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Examining enduring effects of COVID-19 on college students' internalizing and externalizing problems: A four-year
Joshua K Brown1, Alexandra Barringer2, Chrystyna D Kouros3
1Human Development & Family Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States of America.
Journal of Affective Disorders
|January 27, 2024
Summary
College students experienced increased depression and social anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. While problematic alcohol use declined, these mental health shifts may have lasting effects on student well-being.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- College student mental health is a significant concern, heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Understanding the pandemic's impact on student mental health is crucial for targeted interventions.
- Pre-existing mental health challenges in students necessitate longitudinal investigation during crises.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine changes in college students' mental health trajectories during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To assess the longitudinal effects of the pandemic on depressive symptoms, social anxiety, disinhibition, aggression, and alcohol use.
- To provide data-driven insights into the evolving mental health landscape of university students.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study using data from 355 students at a Midwestern US research university (2017-2022).
- Seven survey waves assessed mental health outcomes and predictors, coinciding with the pandemic's onset.
- Multilevel growth curve modeling analyzed changes in depressive symptoms, social anxiety, general disinhibition, callous aggression, and problematic alcohol use.
Main Results:
- Depressive symptoms peaked mid-pandemic; social anxiety initially declined then rose.
- General disinhibition and callous aggression showed no significant trajectory changes.
- Problematic alcohol use decreased continuously, with no significant pandemic-related effects detected.
Conclusions:
- Findings reveal complex, evolving mental health changes in college students during the pandemic.
- Long-lasting and cumulative effects of the pandemic on student well-being are possible.
- Longitudinal data are essential for detecting subtle, long-term mental health impacts.
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