Research paper
Mental health of college students during the COVID-19 epidemic in China

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.11.032Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • 1

    What is the primary question addressed by this study? To assess the psychological status of college students in China during the COVID-19 outbreak, and offer some theoretical evidence for psychological intervention of college students.

  • 2

    What is the main finding of this study? (1) A total of 89,588 college students participated in the current study, among which 36,865 students (41.1%) reported anxiety symptoms. (2) Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk factors for anxiety symptoms included the age of 26-30 college students, sophomore students, junior students, senior students, father have a higher education level, bad economic status, and low social support.

  • 3

    What is the meaning of the finding? (1) About two-fifths of Chinese college students have anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 epidemic. (2) Timely and appropriate psychological interventions for college students should be implemented to reduce the psychological harm caused by COVID-19 epidemic. (3)Meanwhile, psychological skills training should be strengthened to better regulate the psychological status of college students as well as to mitigate the psychological problems of patients.

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the psychological status of college students in China during the COVID-19 outbreak, and offer some theoretical evidence for psychological intervention of college students.

Methods: An online survey was conducted from May 10, 2020 to June 10, 2020. Anxiety symptoms were measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale (GAD-7). Categorical data were reported as number and percentage, while continuous data were reported as mean ± SD. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between different factors and anxiety symptoms.

Results: A total of 89,588 college students participated in the current study, among which 36,865 students (41.1%) reported anxiety symptoms. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk factors for anxiety symptoms included the age of 26-30 (OR=1.456), sophomore (OR=1.038), junior (OR=1.087) and senior grades (OR=1.161), a higher paternal education level (OR=1.055), low economic status (OR=1.520), and low social support (OR=1.542).

Conclusions: About two-fifths of Chinese college students experienced anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 epidemic. Timely and appropriate psychological interventions for college students should be implemented to reduce the psychological harm caused by COVID-19 epidemic.

Keywords

Mental Health
COVID-19
College Students
China

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Wenning Fu, Shijiao Yan and Qiao Zong equally contributed to this article.