Coping With the COVID-19 Pandemic: Examining Gender Differences in Stress and Mental Health Among University Students

The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed a wide variety of unprecedented challenges, many of which appear to be disproportionately affecting the mental health and well-being of young adults. While there is evidence to suggest university students experience high rates of mental health disorders, less is known about the specific impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on student mental health and how they are coping with this stress. To address this gap, we conducted an online study among undergraduate students (n = 366) to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on academics, social isolation, and mental health, as well as the extent to which they have been implementing a variety of coping strategies. The pandemic had a more pronounced negative effect on female students' academics, social isolation, stress and mental health compared to male counterparts. Moreover, for females, frequent use of social media as a coping mechanism was associated with greater perceived negative impacts on their academic performance and stress levels, compared to males. However, frequent social media use related to similar negative mental health effects for both males and females. While male and female students both reported using substances to cope, for males the use of cannabis was associated with greater negative impacts on academic outcomes, stress and mental health compared to females. These findings highlight the need for adequate student support services across the post-secondary sector, and point to the importance of gender informed interventions to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Download Full-text

Upaya Menjaga Kesehatan Mental Mahasiswa dari Dampak Media Sosial (Studi Kasus di Kalangan Mahasiswa Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta)

10.31227/osf.io/zq4dc ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Indieva Miss Angela Zahrany

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Media ◽

University Students ◽

Information Search ◽

Health Conditions ◽

Daily Lives ◽

Self Confidence ◽

Negative Impacts ◽

The Impact

The existence of social media that is growing so rapidly that teenagers, especially students, cannot be separated from social media in their daily lives. This is because social media can meet the needs of students, such as communication, existence and information search. Social media itself will certainly have positive and negative impacts. If students are addicted to social media, it can cause mental disorders such as uncontrolled emotions, anxiety, irritability, jealousy, and even losing their self-confidence. With qualitative research methods and interviews with eleven university students in March Surakarta, the author can explain the role of social media in the mental health conditions of students at Sebelas Maret University. The impact caused by social media can be overcome in various ways, one of which is to be able to use social media wisely. The purpose of this study was to find out how influential social media was on mental health in eleven university students in March Surakarta. The results showed that social media is very influential on students' mental health, this can be proven by the number of students who lack confidence in the potential that exists within them.

Download Full-text

Perceived impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on cannabis-using emerging adults

Translational Behavioral Medicine ◽

10.1093/tbm/ibab025 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Erin E Bonar ◽

Lyndsay Chapman ◽

Jenna McAfee ◽

Jason E Goldstick ◽

José A Bauermeister ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Emerging Adults ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Negative Emotions ◽

Well Being ◽

Cannabis Use ◽

Black African ◽

Perceived Impacts ◽

Negative Impacts ◽

The Impact

Abstract Cannabis-using youth are a large epidemiologic subgroup whose age and smoking-related risks underscore the importance of examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in this population. Within a clinical trial (n = 36 received an intervention prior to data collection reported herein), we surveyed cannabis-using emerging adults (ages 18–25) about perceived COVID-19 impacts. Participants (n = 141) reporting weekly cannabis use (M = 18.6 use days in the past 30) were enrolled and completed online surveys as part of either their baseline or 3 month assessment. COVID-19-related measures included symptoms, substance use, mood, etc. Participants were 57% female (mean age = 21, standard deviation = 2.2), with 21% Hispanic/Latinx, 70% White, 20% Black/African American, and 10% of other races. Most participants (86%) reported quarantine/self-isolation (M = 59 days). Several had COVID-19 symptoms (16%), but none reported testing COVID-19 positive. Many respondents felt their cannabis use (35%–50%, across consumption methods) and negative emotions (e.g., loneliness, stress, and depression; 69.5%, 69.5%, and 61.8%, respectively) increased. They reported decreased in-person socialization (90.8%) and job losses (23.4%). Reports of increased cannabis smoking were associated with increased negative emotions. On an open-response item, employment/finances and social isolation were frequently named negative impacts (33.3% and 29.4%, respectively). Although cannabis-using emerging adults’ reports of increases in cannabis use, coupled with mental health symptoms and social isolation, are concerning, the full impact of the pandemic on their health and well-being remains unknown. Future studies examining the relationship between social isolation, mental health, and cannabis use among young people are needed.

