Contemporary College Student Anxiety: The Role of Academic Distress, Financial Stress, and Support

Student mental health during Summer 2022 research experiences for undergraduates (REUs): Mentorship, remote engagement, and COVID-19

Objective: We examined how mentorship, remote participation, and COVID-19 challenges were associated with the mental health of college students participating in summer research programs. Participants: Participants were students participating in 78 National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) Sites during Summer 2022 (n = 516 students). Methods: We used multivariable generalized estimating equations that account for clustering by REU Site. Results: Students with more competent mentors had reduced depression severity. Students who spent ≥25% of their time doing remote research or ≥25% of their time in remote meetings and workshops had greater depression severity. Remote research was also associated with anxiety severity. Having a COVID-19 challenge that impacted students' research experience was associated with increases in depression and anxiety severity. Conclusions: Results suggest potential interventions: implement strategies to boost mentor competency and scaffold a support system into summer research programs to enhance student wellbeing. Additional research on remote engagement is needed.

The impact of SNS and Covid-19-related stress of Chinese students in Korea based on the transaction theory of stress and coping

Many countries attract international students to higher education programs to invest in human resources. However, living abroad can be stressful and adversely affect international students' mental and physical health. This study, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, investigated stress-related factors affecting the socio-psychological health of Chinese students, the greatest proportion of international students in Korea. The path coefficients and mediating effects of COVID-19-related stress factors were analyzed via a transaction-based stress model for 307 students using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Cultural adaptive stress had the greatest impact on mental health. Perceived financial stress was not statistically significant. Additionally, because the COVID-19 situation in Korea is relatively mild, anxiety regarding the pandemic did not lead to stress. However, excessive COVID-19-related information on social networking services negatively impacted mental health. Understanding the causes of stress and taking preemptive measures to prevent it will result in positive educational and social impacts for both international students and host countries. This study's results have implications for the formulation of international student policies.

Multidimensional stressors and depressive and anxiety symptoms in adolescents: A network analysis through simulations

BACKGROUND

Existing research has established associations between various stressors and adolescent mental health, primarily from a variable-level perspective. However, a symptom-level understanding about which stressors and symptoms might play a important role is scarce.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 15,570 adolescents aged 10 to 19. Participants completed questionnaires which assessed multidimensional stressors, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and demographic information. Network analysis was conducted to explore the relationships between stressors and depressive and anxiety symptoms. Additionally, to identify effective targets for the treatment and prevention of adolescent mental health issues, symptom-specific intervention simulations were performed on the network to investigate changes in symptom values in response to the alleviation and aggravation of specific stressors and symptoms.

RESULTS

Findings revealed that academic stressors exhibited stronger associations with anxiety symptoms than other stressors, particularly nervousness. Family relationships were more closely linked to depressive symptoms than other stressors, particularly suicidal ideation. Academic stressors emerged as an effective intervention target, and uncontrollable worry as an important prevention target. With the exception of academic stressors, simulating aggravation interventions on symptoms resulted in more changes in overall symptom activation than alleviation interventions.

LIMITATIONS

A cross-sectional design did not uncover network changes over time and the sample was non-clinical.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the importance of addressing academic stressors to alleviate adolescents' depressive and anxiety symptoms and reveals that uncontrollable worry is a key prevention target. The findings are helpful for clinicians and educators to develop effective strategies to protect adolescents' mental health.

Anxiety and depression among US college students engaging in undergraduate research during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to examine mental health of undergraduate researchers (UGRs) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PARTICIPANTS

We surveyed 962 UGRs who were conducting research in Spring 2020 at over 100 US universities.

METHODS

We conducted an online survey in July 2020. We analyzed data using descriptive statistics and multivariable generalized estimating equations.

RESULTS

63% reported at least mild anxiety and 73% reported at least mild depression based on GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores; 15.2% reported severe anxiety (score ≥ 15) and 23.4% reported severe depression (score ≥ 15). More COVID-19-related adverse event experiences were associated with more severe anxiety and depression, as were first-generation status, woman gender, and LGBQ status. Greater social support was protective, and significantly more so for men (vs. women) and continuing generation (vs. first generation) students.

CONCLUSION

Faculty have an important role in the mental health of their mentees. Additional interventions are needed to better support women and first-generation students.

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at.

