COVID‐19 pandemic effects on trajectories of college students' stress, coping, and sleep quality: A four‐year longitudinal analysis

Abstract

College students' stress levels, coping strategies, and sleep quality are important indicators of functioning and further predict their health and well‐being. The current study utilises data repeatedly collected over more than 4 years from students enroled at a large public research university in the Midwestern US. Our data collection period coincided with the COVID‐19 pandemic's onset, facilitating systematic examination of whether and how college students' trajectories (i.e., level and slopes) of stress, coping, and sleep quality changed as the pandemic progressed. Across five waves, surveys assessed multiple outcome and predictor domains every 6 months. Analyses revealed differential courses of change for the outcomes. Stress levels were overall lower immediately after the onset but trended upwards as the pandemic continued. Reported coping reduced significantly after the onset and showed a steeper decline as the pandemic wore on. Sleep quality showed no significant pandemic changes over time, though sleep duration and timing showed initial onset effects. College students' stress, coping, and sleep changed in complex and nuanced ways after the pandemic's onset and findings from our longitudinal analyses expand upon those from previous limited repeated measure and cross‐sectional studies. Altogether, findings demonstrate multifaceted changes that may have ongoing effects to affect well‐being during key developmental stages.

Mental well-being and sleep quality among vocational college students in Sichuan, China during standardized COVID-19 management measures

“…Engaging in exercise is posited to strengthen the resilience and psychological health of college students throughout and subsequent to the pandemic ( 39 ). It has been previously documented that the occurrence of anxiety and insomnia symptoms saw an uptick preceding and during the normalized phase of the pandemic ( 42 ). Further, existing literature supports that anxiety and depression can negatively impact sleep quality, while poor sleep may aggravate symptoms of depression and anxiety, a finding that aligns with the outcomes of this study.…”