Download Full-text

Assessing Emotional Well-Being as a Result of Quarantining During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.24637 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Andrea Breanne Wilson ◽

Will Althoff

Keyword(s):

Social Interaction ◽

Negative Affect ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Well Being ◽

Positive And Negative Affect ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Negative Impacts

UNSTRUCTURED Emotional well-being can be negatively impacted by lack of social interaction. This study examined the effects of social isolation on emotional well-being. Respondents filled out a weekly survey for a period of 10 weeks, reporting their positive and negative affect (PANAS-X) and the effects of quarantine on their emotional well-being. Results indicate that quarantining had a negative effect on respondents’ emotional well-being. Activites and outings, suggested by the CDC, could potentially decrease the negative impacts of quarantine.

Download Full-text

The impact of Covid-19 pandemic on mental health and help-seeking behavior among Italian university students. A descriptive and cross-sectional study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.32515 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Micaela Di Consiglio ◽

Sheila Merola ◽

Tiziana Pascucci ◽

Cristiano Violani ◽

Alessandro Couyoumdjian

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

University Students ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Female Students ◽

Help Seeking Behavior ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Paranoid Ideation ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND To reduce the spread of Covid-19 the Italian government imposed a rigid lockdown and, for a whole year, it kept declaring stringent rules to curb the community spread. The pandemic had a great negative impact on general population mental health, including the one of university students. OBJECTIVE The study provides an overview about symptomatology and help-seeking behavior of university students before and during the Covid-19 pandemic and it aims to evaluate the impact of the different phases of the pandemic on students' mental health. METHODS We collected data in four time points: (1) March 2019-February 2020, (2) March-May 2020, (3) October-December 2020, (4) January 2020-March 2021. A total of 454 students have been included in the study. Students answered a socio-demographic questionnaire and a standardized questionnaire to evaluate a broad range of symptoms of psychopathology. Descriptive analyses have been conducted to explore student’s symptomatology and help-seeking behavior. Considering the significant gender-difference distribution between groups, groups comparison analysis has been conducted considering male and female separately. RESULTS Considering the total sample size, results suggest that students have experienced moderate to severe levels of depressive, obsessive-compulsive and anxiety symptomatology. About 14% of the sample met criteria for at least one mental health disorders, but most of them were not receiving mental health care. Moreover, during the lockdown, compared with other phases, female students reported worse symptoms in the following dimension: obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, paranoid ideation and psychoticism. The increasing symptomatology quickly disappeared after the lifting of the quarantine. Results showed any difference in the male groups. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support the view of a negative mental health condition of university students and indicate an increase of symptomatology during the lockdown among female students. Preventive and support strategies should be improved in the university context.

Download Full-text

Psychosocial Impacts of COVID-19 among University Students in Uruguay

10.31234/osf.io/w9rde ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Tianna Loose ◽

Alejandro Vásquez-Echeverría

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

University Students ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

School Closures ◽

Related Factors ◽

Negative Impacts ◽

Novel Coronavirus ◽

The University ◽

The Impact

The novel coronavirus has taken a catastrophic toll worldwide on physical and mental health. We focused on the psychosocial impact among students in Uruguay, a country relatively protected from the pandemic. Our study had three main aims : 1) describe in detail the impact among university students, 2) identify relationships between different dimensions and 3) highlight the factors determinant of mental distress. We designed a multi-dimensional questionnaire to investigate the perceived impact on the lives of students. The questionnaire was administered to 144 undergraduates in Uruguay online while the university was closed. 38-66% of students indicated increases in signs of anxiety, depression or sleep disturbances. Independently of other related factors, increases in substance use, impairments in social relationships, negative impacts of school closures, and personal economic worries explained 41% of variance in psychological distress. Findings are discussed in terms of policies for public health and future directions for research on mental health.

