Higher education students have experienced increased stressors and behavioral health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study further investigated such phenomena in a sample of university students collected between June 2020 to December 2021. Students (N = 1,441) from a Mid-Atlantic public university were recruited via email lists and a psychology department research participant pool. The participants completed an online survey with items pertaining to demographic factors, biopsychosocial stressors, and measures of behavioral health functioning. All variables were examined descriptively, and regression analyses were used to examine hypothesized cross-sectional relationships between demographic factors and biopsychosocial stressors, on the one hand, and behavioral health functioning, on the other. Experiencing notable levels of biopsychosocial stressors was common, though a linear trend across semesters was not observed with respect to behavioral health functioning. Gender was the most consistent demographic predictor of behavioral health functioning, whereas the most common biopsychosocial stressor predictors for behavioral health functioning were stress/worry, social isolation, discrimination, and prior mental health services. Results corroborate and extend prior research evidencing notable levels of biopsychosocial stressors and behavioral health problems reported by higher education students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Implications for campus administrators and behavioral health providers concern vulnerabilities for a range of pandemic-time challenges being experienced by their constituents to which to attend.

We developed a post-pandemic wellness scale (PPWS) to help understand some of the specific reasons why the pandemic may have differentially impacted the mental health of people from various sociodemographic groups. With an initial sample of 404 adults (74.3% White) collected in 2021 and in close proximity to the pandemic, we established adequate fit for a four-factor model of post-pandemic experiences including financial stress, social stress, and existential stress, and positive reframing experiences, which each predicted depression in the expected directions. In this initial sample, we found some evidence of race-based differences in post-pandemic experience as they related to mental health. In the interest of replicating these findings with more robust samples of non-White racial and ethnic groups, we collected a second sample of 462 adults (26% White) in 2024. Although we failed to replicate our race-based findings, we were able to verify the fit of the four-factor model. Moreover, some exploratory findings related to participant demographics were consistent across sample cohorts, including the influences of age and gender on post-pandemic experiences. In addition, all four PPWS subscales continued to predict depression in the expected directions. Thus, in two samples assessed in proximity to and more distally from the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, we find evidence for the psychometric stability and predictive validity of our scale for mental health. We expect this scale to be useful to future researchers and clinicians attending to the pervasive impact of the pandemic on mental health and wellbeing.

Purpose: To investigate the factors contributing to stress, anxiety, and depression among Vietnamese students before and during their thesis process.

Methodology: A Cross-sectional online survey was conducted with questionnaire comprised three parts: (1) demographics, (2) thesis status, expectation, and potential factors influencing stress, anxiety, and depression, and (3) The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) assessment. The collected data was analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test, Fisher’s Exact test, and Path analysis to explore relationships among the surveyed variables to stress/anxiety/depression condition.

Results: Among participants, 180 were pre-thesis students, 83 were peri-thesis students, and 212 had completed the thesis. Six factors were identified as significantly influencing stress, anxiety, and depression among pre-thesis students. They included “Pressure from discrimination”, “Pressure from unexpected incidents”, “Good pedagogical skills of thesis advisor”, “Stopping grade-improvement courses when doing thesis”, “Dealing with illnesses that are being treated”, and “Student’s expectations for their future thesis”. Perceived discrimination would directly increase stress score (β=0.16, p-value<0.001), and was directly influenced by factors such as (1) “Pressure from unexpected incidents”, (2) “Good pedagogical skills of thesis advisor”, and (3) “Stopping grade-improvement courses when doing thesis”. Anxiety scores were increased by “Current illnesses” and “Stopping grade-improvement courses when doing thesis” (β= 0.13, p-value=0.002 and β=0.15, p-value<0.001, respectively). Only “Student’s expectations for their future thesis” increased the severity of depression. For the peri-thesis group, strong “Academic supports from thesis-conducting institute” and a “Good attitude of thesis advisor” enhanced the likelihood of receiving administrative supports, thereby decreasing stress, anxiety, and depression scores (β=-0.31, p-value=0.008; β=-0.39, p-value<0.001; and β=-0.42, p-value=0.008, respectively).

Conclusions: Thesis-conducting environment, students’ expectations of future advisors and schedules might directly and indirectly impact stress, anxiety, and depression levels among students in pre-thesis and peri-thesis stages.

This study investigates the stress experiences and coping strategies among older Chinese immigrants in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was collected through focus group interviews and analyzed using the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (TMSC). The results showed that participants (N=25; 14 female, 11 male; age 65 and above) faced three main sources of stress during the pandemic: personal life disruption (e.g., hindered family reunions and financial pressure), emotional distress (e.g., fear, uncertainty, and distress), and structural obstacles (e.g., travel restrictions and anti-Chinese discrimination). In addition, participants reported generally three types of coping styles: cognitive coping (e.g., maintaining a positive mindset and redefining risks), behavioural coping (e.g., adhering to the pandemic prevention regulations and maintaining daily activities), and social coping (e.g., participating in online social activities and establishing mutual assistance networks). The results call for culturally sensitive policies and measures in future public health crises to address the specific stressors and coping resources of older immigrants.

Mental health professionals and researchers worldwide are concerned about the impact of the pandemic on mental health, particularly that of adolescents who have been identified as a vulnerable subpopulation. This study was therefore interested in comparing the prevalence of anxiety and associated psychological factors in French-Canadian adolescents before the pandemic, in its early phase and late in the pandemic. Three independent cohorts were recruited at three time points, one before the pandemic (2019), one early in the pandemic (2020) and one later in the pandemic (2022). The full sample included 3963 French-Canadian adolescents (M_age = 12.55 years, 50.6% girls). They were invited to complete questionnaires targeting their anxiety and associated psychological factors (depressive symptoms, intolerance to uncertainty, cognitive avoidance, negative attitudes when faced with problems, self-esteem, self-efficacy, impact of anxiety on academic, social, and family activities). Their answers were analysed with multivariate analysis of variance. Results showed that several types of anxiety (panic symptoms, separation anxiety, social anxiety) did not differ between pre-pandemic and early-pandemic cohorts, but were lower in the late-pandemic cohort, whereas generalized anxiety was higher in the early-pandemic cohort and lower in the late-pandemic cohort. Moreover, self-esteem, self-efficacy and negative attitude towards problems were worse in the late-pandemic cohort compared with pre-pandemic and early-pandemic cohorts. Depressive symptoms were higher in the early-pandemic cohort compared to pre-pandemic and late-pandemic cohorts. Our study suggests that overall, the pandemic did not have longer-term negative effects on anxiety symptomology, highlighting the importance of documenting the evolution of anxiety throughout the pandemic.