Open AccessChanges in College Student Anxiety and Depression From Pre- to During-COVID-19: Perceived Stress, Academic Challenges, Loneliness, and Positive Perceptions
Author(s) -
Michelle Haikalis,
Hannah Doucette,
Matthew K. Meisel,
Kelli Birch,
Nancy P. Barnett
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
emerging adulthood
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.572
H-Index - 27
eISSN - 2167-6984
pISSN - 2167-6968
DOI - 10.1177/21676968211058516
Subject(s) - loneliness , anxiety , stressor , mental health , psychology , depression (economics) , covid-19 , clinical psychology , psychological resilience , pandemic , depressive symptoms , perception , psychiatry , medicine , social psychology , disease , neuroscience , infectious disease (medical specialty) , economics , macroeconomics
The COVID-19 pandemic is a major stressor that has negatively impacted global mental health. Many U.S. college students faced an abrupt transition to remote learning in March 2020 that significantly disrupted their routines, likely causing changes in mental health. The current study examined changes in anxiety and depressive symptoms among 990 college students, from before COVID-19 had reached U.S. community spread to 5 months into the pandemic. Results indicate overall increases in anxiety and depressive symptoms; this effect was amplified as more COVID-related challenges with academic impact and loneliness were reported. Increases in anxiety and depression were buffered as a function of greater perceived positive changes attributed to COVID-19; the differences in anxiety and depressive symptoms over time were also lessened when greater perceived stress prior to COVID-19 was reported. Findings reveal an unexpected effect involving pre-pandemic stress, and highlight potential targets to promote resilience, which should be examined long-term.