiving more information about hearing conservation. According to the regression model, the students’ self-reported hearing deficits were due to the volume rather than the frequent use. Interestingly, knowledge about hearing loss may encourage students to develop a positive attitude toward reasonable restriction of PLD use. When PLD users have detailed knowledge about the hearing loss provided by professionals, we believe that most will avoid serious hearing problems and its risks and maintain a judicious attitude toward their own conservation.

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Assessing the Impact of Social Media Use on Everyday Emotion in Health Crises: A Study of International Students in China during COVID-19

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9081011 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 1011

Author(s):

Ebenezer Larnyo ◽

Baozhen Dai ◽

Jonathan Aseye Nutakor ◽

Sabina Ampon-Wireko ◽

Ruth Appiah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

International Students ◽

Media Use ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Social Media Use ◽

The Everyday ◽

Patient Health ◽

Path Modelling ◽

The Impact

Social media has become a valuable tool in providing an opportunity to stay in touch with one’s social networks, providing reassurance and practical advice to individuals to pre-empt panic and rumors in COVID-19. However, the implications of social media use on the everyday emotion (anxiety and depression) of users especially, international students, are not well understood. Thus, this study sought to examine the impact of social media use on the everyday emotion of international students in China during COVID-19. Using a structured online questionnaire based on modified questions from the generalized anxiety disorder 7 (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) and social media use instruments, data were collected from 480 participants. Of the total responses received, 474 were further analyzed employing the Partial Least Squares Path Modelling (PLS-PM). This study showed a significant positive relationship between social media use and everyday emotion (B = 0.34, 95% CI (0.26, 0.44)). Additionally, self-rated anxiety and depression associated with social media use among international students were generally mild (n = 249, 52.50% and n = 350, 73.80%, respectively). Moderating effects revealed that age and sex do not significantly moderate the relationship between social media use and everyday emotion in COVID-19. Given the nature of social media among international students, who are also prone to suffering from anxiety and depression associated with social media use, the positive effect of social media use and everyday emotion, especially in COVID-19, has important implications for international students’ education stakeholders. Thus, gaining a deeper understanding of this relationship could enable them to harness social media and use it as a valuable tool to overcome the social distancing constraints in COVID-19.

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Relationship of Physical Activity With Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Chinese College Students During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2020.582436 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Ming-Qiang Xiang ◽

Xian-Ming Tan ◽

Jian Sun ◽

Hai-Yan Yang ◽

Xue-Ping Zhao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

College Students ◽

Depression Scale ◽

The Self ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Chinese College Students ◽

Self Rating ◽

Relationship Of

IntroductionDuring the COVID-19 outbreak, many citizens were asked to stay at home in self-quarantine, which can pose a significant challenge with respect to remaining physically active and maintaining mental health. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of inadequate physical activity, anxiety, and depression and to explore the relationship of physical activity with anxiety and depression symptoms among Chinese college students during quarantine.MethodUsing a web-based cross-sectional survey, we collected data from 1,396 Chinese college students. Anxiety and depression were assessed with the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), respectively. The data on physical activity were collected by types of physical activity and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF).ResultsDuring the COVID-19 outbreak, about 52.3% of Chinese college students had inadequate physical activity. The rates of anxiety and depression symptoms were 31.0 and 41.8%, respectively. A high level of physical activity (β = −0.121, P < 0.001) was significantly closely associated with low anxiety, while a moderate (β = −0.095, P = 0.001), or high (β = −0.179, P < 0.001) level of physical activity was significantly closely associated with reduced depression after adjusting confounding demographic factors. Moreover, specific types of physical activity, such as stretching and resistance training, were negatively correlated with both anxiety and depression; doing household chores was negatively correlated with depression.ConclusionOur findings highlight specific levels and types of home-based physical activities that need to be taken into consideration to protect the mental health of college students during the COVID-19 epidemic.

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Impact of Family Cohesion and Adaptability on Academic Burnout of Chinese College Students: Serial Mediation of Peer Support and Positive Psychological Capital

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.767616 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Jincong Yu ◽

Yifan Wang ◽

Xiaoqing Tang ◽

Yuqin Wu ◽

Xuemei Tang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Peer Support ◽

Family Environment ◽

Family Cohesion ◽

Psychological Capital ◽

Positive Development ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Chinese College Students ◽

Academic Burnout ◽

Positive Psychological Capital

This study aimed to explore the association between the functioning of family environment (i.e., family cohesion and family adaptability) and academic burnout of Chinese college students as well as the mediating effects of the interpersonal resource (i.e., peer support) and intrapersonal resource [i.e., positive psychological capital (PsyCap)] in this relationship. A total of 1971 Chinese undergraduates were involved in an online questionnaire survey and data analysis. It was found that family cohesion and adaptability was negatively related to academic burnout. Mediation analyses demonstrated that family cohesion and adaptability did not directly affect academic burnout, but indirectly through increasing PsyCap (characterized by optimism, hope, resilience, and self-efficacy), and through enhancing peer support and then increasing PsyCap in serial. Meanwhile, the relationship between family cohesion and adaptability and academic burnout was not mediated by peer support alone. These findings highlight the family environment’s crucial role in youth mental health and positive development in the college context.

