Assessment and Evaluation of Psychological Status of Undergraduate College Students during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in the United Arab Emirates

Heyam F. Dalky (), Yousef M. Aljawarneh, Lubna M. Rajab, Salma Almas, Feddah Al Mazemi, Latifa Al Ali, Sana Abdulghani and Shamma Al Shamsi
Additional contact information
Heyam F. Dalky: Community and Mental Health Department, Faculty of Nursing, Jordan University of Science & Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid 22110, Jordan
Yousef M. Aljawarneh: Health Sciences Division, Nursing Program, Higher Colleges of Technology, P.O. Box 1626, Fujairah 15825, United Arab Emirates
Lubna M. Rajab: Health Sciences Division, Nursing Program, Higher Colleges of Technology, P.O. Box 1626, Fujairah 15825, United Arab Emirates
Salma Almas: Health Sciences Division, Nursing Program, Higher Colleges of Technology, P.O. Box 1626, Fujairah 15825, United Arab Emirates
Feddah Al Mazemi: Health Sciences Division, Nursing Program, Higher Colleges of Technology, P.O. Box 1626, Fujairah 15825, United Arab Emirates
Latifa Al Ali: Health Sciences Division, Nursing Program, Higher Colleges of Technology, P.O. Box 1626, Fujairah 15825, United Arab Emirates
Sana Abdulghani: Health Sciences Division, Nursing Program, Higher Colleges of Technology, P.O. Box 1626, Fujairah 15825, United Arab Emirates
Shamma Al Shamsi: Health Sciences Division, Nursing Program, Higher Colleges of Technology, P.O. Box 1626, Fujairah 15825, United Arab Emirates

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 19, 1-12

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus instigated a worldwide lockdown that affected students mitigating various psychological issues including depression, stress, and anxiety. This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on undergraduate university students’ psychological status in terms of depression, anxiety, and stress. A total of 206 students from the Higher College of Technology (HCT), Sharjah Campuses participated in this descriptive cross-sectional study. Data were collected between March and May 2021. Participants completed an online survey including a demographic data questionnaire and the depression, anxiety, stress scale (DASS-21). The mean depression, stress, and anxiety scores were 15.56 (±11.573), 17.13 (±10.946), and 14.90 (±10.523) respectively. Categorically, most students (33.3%) reported no depression, while 26.1% of students reported moderate depression. For stress, the majority (44.4%) experienced no stress, while 19.8% reported moderate stress. Strikingly, 36.7% of students reported extreme severe anxiety, with 28% reporting no anxiety. Students with history of depression, stress, and anxiety symptoms reported a statistically significant mean difference in depression, stress, and anxiety compared with those with no previous history of those symptoms. We conclude with a recommendation to expand mental health screening among undergraduate university students and design appropriate therapeutic modalities.

Keywords: anxiety; COVID-19; depression; stress; United Arab Emirates; university students (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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