“ COVID Is Another Layer of Problematic Things ”: Change, Vulnerability, and COVID-19 among University Students

Ifeolu David (), Enid Schatz, Tyler W. Myroniuk and Michelle Teti
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Ifeolu David: Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, School of Health Professions, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
Enid Schatz: Department of Public Health, School of Health Professions, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
Tyler W. Myroniuk: Department of Public Health, School of Health Professions, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
Michelle Teti: Department of Public Health, School of Health Professions, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-13

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic not only had detrimental effects on physical health but also had adverse effects on college students’ mental health. This paper begins to fill a gap in knowledge related to the contextual factors that impacted college students’ mental health during COVID. Using in-depth interviews with a diverse sample of 33 college students at a Midwestern university, during Spring 2021, we highlight the pandemic’s role in shaping college students’ mental health and their outlook of the future. Thematic analysis revealed student reports of mental health decline during the pandemic attributed to campus closures and social distancing policies implemented by the institution to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Students shared that the pandemic created uncertainties about their future opportunities for education, career fulfillment, and employment. However, the interviews also suggested a general sense of adaptation to the pandemic’s impact which was students achieved via a combination of active and passive coping strategies. Expanding institution-based mental health services to include a variety of modalities and off-line toolkits for students can help students cope with mental health challenges, whether in ‘normal times’ or during national crises. Future research should focus on identifying strategies for promoting mental wellness among college students and exploring post-pandemic mental health wellbeing.

Keywords: academic; college students; COVID-19; experiences; mental health; qualitative (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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