Yoga classes as an early intervention for college students reporting high levels of stress and anxiety: A pilot study

Background:Today's college students are experiencing unprecedented rates of stress, anxiety, and mental health issues. As a result, college counseling centers are often overwhelmed by the demand for mental health services. Methods: The current study evaluated the potential for Hatha yoga classes to be used as an alternative to conventional psychotherapy for college students reporting high levels of stress and anxiety. Results: After 6 weeks of twice-weekly, hour-long yoga classes, significant reductions in stress, anxiety, pathological worry, and rumination were reported by 7 undergraduate college students. Conclusions: Results of this pilot study suggest that Hatha yoga classes may serve as a widely accessible, cost-effective early intervention that can be offered as a first-line recommendation to students who are struggling with heightened levels of stress and anxiety.

Personal growth Initiative as a protective factor between the relation of practical stress and life satisfaction

Objective: Stress stemming from practical or financial obstacles is among the top sources of stress for college students. The current study examined if one new positive psychological strength factor, personal growth initiative, functioned as a buffer to protect young adults' life satisfaction, anxiety, and depression from practical stress. Participants: Undergraduate students (N = 353, age range 18-23, 73.9% female) at a public university. Method: Participants were recruited through classes and on campus via flyers and completed self-report surveys online. Results: Personal growth initiative significantly moderated the relation between practical stressors and life satisfaction. Specifically, the negative effect of practical stressors on life satisfaction decreased as personal growth initiative levels increased. Practical stress significantly predicted anxiety and depression, though no significant interactions were identified in this model. Conclusion: Overall, results highlighted the protective function of personal growth initiative for life satisfaction in the context of practical stressors faced by young adults in college. Implications and future directions for research are discussed.

Perceived financial well-being and its association with frontostriatal functional connectivity, real-life anticipatory experiences, and everyday happiness

Perceived financial well-being (FWB) is an important aspect of life that can affect one's attitude toward future experiences and happiness. However, the relationship between FWB, anticipatory experiences, and happiness, and the brain's functional architecture underlying this relationship remain unknown. Here, we combined an experience sampling method, multilevel modeling, and functional neuroimaging to identify the neural correlates of FWB and their associations with real-world anticipatory experiences and everyday happiness. Behaviorally, we found that individuals with greater FWB felt more positive and more interested when they expected positive events to occur, which in turn resulted in increased everyday happiness. Furthermore, the level of FWB was significantly associated with the strength of functional connectivity (FC) between the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and the local coherence within the vmPFC. The frontostriatal FC and local coherence within the vmPFC were further predictive of everyday happiness via the anticipatory response involving interestedness during positive expectations. Our findings suggest that individual differences in FWB could be reflected in the functional architecture of brain's reward system that may contribute to shaping positive anticipatory experiences and happiness in daily life.

Academic Stress in University Students: The Role of Physical Exercise and Nutrition

The university experience can cause academic stress that, in turn, can lead to comorbidities. Students increasingly face demands and challenges that require a large amount of physical and psychological resources. These circumstances can make them experience physical and mental fatigue, lower their interest in studying, and even lead them to lose control over their academic performance and health. The objective of this work is to determine the relationship between the practice of physical exercise, eating patterns, and academic stress among university students. A questionnaire was administered to 742 students using non-probabilistic sampling. The mean age was 21.24 (DT = 3.8), and 20.1% were men and 79.4% were women. To identify academic stress, the Stress Manifestation Scale of the Students Stress Inventory (SSI) subscale was used; the Mediterranean Diet Score was applied for eating patterns, and the practice of exercise was measured by weekly hours of exercise. The results show that there is a relationship between academic stress and physical exercise, but not with adherence to the Mediterranean Diet. However, there is a relationship between the consumption of "unhealthy" foods exceeding the recommendations for the Spanish population and academic stress. In short, physical activity and diet are variables that are related to psychological well-being. Therefore, they should constitute the backbone of actions designed by university managers to eliminate or reduce stress suffered by students. Finally, the work demonstrates the need to create new scales that consider not only the foods that help alleviate stress but also their portions.

Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy With Local Wisdom and Web-Based Counseling on Generalized Anxiety Disorders and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in Adolescent College Girls: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

The high academic demands experienced by students will often have an impact on the quality of their mental and physical health. The most common health problems reported are gastrointestinal disorders. This condition tends to manifest in the emergence of generalized anxiety disorders (GADs) and reduces the quality of life and productivity. The population that experiences this disorder the most is female adolescents, and this condition occurs in both South African and Indonesian populations. The use of drugs, especially benzodiazepines, often causes psychological conditions as side effects. For this reason, it is necessary to have a solution in the form of a targeted and efficient approach to reduce psychological symptoms that arise from functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in the form of anxiety.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to produce and implement a counseling intervention model to assist female students with GADs caused by FGID factors using an approach combining cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), web-based counseling, and local wisdom in Indonesian and South African populations.

