Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Department of Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
Can J Psychiatry. 2023 Jul;68(7):499-509. doi: 10.1177/07067437221094549. Epub 2022 Apr 21.
To examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on first year undergraduate student mental health.
As part of the Queen's University study, three successive cohorts of students entering undergraduate studies in 2018 (pre-pandemic), 2019 (transitional), and 2020 (during pandemic) completed electronic surveys at entry and completion of first year. Validated self-report measures were used to assess mental health status including symptom levels of anxiety, depression, and insomnia, self-harm and frequency of substance use. Propensity matching and multivariable log-binomial regression were used in comparisons of mental health indicators across the cohorts.
Clinically significant symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and self-harm were reported more frequently in the 2020-2021 cohort, coincident with remote learning and pandemic restrictions. In female students, screen positive rates for anxiety and depression, and suicidal ideation increased from about one-third to just under one-half in association with the pandemic (χ, < .01), while increases in mental health concerns were less pronounced among males. Among females, increases in clinically significant symptoms over first year appeared greatest during the pandemic year, while striking decreases in alcohol consumption in both females and males were reported in that same year. Studying under pandemic conditions had a negative impact on student well-being, social relationships and school connectedness, quality of learning experience, leisure activities, and optimism about future prospects.
Mental health concerns including anxiety, depression and sleep problems increased in first year students during the pandemic, especially among females, while alcohol use declined. These findings highlight the negative mental health impact associated with studying under pandemic restrictions involving remote learning and social distancing.
探讨 COVID-19 大流行对本科一年级学生心理健康的影响。
作为女王大学研究的一部分，连续三批于 2018 年（大流行前）、2019 年（过渡时期）和 2020 年（大流行期间）进入本科学习的学生在入学和第一学年结束时完成了电子调查。使用经过验证的自我报告措施评估心理健康状况，包括焦虑、抑郁和失眠的症状水平、自残和物质使用频率。在队列之间比较心理健康指标时使用倾向评分匹配和多变量对数二项式回归。
2020-2021 学年远程学习和大流行限制期间，报告有临床显著症状的抑郁、焦虑、失眠和自残的学生更为频繁。在女性学生中，焦虑和抑郁以及自杀意念的屏幕阳性率从大约三分之一增加到接近一半，与大流行有关（χ， < .01），而男性的心理健康问题增加则不那么明显。在女性中，第一学年的临床显著症状增加在大流行年期间最为明显，而同年女性和男性的酒精摄入量显著下降。在大流行条件下学习对学生的幸福感、社交关系和学校联系、学习体验质量、休闲活动以及对未来前景的乐观态度产生了负面影响。
在大流行期间，尤其是在女性中，焦虑、抑郁和睡眠问题等心理健康问题在一年级学生中增加，而酒精使用量下降。这些发现强调了与远程学习和社交距离相关的大流行限制下学习相关的负面心理健康影响。
