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Published on: January 7, 2019
A mixed-methods investigation of COVID-19 pandemic-specific stress in college students
Christyn L Dolbier1, Sarah M Vanacore1, Lauren Conder1
1Department of Psychology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Objective:
To identify pandemic-specific stressors among college students and compare patterns of stressors in samples obtained during early and chronic phases of the pandemic.
Method:
Different undergraduate student samples from a Southeastern university completed an online survey in Spring 2020 (early pandemic; N = 673) and Fall 2020 (chronic pandemic; N = 439). This repeated cross-sectional survey study used a mixed methods triangulation design to validate and expand on quantitative findings using qualitative data.
Results:
Quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed 13 pandemic stressor domains, with academics and lifestyle adjustment among the most stressful in both samples, and more stressful in the chronic pandemic sample. Non-freshmen, female, and first-generation college students were at greater risk for pandemic stress.
Conclusions:
As college students continue to experience stressors related to COVID-19 and encounter future crises, colleges and universities must adapt to meet their unique needs specific to the context.
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