Emotional State of Mexican University Students in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Maria Dosil-Santamaria, Naiara Ozamiz-Etxebarria, Nahia Idoiaga Mondragon, Hiram Reyes-Sosa and Javier Santabárbara
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Maria Dosil-Santamaria: Department of Research and Diagnostic Methods in Education, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain
Naiara Ozamiz-Etxebarria: Department of Psychosocial Processes and Health, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain
Nahia Idoiaga Mondragon: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain
Hiram Reyes-Sosa: Department of Social Psychology, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Saltillo 25280, Mexico
Javier Santabárbara: Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Ministry of Science and Innovation, 28029 Madrid, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 4, 1-11

Abstract: Background: Since the WHO declared the COVID-19 crisis a pandemic in March 2020, the young population is suffering from a range of psychological symptoms. The present study measured symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression in university students of Saltillo, Mexico, using the Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Methods. The DASS-21 scale and an ad hoc questionnaire were used to collect sociodemographic information. Results: The results show that the students who participated in this study suffer from high levels of stress, anxiety and depression. In terms of sociodemographic variables, women, people suffering from a chronic disease and people living with a chronic disease had the highest levels of stress, anxiety and depression, and people who live with a chronically ill person, people who have had the COVID-19 disease and those who have had someone close to them fall sick have had more stress, anxiety and depression than the rest. Another finding of the present study is that university students who believe that others comply with COVID-19 safety measures have significantly lower anxiety and depression than those who believe that others do not comply. Conclusions: It is concluded that university students are a psychologically vulnerable group in the face of the pandemic.

Keywords: stress; anxiety; depression; university students; chronic illness; gender; COVID-19 (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 (2)

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