METHODS

The research subjects will comprise 118 female adolescent students from Indonesia and 118 female adolescent students from South Africa, making a total sample of 236 participants, and the study will use a prospective, parallel randomized controlled trial design. The recruitment process will begin in July 2023, and the trial will begin in August 2023. The posttest assessment data gathering will take place by November 2023. Questionnaires that will be used in this study include the Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder Checklist (FGI-Checklist) to collect data related to FGIDs and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) to measure the anxiety conditions experienced by respondents.

RESULTS

By adopting the intention-to-treat principle, there will be significant mean changes in GAD scores and FGID scores after exposure to this combined approach in the Indonesian and South African populations. Implementing this comprehensive intervention will improve the students' psychological symptoms related to FGIDs and ultimately enhance their overall well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

This study will develop and implement a model of counseling intervention for female students with GADs obtained from FGIDs using a combination approach to CBT, web-based counseling, and local wisdom in both the Indonesian and South African populations. The trial findings will contribute to our understanding of the effects of CBT combined with local wisdom and web-based counseling approaches that mental health counselors can use to treat GAD-affected adolescent girls who have FGIDs.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

UMIN Clinical Trial Registry UMIN000051386; https://tinyurl.com/yjwz8kht.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/50316.

Integrating appraisal processes in the study demands-resources framework - a diary study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Students face various demands that can lead to health complaints. Hindering demands appear to be especially harmful. Since the perception of demands differs between persons, their individual appraisal determines stress perception. However, individual appraisal processes are largely neglected in research. Therefore, this study builds on the study demands-resources model in examining the dynamics of students' demand-appraisal processes and their effects on well-being.

DESIGN

During ten days in a four-week period, 247 students participated in a diary study.

METHODS

We analyzed our data via multilevel path analysis.

RESULTS

Our analyses revealed that the student's appraisal of the same demands varied across days and depended on available resources, i.e., the received support quality on the respective day. Appraising demands as hindering was positively linked to the perception of stress on the same day. Daily perception of stress was positively linked to person-level strain and health complaints after four weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

The results highlight the importance of assessing the individual appraisal of demands rather than pre-categorizing demands. Furthermore, our findings identify social support as a crucial resource in reducing hindering appraisal; hence, it should be included in student-focused stress-management interventions. Limitations and further implications are also discussed.

Mental Health, Food Insecurity, and Economic Hardship among College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The mental health crisis among college students has become one of the most pressing issues, especially during the pandemic. Researchers discuss food insecurity as one of the leading causes of mental distress. The onset and continued impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic appear to compound food insecurity, economic hardship, and mental health. This study aims to understand the mental health of college students in relation to food insecurity and financial struggles to meet basic living expenses and debts during the pandemic. Authors collected survey data from college students in a public urban university in 2020 and conducted a multiple regression (N = 375). Evidence indicated that mental health became significantly worse after the pandemic onset. Mental health was significantly associated with food insecurity and multiple economic hardships, controlling for prepandemic mental health and other characteristics. The findings affirm that food insecurity and dire levels of economic hardship have devastating effects on the mental health of young adults. The article highlights the long-term implications of mental health affected by basic needs insecurity and the emergent need for integrated services and university-community partnerships.

Prospective associations between peer support, academic competence, and anxiety in college students

Previous literature has demonstrated that peer support is instrumental for the promotion of adaptive academic and mental health outcomes; however, limited research has examined prospective directional associations between peer support and adjustment within college settings. The purpose of this study was to investigate the longitudinal associations between peer support, academic competence, and anxiety among U.S. college students. U.S. students from a diverse 4-year university (N = 251, 75% women, 24% men, and < 1% a different gender) reported on peer support, academic competence, and anxiety using validated questionnaires at two time points (Fall term of sophomore year and Spring term of senior year). Results showed that peer support was positively associated with academic competence over time but was not significantly related to future anxiety. Academic competence did not significantly predict peer support or anxiety over time, but anxiety was associated with lower future academic competence. These findings offer insight into how types of social relationships link with academic motivation and anxiety over time within educational settings.

