Negative COVID-19 impacts and depressive symptoms over time among first-year college students

This study examined the disruptions to social life, financial impact, and academic concerns caused by COVID-19 experienced by first-year college students, as well as their associations with depressive symptoms over time. Five hundred and thirty freshman college students completed an online survey at...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of American college health Vol. 72; no. 1; p. 219
Main Authors Monte, Victoria, Ang, Jen Ying-Zhen, Tsai, William
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 2024
Subjects
COVID-19
first-year college students
sociodemographic identities
depressive symptoms
mental health
intersectionality
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Summary:This study examined the disruptions to social life, financial impact, and academic concerns caused by COVID-19 experienced by first-year college students, as well as their associations with depressive symptoms over time. Five hundred and thirty freshman college students completed an online survey at baseline and 14-week follow-up. We found that female students reported greater COVID-19 academic concerns than males. Black students endorsed lower COVID-19 academic concerns and Latinx students reported greater negative COVID-19 financial impact compared to other ethnic groups. First-generation college students reported greater negative COVID-19 financial impact than domestic students. COVID-19 academic concerns and negative social and financial impacts were associated with greater depressive symptoms at baseline. However, only COVID-19 academic concerns were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms over time. Findings suggest that the academic, social, and financial disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have negative mental health consequences that should be addressed in research and university settings.
ISSN:1940-3208
DOI:10.1080/07448481.2022.2032085