Increased Stress, Declining Mental Health: Emerging Adults’ Experiences in College During COVID-19

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic altered the college experience and substantially impacted emerging adults’ navigation of this life stage. This concurrent mixed-methods study used an online survey, distributed to a southeastern university shortly after the transition to remote learning, to explore and understand college-attending emerging adults’ experiences during COVID-19. A total of 1,220 students ( Mage = 20.9) participated, and the diversity of the demographics was largely consistent with the university population. Participants completed questionnaires about psychopathology and COVID-related stressors, and they were given an opportunity to provide feedback to the university about the adjustment to COVID-19. The most common stressors included loss of routine, lack of social contact, and work/finances. Approximately two-thirds of participants reported anxiety and depression symptoms in the moderate to severe range, and about one-third reported suicidality. The authors discuss the implications of these findings for the ongoing crisis and offer recommendations for universities and college counselors.

Depression on College Campuses Conference: Addressing an Evolving Crisis

“…As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health needs in college student populations are greater and more complex than ever [7]. Data suggest that an increasing number and percent of college students experience the persistence, exacerbation, or first onset of mental health and substance use problems while possibly receiving no treatment or inadequate treatment [8].…”

Zoom Memes for Self-Quaranteens: Generational Humor, Identity, and Conflict During the Pandemic

“…The abrupt changes led to a mental health crisis among emerging adults (Goldrick-Rab et al, 2020;Hall & Zygmunt, 2021;Halliburton et al, 2021;Patterson et al, 2021). Although emerging adults' higher risk for mental health problems has been a concern for at least a decade, mental health challenges during the pandemic resulted from many extraordinary factors, including social isolation, job loss, college leaving, and family and health stress (Hall & Zygmunt, 2021;Halliburton et al, 2021;Patterson et al, 2021).…”

“…The abrupt changes led to a mental health crisis among emerging adults (Goldrick-Rab et al, 2020;Hall & Zygmunt, 2021;Halliburton et al, 2021;Patterson et al, 2021). Although emerging adults' higher risk for mental health problems has been a concern for at least a decade, mental health challenges during the pandemic resulted from many extraordinary factors, including social isolation, job loss, college leaving, and family and health stress (Hall & Zygmunt, 2021;Halliburton et al, 2021;Patterson et al, 2021). Additionally, a recent study of a large sample of U.S. postsecondary students during the early stage of the pandemic experienced food insecurity, housing insecurity, anxiety, and significant gaps between white students and students of color in basic needs insecurity (Goldrick-Rab et al, 2020).…”

“…Romantic relationships and the resources for family formation, especially stable employment and adequate income, were severely jeopardized by the pandemic (Mont'Alvao et al, 2020). The pandemic, with its social isolation and abrupt transition out of school environments, has negatively impacted the well-being and mental health of young people (Hall & Zygmunt, 2021;Halliburton et al, 2021;Patterson et al, 2021).…”

“…While research on the pandemic has started to examine its negative implications for emerging adult mental health (Hall & Zygmunt, 2021;Halliburton et al, 2021;Patterson et al, 2021), educational achievement, and occupational attainment (Mont'Alvao et al, 2020), previous studies have not yet considered emerging adults' use and consumption of social media. This issue is important, as internet memes are an "ubiquitous form of communication, especially for younger generations" (Anderson & Keehn, 2020).…”