Fruehwirth JC, Biswas S, Perreira KM (2021) The Covid-19 pandemic and mental health of first-year college students: Examining the effect of Covid-19 stressors using longitudinal data. PLoS ONE 16(3): e0247999. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0247999

Concordia College - Moorhead

This study conducted in two waves (2019-2020) sought to estimate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on college students' mental health. Using data from 419 first year students, this study found significant results that the participants had higher moderate-severe anxiety as well as moderate-severe depression after the beginning of the pandemic.

The Covid-19 pandemic and mental health of first-year college students: Examining the effect of Covid-19 stressors using longitudinal data

Though the longitudinal timeline is quite short, only spanning a couple months between data collection waves, the results found were significant. Four main results from the data analysis are 
 - Work reductions had no correlations with increases in moderate-severe anxiety or depression except in students that presented moderate-severe anxiety symptoms before the beginning of the pandemic. These symptoms were increased when work reductions were experienced.
 - Students who had difficulties with distance learning “experienced higher rates of moderate-severe anxiety and depression.”
 - There is no correlation between covid-19 related health problems and hospitalizations with a significant  increase in symptoms of anxiety or depression
 - Social isolation “significantly and profoundly influenced the risk of moderate-severe anxiety and depression even after controlling for perceptions of social isolation prior to the pandemic”


Results of The Covid-19 pandemic and mental health of first-year college students: Examining the effect of Covid-19 stressors using longitudinal data

419 first year students (18-20) from a public university in North Carolina were surveyed before the beginning of the pandemic (October 2019-February 2020) and once more after the beginning of the pandemic (June/July 2020). The descriptive data collected was used to estimate the correlations between various pandemic related stressors (work reductions, health, distanced learning difficulties and social isolation) and students baseline mental health before the pandemic. Data were separated based on demographic characteristics of the students.

Methodology of The Covid-19 pandemic and mental health of first-year college students: Examining the effect of Covid-19 stressors using longitudinal data

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