Download Full-text

Concept of Mental Health and Disease for Practical Implementation: A Case-Based Teaching for Undergraduate Students—Part I of Basic and Applied Psychology

Homœopathic Links ◽

10.1055/s-0040-1710076 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 33 (02) ◽

pp. 082-089 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rajesh Ramkunwar Yadav

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Lesson Plan ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health ◽

Practical Implementation ◽

Applied Psychology ◽

Multiple Choice Questions ◽

The Impact ◽

Case Based

Abstract Background Mental health has been conceptualised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as not just the absence of illness but as a state of well-being in which the individual can cope with normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and make a contribution to the community. To achieve this or to explain it to the stakeholders, a doctor needs to be well versed with the normal functioning of the human mind. Homoeopathic doctors must have this knowledge to help them understand and treat their patients or advise prevention. Lack of this knowledge in the undergraduate years fails to suitably equip them, thereby hampering their own growth and clinical functions. These papers (in two parts) will deal with the teaching of basic and applied psychology and abnormal psychology and psychiatry to homoeopathic undergraduates. Aim The main aim of this study is to teach homoeopathic undergraduate students the basic psychological concepts required for understanding human behaviour through cased based presentations Methodology Plan of teaching psychology to undergraduate students with a case-based approach was formulated by the Psychiatric Department of Dr. M.L. Dhawale Homoeopathic Institute (MLDMHI), Palghar. Postgraduate students prepared topics with the help of a lesson plan template under the guidance of faculty. Peer evaluation along with student feedback helped to gauge the impact of the lectures and to design improvements. Results Thirteen topics, one each week, covered the assigned portion for basic psychology. Reports of around 30 students and 2 lecturers for each lecture over 3 years were evaluated. These indicated satisfaction with contents and desire to have more such lectures. Multiple choice questions post lectures allowed to identify the changes in knowledge and interest of students in the subject. Discussion Basic and comprehensive knowledge of psychology will allow students/physicians to look at the cases not only from the view point of physical antecedents but also from a more holistic and comprehensive point of view. Conclusion Educational ethos demands the incorporation of case-based teaching in undergraduates especially in the teaching of psychology, to expose the shades of normal and abnormal states of mind through case-based teachings.

Download Full-text

The Impact of Extended E-Learning on Emotional Well-Being of Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia

Children ◽

10.3390/children9010013 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 13

Author(s):

Sehar-un-Nisa Hassan ◽

Fahad D. Algahtani ◽

Mohammad Raafat Atteya ◽

Ali A. Almishaal ◽

Ahmed A. Ahmed ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Regression Analysis ◽

Academic Performance ◽

University Students ◽

Emotional Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Female Students ◽

Academic Calendar ◽

E Learning ◽

The Impact

Educational institutions in Saudi Arabia extended e-learning until the third semester of the academic calendar to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection and to achieve 70% inoculation for the Saudi population. This study assesses the impact of extended e-learning and other associated stressors on the emotional health of university students in Saudi Arabia. An online cross-sectional survey collected data between the months of January–March 2021. The emotional signs of stress were measured by using a subset of items from the COVID-19 Adolescent Symptom and Psychological Experience Questionnaire (CASPE). Data about demographic variables, educational characteristics and academic performance were also collected. A regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of emotional health. A total of 434 university students including females (63%) and males (37%) provided responses. One-third of students (33%) indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic and its resulting changes including online distance studies greatly influenced their daily lives in a negative way. The regression analysis demonstrated that female students and students with average academic performance had increased vulnerability to experience emotional signs of stress (p < 0.05). The factors ‘Not going to university’ and ‘Not having a routine life’ were significant predictors of stress responses (p < 0.01) and (p < 0.001) respectively. E-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic made it possible for students to complete their studies as per academic calendar; simultaneously, it increased the vulnerability to experience stress, particularly for female students and students with average academic performance. These findings imply that academic advising and counseling services should be more readily available during digital studies to support at risk students.

Download Full-text

The Impact of Social Media on Panic During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Iraqi Kurdistan: Online Questionnaire Study

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/19556 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (5) ◽

pp. e19556 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Araz Ramazan Ahmad ◽