The effect of physical exercise on the anxiety of college students in the post-pandemic era: The mediating role of social support and proactive personality

In order to study the current situation of the anxiety of college students in the post-pandemic era and the effect of physical exercise on anxiety, this study explores the influence of social support and proactive personality as mediating variables on the anxiety of college students from the perspective of physical exercise. Firstly, anxiety symptoms and anxious emotions are defined. Secondly, a questionnaire survey is conducted for a well-known university in a certain city, and different questionnaire scales are developed from the physical exercise, anxiety, social support, and proactive personality assessment of college students. Finally, the results of the survey are statistically analyzed to explore the relieving effect of physical exercise on anxiety. The results reveal that there is a significant gender difference in the level of physical exercise, and the amount of physical exercise of the male students is generally higher than that of female students. In addition, the intensity, time, and frequency of exercise of male students are more than that of female students, but there is no obvious difference between them and whether they were only children. Physical exercise habits, social support, proactive personality traits, and anxiety of college students have a significant correlation. Through the analysis of the chain mediation effect, Ind2 (0.0140) is the largest coefficient among the three paths, indicating that the path of influencing social support through physical exercise habits, followed by affecting proactive personality traits, and then impacting anxiety has the strongest explanatory force. According to the results, strategies to relieve the anxiety of college students are given. This study can provide a reference for the research on the methods to alleviate their anxiety under the influence of the epidemic.

Meta-analysis of the relationship between university students' anxiety and academic performance during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the mental health and academic performance of university students worldwide. Anxiety is one of the most commonly reported mental health issues among this population, but its relationship with academic performance during the pandemic has not been fully explored.

Methods

A meta-analysis was conducted following the PRISMA-P guidelines to synthesize existing research on the relationship between anxiety and academic performance in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Four databases were searched (PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus) for articles published between December 2019 and June 2022, and studies from five different countries were included in the analysis. A heterogeneity test was performed, and a fixed-effects model was used to calculate the main results.

Results

The meta-analysis revealed a negative correlation between university students' anxiety and academic performance (r = −0.211, k = 5, N = 1,205). Subgroup analysis found no significant regulatory effects for the year of publication, country development level, student type, or anxiety type. The results suggest that negative emotions induced by the pandemic are the most significant factor linking anxiety to poor academic performance.

Discussion

During pandemics with severe global consequences, such as COVID-19, interventions against and for the prevention of university students' negative emotions are important ways to improve university students' mental health and academic achievement.

Food Insecurity and Substance Use Among Young Adult College Students in the United States

BACKGROUND

Food insecurity is prevalent among college students in the United States and has been associated with substance use. We sought to provide updated prevalence estimates and associations between food insecurity and a broad range of substances during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

METHODS

Using cross-sectional data from the Health Minds Study (N = 94,722; September 2020-June 2021), we used multivariable logistic regression to examine associations between food insecurity and several substances, adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, hours worked, and residence. We then added a block of adjustments consisting of mental health factors (depression, anxiety, loneliness, financial stress).

RESULTS

Food insecurity was associated with significantly greater odds of having used most individual substances, including greater odds of binge drinking (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-1.30), cigarette use (aOR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.73-2.10), vaping (aOR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.62-1.87), and a range of illicit or prescription drugs (using any illicit/prescription drug; aOR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.32-1.55) These associations attenuated and many lost significance after adjusting for mental health factors.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found evidence to suggest that food insecurity is related to substance use in a large sample of young adult college students in the United States, calling for targeted interventions.

Assessment, life circumstances, curriculum and skills: Barriers and enablers to student mental wellbeing in distance learning

Student mental wellbeing is increasingly a priority for universities, and this is particularly critical in a distance learning context. Studies have found that studying, academic pressure, university culture and systems can affect students' mental health. There are increasing calls for universities to take a compassionate, holistic approach to supporting student wellbeing, and identify the barriers that are created by university cultures, systems, pedagogies, curricula, tuition and assessment practices. This study aimed to identify barriers and enablers to student mental wellbeing in distance learning, and students' recommendations for changes to be made. Using a student survey (N = 584), we identified that assessment and life circumstances were the most significant barriers, while the greatest enablers were building study skills, the people in students' lives, and curriculum and module content. The study revealed significant demographic differences in how students experience barriers and enablers, and how likely they feel they are to benefit from solutions. Students with disclosed mental health difficulties were consistently more likely to experience barriers than students without a disclosure, while enablers were experienced by all demographic groups. The study concludes that assessment should be prioritised as an area for action.

