Mental Health Risk Factors and Coping Strategies among Students in Asia Pacific during COVID-19 Pandemic—A Scoping Review

Abstract

The impact of COVID-19 has forced higher education institutes to go into lockdown in order to curb the situation. This sudden change caused students within the institutions to forgo traditional face to face classroom settings and to attend immediate online classes. This review aims to summarize the evidence of the social demographic mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students in higher education institutes within the Asia Pacific region and identify the coping mechanisms adopted during these times. A systematic literature search was conducted using three databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus), out of which 64 studies met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. The findings revealed that the social demographic groups most at risk were female students, those who were in the final years of their studies (i.e., students who were almost graduating), and postgraduate students as well as students studying medical fields (nursing, dental, medicine, health sciences etc.). The majority of the studies identified that students were relying on mobile devices and extended screen time to cope with the pandemic. Having proper social support, be it through a network of friends or positive family cohesion, can be a good buffer against the mental impacts of COVID-19. Students in higher education institutes are at risk of mental consequences due to COVID-19. By reducing their screen time, finding a healthier coping system, increasing the availability of support within the family and community, as well as actively engaging in beneficial activities students may be able to alleviate general negative emotions, specifically during the pandemic.

Impacts of Transitioning to an Online Curriculum at a Graduate School in South Korea Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…For programs with limited support staff and budgets, careful preparation would be needed to tackle the technical and financial issues that will arise. Although a concern, the emergence of mental health issues in this study was similar to that found in several other recent studies, with slight differences in details depending on academic institution and region [ 14 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Interestingly, prior to such recent studies involving the influence of COVID-19 responses to the mental health of student bodies at academic institutions, much of the discussion focused on the benefits of online curricula.…”

“…The literature suggests Academic stakeholders are susceptible to impacts involving health, sociology, and achievement [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ]. The generalization of Health as being the overall physical, mental, and emotional condition with regards to academic activities relevant to the individual.…”

“…There is a fair amount of literature on the integration and utilization of an online format in school curricula. Several studies describe a school’s sudden implementation of an online curriculum in response to crises and natural disasters, such as hurricanes [ 4 ], earthquakes [ 5 , 6 , 7 ], the 2002 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, SARS outbreak [ 8 , 9 ], the 2015 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, MERS outbreak [ 10 ], and the current COVID-19 pandemic [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ]. Insights from these studies say a strong telecommunications and information technology infrastructure is needed to properly benefit from online learning technologies as well as a strong impact on students’ mental health from COVID-19 protocols.…”

Social Health and Psychological Safety of Students Involved in Online Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Several studies from across the globe measured depression, anxiety, and stress levels among university students [ 33 , 34 , 35 ]. However, very few of these studies measured depression at the time of home isolation and the COVID-19 outbreak.…”

Impact of Social Support on Depressive Symptoms among Postgraduates during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Moderated Mediation Analysis

“…The outcomes of this research include the mental and psychological issues, such as the perception of stress and symptoms of depression and anxiety [ 5 , 6 ], suicidal ideation [ 7 , 8 , 9 ], post-traumatic stress disorder [ 10 ], and sleep disturbances, such as insomnia [ 11 , 12 ]. The pandemic has caused a reliance on mobile devices and extended screen-use time [ 13 ], leading to heightened levels of loneliness and social isolation [ 14 ], and increased social avoidance and feelings of distress [ 15 ]. In addition, it is associated with a decreased quality of life and lower subjective well-being [ 16 , 17 ].…”