Analysis of the Difference in College Students’ Experience of Family Harmony before and after the COVID-19 Outbreak

Qisheng Zhan, Shuya Zhang, Qin Wang, Lisha Zhang and Zhengkui Liu
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Qisheng Zhan: School of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
Shuya Zhang: School of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
Qin Wang: School of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
Lisha Zhang: School of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
Zhengkui Liu: Institute of Psychology, Academy of Science, Beijing 100020, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 10, 1-11

Abstract: Background: China implemented a home quarantine policy in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, college students stayed at home for a long time, facing their parents and being directly exposed to family affairs every day. Thus, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and home quarantine on college students’ experience of family harmony are worth discussing. Objectives: In this study, we aimed to explore whether there was any difference in college students’ experience of family harmony before and after the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: Participants in this study were undergraduates from a university in Tianjin. They completed the college students’ experience of family harmony questionnaire (CSEFHQ) before and after the COVID-19 outbreak (December 2019 and March 2020). A total of 215 participants (96 men and 119 women) completed the whole test. Results: The paired sample t -tests showed that the scores on seven dimensions of CSEFHQ: getting along (t = 5.116, p < 0.001), conflict (t = 6.442, p < 0.001), sharing (t = 5.414, p < 0.001), self-isolation (t = 3.014, p < 0.01), help-seeking (t = 5.353, p < 0.001), avoidance (t = 6.010, p < 0.001), support-providing (t = 5.818, p < 0.001), and the total scores of CSEFHQ (t = 6.496, p < 0.001) were all significantly reduced after the COVID-19 outbreak, while the scores on the other two dimensions, undertaking housework (t = 1.379) and indifference (t = 1.765), did not change significantly. Conclusions: The college students’ experience of family harmony was significantly worse after the COVID-19 outbreak. These results can be used to improve the level of family harmony of college students during the pandemic and improve their quality of life.

Keywords: China; college students; COVID-19 outbreak; experience of family harmony (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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