The effects of perceived psychological, educational, and financial impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Greek university students’ satisfaction with life through Mental Health

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders Vol. 300; pp. 289 - 295
• Main Authors: Kokkinos, Constantinos M., Tsouloupas, Costas N., Voulgaridou, Ioanna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.03.2022
• Subjects: Adult; COVID-19; COVID-19 impact; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Mediation; Mental Health; Pandemics; Personal Satisfaction; Psychiatric/Mental Health; SARS-CoV-2; Satisfaction with life; Students; Universities; University students; Well-being; COVID-19 impact; Satisfaction with life; Well-being; University students; Mediation; Mental health; university students; well-being; mediation; satisfaction with life; mental health
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.12.114

•COVID-19 effects on life satisfaction, subject to students’ mental health was examined.•1653 Greek speaking university students completed an online survey.•Perceived COVID-19 impact on financial status had direct effects on life satisfaction.•Mental health mediated the link of COVID-19 impact on financial status and life satisfaction.•COVID-19 impact on academic achievement and life satisfaction was mediated by mental health. The purpose of this study was to provide an operating mechanism for understanding the effects of COVID-19′s on satisfaction with life, subject to students’ general mental health A sample of 1653 Greek speaking university students (72.4% females, 65.3% undergraduate, M age=26.1) completed an online survey including measures for perceived psychological, academic, and financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, general mental health and satisfaction with life. A mediation model was tested to illuminate these relationships by considering students’ general mental health as a mediator. Findings demonstrated that there were significant direct effects of perceived COVID-19 impact on participants’ financial status on satisfaction with life and indirect effects of perceived COVID-19 impact on participants’ financial status and academic performance respectively on satisfaction with life through general mental health. The study's cross-sectional design, self-report data and snowball sampling. The findings add to our understanding of the relationship between perceived COVID-19 impact and life satisfaction among university students, and they shed light on the critical role of general mental health in mediating the relationship. Targeting the factors that influence general mental health can help to mitigate potential problems while also finding ways to improve mental health and well-being.