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COVID-19 voluntary social isolation and its effects in sociofamily and children’s behavior

Salud Mental ◽

10.17711/sm.0185-3325.2020.036 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 (6) ◽

pp. 263-271

Author(s):

Cynthia Torres González ◽

Gilberto Galindo-Aldana ◽

Ibza America García León ◽

Luis Alfredo Padilla-López ◽

Daniel Nikolaus Alvarez Núñez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Isolation ◽

Ad Hoc ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Negative Experience ◽

Specific Effects ◽

Family Behavior ◽

Personal Level ◽

Perceived Experiences

Introduction. The main prevention strategy for reducing the dispersion of the SARS-CoV-2 has been social distancing. Several investigations began to explore its psychological impact since it began, but there are no data about its effect on social and family behavior. Objectives. Were: First, to analyze the reliability of an ad-hoc designed questionnaire to measure sociofamily behavior changes in a sample of parents of children from one to twelve years old. Second, to characterize effects of voluntary social isolation by COVID-19 over sociofamily behavior at a personal level and over children’s activities at home. Third, to determine vulnerability predictors for a negative experience by isolation itself. Method. An online Questionnaire for Perceptions of Changes in Sociofamily Behavior was applied to 365 Mexican participants. Results. Factor analysis showed a reliability of the ad-hoc designed questionnaire for this study. Correlations were found between voluntary social isolation and self-perceived experiences, such as sleep quality, irritability, emotional control, hope about the future, motivation, attention span, and problem solving. Discussion and conclusion. The results of this study suggest that family well-being during voluntary social isolation is a complex and multifactorial phenomenon, which addresses specific effects in different domains, especially in sociofamily behavior.

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The testing for COVID-19 in symptomatic patients as a protective factor against stress, anxiety, and depression

Revista Brasileira de Saúde Materno Infantil ◽

10.1590/1806-9304202100s100007 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (suppl 1) ◽

pp. 133-143

Author(s):

Alan Chaves dos Santos ◽

Paula Jaeger Tenorio ◽

Elias Almeida S. Barbosa ◽

Gustavo Fonseca de Albuquerque Souza ◽

Gabriela Albuquerque Souza ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Psychiatric Morbidity ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Vulnerable Group ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Low Frequencies

Abstract Objectives: to determine the frequency of stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms in symptomatic patients for COVID-19. To evaluate the associated factors involved in these variants. Methods: between May/June of 2020, it was conducted a prospective cross-section study with symptomatic participants for COVID-19 (n=300). It was applied an online questionnaire and the DASS-21 to evaluate the mental health of participants. Results: it was observed that 28.6%, 29.7% and 27% of the participants showed severe/extreme levels symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, respectively. The testing for COVID-19 application had constituted a protective factor for the development of psychiatric morbidity, once it had shown significant association in the low frequencies of severe/extreme depression [Odds Ratio (OR)]= 0.26; p=0.002) and stress (OR=0.39; p=0.01). Conclusion: individuals that are symptomatic for COVID-19 are a vulnerable group that may present high symptomatology for depression, anxiety, and stress. The identification of psychiatric morbidity frequency and its associated factors may contribute for the development of mental health strategies aiming at the prevention and mitigation of psychological impact in COVID-19 symptomatic population during the pandemic.

