Well-Being amongst College Students during COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from a Developing Country

Lina Martinez (), Lina Sofia Valenzuela and Victoria Eugenia Soto
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Lina Martinez: Business School, Universidad Icesi & POLIS, Cali 760031, Colombia
Lina Sofia Valenzuela: Entrepreneurship Development Center, CDEE, Universidad Icesi, Cali 760031, Colombia
Victoria Eugenia Soto: PROESA, Universidad Icesi, Cali 760031, Colombia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 24, 1-17

Abstract: College students face unique challenges that the consequences of COVID-19 might aggravate. To explore the pandemic’s consequences on college students’ well-being, we conducted an online survey with 634 students from a private university in Cali, Colombia. The study sought to assess students’ well-being due to COVID-19, and to explore the mediating effects of optimism, gratitude, and emotional closeness on college students’ well-being. Results showed that COVID-19 affected students’ mental health and well-being. Being optimistic and grateful mediated with life satisfaction and happiness. Optimism, emotional closeness, and gratitude also mediated the negative effect of fear of infection and the pandemic’s impact on students’ academic performance. The results of this analysis will promote discussion of the implementation of coping strategies to help students thrive, promote resilience, and contribute to students’ well-being and better mental health.

Keywords: well-being; COVID-19; college students; gratitude; optimism (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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