Hersh Rasool Murad

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Media ◽

Social Networking Sites ◽

Well Being ◽

Negative Influence ◽

Statistical Correlation ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

News Reports ◽

Iraqi Kurdistan ◽

The Impact

Background In the first few months of 2020, information and news reports about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were rapidly published and shared on social media and social networking sites. While the field of infodemiology has studied information patterns on the Web and in social media for at least 18 years, the COVID-19 pandemic has been referred to as the first social media infodemic. However, there is limited evidence about whether and how the social media infodemic has spread panic and affected the mental health of social media users. Objective The aim of this study is to determine how social media affects self-reported mental health and the spread of panic about COVID-19 in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Methods To carry out this study, an online questionnaire was prepared and conducted in Iraqi Kurdistan, and a total of 516 social media users were sampled. This study deployed a content analysis method for data analysis. Correspondingly, data were analyzed using SPSS software. Results Participants reported that social media has a significant impact on spreading fear and panic related to the COVID-19 outbreak in Iraqi Kurdistan, with a potential negative influence on people’s mental health and psychological well-being. Facebook was the most used social media network for spreading panic about the COVID-19 outbreak in Iraq. We found a significant positive statistical correlation between self-reported social media use and the spread of panic related to COVID-19 (R=.8701). Our results showed that the majority of youths aged 18-35 years are facing psychological anxiety. Conclusions During lockdown, people are using social media platforms to gain information about COVID-19. The nature of the impact of social media panic among people varies depending on an individual's gender, age, and level of education. Social media has played a key role in spreading anxiety about the COVID-19 outbreak in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Download Full-text

EFFECT OF THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.27717 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sulhi Alfakeh

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

University Students ◽

Female Students ◽

Male Students ◽

Psychological Status ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Full Time ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND The continuous reporting of the latest confirmed COVID-19 cases in Saudi Arabia and globally, with the concomitant social distancing measures and university closures, is likely to affect the mental wellbeing of many university students. There have been many reports on the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public, hospital staff, patients, children, and older adults [4,5]. However, to date, only a few studies on the mental health effects of COVID-19 and the wellbeing of college students have been conducted during the pandemic [6]. In this study, we aimed to estimate the mental health impact of COVID-19 on university students in Saudi Arabia. We conducted our study to learn more about the psychological status of university students through the pandemic for the following reasons: to evaluate the prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression of university students during the pandemic; and to provide a basis for universities and governmental policies to support university students affected by the impact of COVID-19. OBJECTIVE Objective: To estimate the psychological impact of COVID-19 on university students in Saudi Arabia. METHODS Method: The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales 21 (DASS-21) questionnaire was distributed via the university students’ accounts. Of the 71,945 full-time undergraduate university students, 3,515 respondents completed the questionnaires. The study questionnaire also included demographic information, including age, gender, source of income, living arrangements, smoking status, and weekly physical exercise. RESULTS Results: Nearly half of participants had normal stress (40.5%, n = 1425) and anxiety (42.4%, n = 1492) levels. In terms of depression, nearly one-third of subjects were classified as ‘normal’ (29.3%, n = 1031); however, one-fourth of them were classified as ‘extremely severe’ (23.8%, n = 838). There were significantly higher levels of stress among female students. Also, a significantly higher rate of male students (50.4%, n = 667) had normal anxiety levels, compared with female students (37.7%, n = 825). Finally. significantly higher proportion of female students had symptoms of depression (72.66%, n = 1,592) compared with the degrees of depression among male students (67.37%, n = 892). CONCLUSIONS Conclusion: We detected that stress, anxiety, and depression increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and university students were at more risk of developing mental health issues. Ongoing follow-up and monitoring of psychological consequences and their potential negative impact on academic performance and mental wellbeing are needed. CLINICALTRIAL none

Download Full-text

Parenthood and Psychological Well-Being Among the Formerly Married

Journal of Family Issues ◽

10.1177/019251389010004003 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 463-481 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

MICHAEL HUGHES

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young Children ◽

Well Being ◽

Married Women ◽

Parental Role ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Men And Women ◽

Married Men ◽

Negative Effect ◽

The Impact

Previous studies have found that children have a negative, albeit fairly weak, impact on the psychological well-being of parents. These studies have generally focused on married respondents and, to a somewhat lesser extent, unmarried women, but have generally ignored unmarried men. For the most part, studies of parenthood and well-being have not considered the issue of adult and/or absent children. Defining parenthood so it includes relations with adult children, absent children, and dependent children in the home, the present study compares the impact of parenthood on the well-being of formerly married men and women to that of married men and women. The findings confirm that nonparents experience better mental health than parents and further indicate that (1) variation in the parental role is more strongly associated with psychological well-being for men than for women, (2) parenthood is most strongly related to well-being among formerly married men, for whom the greatest problems occur with the presence of young children, (3) the negative effect of the absence of children on parents is greater than the effect of the presence of children for married men and formerly married women, and (4) much of the negative effect of being divorced or being widowed has to do with the impact of children on psychological well-being, particularly for men. Theoretical implications are discussed.

Download Full-text