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Weight-Loss Supplement Use as a Potential Trigger for Mood Changes Among College Students

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzab047_003 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 840-840

Author(s):

Lina Begdache ◽

Hamed Kianmehr ◽

Allison Pamper ◽

Nadine Zeeni ◽

Estelle El-Khoury

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Weight Loss ◽

Mental Distress ◽

Middle Eastern ◽

Principal Component ◽

Psychological Status ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Supplement Use ◽

Mood Changes

Abstract Objectives Weight loss supplements (WLS) are commonly used among college students. Although these supplements work through different mechanisms, many of them are sympathomimetic that may impact mental wellbeing. College students are inherently at risk of mental distress; therefore, use of these stimulants may exacerbate their response to stress and increase their risk of anxiety and depression. The purpose of the present study was to assess the pattern of use and perception of WLS among college students, and its association with reported mental distress symptoms. Methods Data were collected through an online questionnaire targeting US college students through social media platforms. A parallel study took place at an institution of higher education in Lebanon, a Middle Eastern country where college students commonly use WLS. The questionnaire included demographic questions such as gender, age, self-reported height and weight, hours of sleep, frequency of exercise, class, major and GPA. It also included questions on frequency of dieting, weight loss supplement use, perception, and symptoms associated with use. Results A total of 583 college students completed the survey. Random Forest Analysis produced a model of 0.98% accuracy with AUC = 0.993, which classified weight loss supplements as the most significant factor associated with mood changes in college students followed by academic class, exercise, GPA, gender, sleep, age and major. To confirm the directionality of these associations, a logistic regression analysis suggested that WLS strongly associated with symptoms of mood changes, followed by a low GPA and being a female. Conversely, upperclassmen, good sleep quality, being 23 years or older, and non- science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors inversely correlated with mood changes. A principal component analysis suggested a pattern for frequent dieting, weight loss supplement use and heavy exercise among men, and a pattern of frequent dieting, combining WLS, low quality sleep and no exercise among women. Conclusions Use of WLS among college students may be worsening their psychological status. In addition, there is a differential pattern of use among men and women that is worth further investigation. Funding Sources Experiment.com.

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Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on Pakistani University Students and How They Are Coping

10.1101/2020.05.21.20108647 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Muhammad Salman ◽

Noman Asif ◽

Zia Ul Mustafa ◽

Tahir Mehmood Khan ◽

Naureen Shehzadi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

University Students ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Depression Score ◽

Spiritual Coping ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Brief Cope

AbstractBackgroundCOVID-19 is spreading quickly, causing great deal of fear and unrest in the public. We aimed to assess the psychological impact of COVID-19 on university students and their coping strategies.MethodsThis web-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among students of four Pakistani higher education institutions. Google forms were used to disseminate the online questionnaire to assess anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), sources of distress (14-items) and the coping strategies (Brief-COPE).ResultsA total of 1134 responses (age 21.7 ± 3.5 years) were included. The frequency of students having moderate-severe anxiety and depression (score ≥ 10) were ≈ 34% and 45%, respectively. The respondents’ aged ≥ 31 years had significantly lower depression score than those below 30 years. Males had significantly less anxiety and depression scores than females. Additionally, those having a family member, friend or acquaintance infected with the disease had significantly higher anxiety score. The main sources of distress were the changes in daily life due to the ongoing pandemic. Regarding coping strategies, majority of respondents were found to have adopted religious/spiritual coping (6.45 ± 1.68) followed by acceptance (5.58 ± 1.65).ConclusionsCOVID-19 have significant adverse impact on students’ mental health. The most frequent coping strategy adopted by them are religious/spiritual coping, acceptance, self-distraction and active coping. It is suggested that mental health of students should not be neglected during epidemics.

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Lock-Down Effect on the Mental Health Status of Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.683603 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Weam Fageera ◽

Fawzi Babtain ◽

Ahmad S. Alzahrani ◽

Hussain M. Khrad

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

High Exposure ◽

Before And After ◽

Patient Health ◽

Clinically Significant ◽

The Impact

Background: The psychological impact that outbreaks and pandemics could inflict on healthcare workers has been widely studied; yet, little is known about the impact of the lockdown measures.Objectives: To assess the magnitude of depression and anxiety among healthcare professionals before and after lifting of the lockdown restrictions in Saudi Arabia.Methods: Surveys targeting healthcare workers were circulated twice: during the lockdown, and 8 weeks after lifting of lockdown. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed using Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scales.Results: A total of 947 healthcare workers, with the mean age of (37 ± 8.9) responded to the surveys. Among these, 23–27% respondents reported clinically significant levels of anxiety and depression. Whereas, easing of the lockdown restrictions was shown to be associated with decreasing mean scores of PHQ-9 and GAD-7. The noted burden fell heavily on female workers, those with a current or a history of psychiatric disorders, suffering from chronic diseases, being in workplaces with high exposure to COVID-19 or in contact with COVID-19 patients, nurses, as well as those who were living with elderly and perceived their physical and mental health as “much worse” compared to the time before the pandemic.Conclusion: Our findings identified several predictors for anxiety and depression at different time-points of the pandemic. Thus, priority to psychological support measures might be needed for these groups.

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