STEM Students’ Academic Well-Being at University before and during Later Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Cohort and Longitudinal Study

Lianne Aarntzen (), Marlon Nieuwenhuis (), Maaike D. Endedijk, Ruth van Veelen and Saskia M. Kelders
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Lianne Aarntzen: Social, Health, and Organizational Psychology, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
Marlon Nieuwenhuis: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
Maaike D. Endedijk: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
Ruth van Veelen: Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
Saskia M. Kelders: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 19, 1-29

Abstract: This paper offers an indepth analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on STEM students’ academic well-being beyond the initial stages of the pandemic. We draw upon a unique self-collected cross-sectional cohort dataset ( n = 990, prepandemic and pandemic first-year STEM students) and longitudinal dataset ( n = 170, students who started their studies pre-pandemic and are in their second year during the pandemic). Study 1 revealed that STEM students’ academic well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic was lower than before its onset, as shown when comparing a pre-pandemic and pandemic cohort of first-year students and from analyzing first-year students’ changes in academic well-being over time (i.e., lower academic satisfaction, belonging, efficacy and persistence intentions). Study 2 showed that especially COVID-19-related worries regarding academic enjoyment and study progress were related to STEM students’ decreased academic well-being, both for first and second-year students. Study 3 demonstrated that both peer support and faculty support contributed to higher academic well-being among first and second-year STEM students during the pandemic. These findings benefit policymakers and higher education institutions as they provide insight in how to safeguard sustainable academic well-being for STEM students in times of crisis or challenge.

Keywords: academic well-being; COVID-19 pandemic; STEM students; study stressors; social support (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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