The Impact of a Recent Concussion on College-Aged Individuals with Co-Occurring Anxiety: A Qualitative Investigation

College-aged individuals with anxiety are vulnerable to developing persistent concussion symptoms, yet evidence-based treatments for this population are limited. Understanding these individuals' perspectives is critical for developing effective interventions. We conducted qualitative interviews with 17 college-aged individuals (18-24 years old) with a recent (≤10 weeks) concussion and at least mild anxiety (≥5 on the GAD-7 questionnaire) to understand the life impact of their concussion. We identified 5 themes: (1) disruption to daily activities (e.g., reduced participation in hobbies and physical activity); (2) disruption to relationships (e.g., reduced social engagement, feeling dismissed by others, stigma, and interpersonal friction); (3) disruptions in school/work (e.g., challenges participating due to light sensitivity, cognitive or sleep disturbance, and related emotional distress); (4) changes in view of the self (e.g., feeling "unlike oneself", duller, or more irritable), and (5) finding "silver linings" after the injury (e.g., increased motivation). Concussions impact the lives of college-aged individuals with co-occurring anxiety in a broad range of domains, many of which remain largely neglected in standard concussion clinical assessment and treatment. Assessing and addressing these issues has the potential to limit the negative impact of concussion, promote recovery, and potentially help prevent persistent concussion symptoms in this at-risk population.

Correlates of psychological distress among undergraduate women engaged in remote learning through a New York City college during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVE

The study's objective is to explore psychological distress (PD) among remote learners during COVID-19.

PARTICIPANTS

Female undergraduates matriculated at an NYC college in Winter 2020.

METHODS

Using the Kessler-6 scale, we defined PD as no/low (LPD), mild/moderate (MPD), and severe (SPD) and assessed if residing in/near NYC modified associations.

RESULTS

PD was common (MPD: 34.1%, SPD: 38.9%). Students identifying as Other/Multiracial had lower MPD odds (aOR = 0.39 [0.17-0.88]). SPD was associated with identifying as White (aOR = 2.02 [1.02-3.99]), unbalanced meals (aOR = 2.59 [1.06-6.30]), violence experience (aOR = 1.77 [1.06-2.94]), no social support (aOR = 3.24 [1.37-7.64]), and loneliness (aOR = 2.52 [1.29-4.95]). Among students in/near NYC, moderate/high drug use (aOR = 2.76 [1.15-6.61]), no social support (aOR = 3.62 [1.10-1.19]), and loneliness (aOR = 2.92 [1.11-7.63]) were SPD correlates.

CONCLUSIONS

PD was high and associated with food insecurity, violence experience, no social support, and loneliness. Living in/near NYC modified drug use, loneliness, and social support associations. Mental health initiatives should address modifiable risk factors to ameliorate pandemic-associated PD.

Artificial intelligence-based analytics for impacts of COVID-19 and online learning on college students’ mental health

COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), first emerged in Wuhan, China late in December 2019. Not long after, the virus spread worldwide and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020. This caused many changes around the world and in the United States, including an educational shift towards online learning. In this paper, we seek to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in online learning impact college students’ emotional wellbeing. We use several machine learning and statistical models to analyze data collected by the Faculty of Public Administration at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia in conjunction with an international consortium of universities, other higher education institutions, and students’ associations. Our results indicate that features related to students’ academic life have the largest impact on their emotional wellbeing. Other important factors include students’ satisfaction with their university’s and government’s handling of the pandemic as well as students’ financial security.

Associations between childhood psychological trauma, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and mental health in female college students: Mediation of coping styles

PURPOSE

To investigate the associations between childhood psychological trauma, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and mental health in adulthood and to identify the mediation of active and passive coping on these associations in Korean female undergraduates.

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood psychological trauma had a direct association with current mental health in adulthood (β = 0.15, p < 0.001), which was mediated by PTSS (β = 0.34, p < 0.001). Each coping style partially mediated the relationship between (a) childhood psychological trauma and mental health and (b) PTSS and mental health.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

It is necessary to develop nursing interventions to enhance coping strategies in female undergraduates to ensure better mental health and well-being.

Coping Strategies and Trauma-Related Distress of College Students During Covid-19

Present-day college students are particularly impacted by the disconcerting effects of Covid-19 because of their vulnerability towards mental health struggles. The current study identified coping strategies used by students in the United States and how those strategies are associated with trauma-related distress. Results showed acceptance, emotional processing, and social support were the most commonly used coping strategies. Furthermore, avoidance coping related to higher distress than more helpful approaches (e.g., humor). Demographic findings revealed that Black students used more religious coping than did White and Asian students. Additionally, older and upper-year students used substances to cope more than did other students, including those with higher grade point averages. Our discussion focuses on how the findings of the present study can be used to enhance student support, resiliency, academic performance, and retention.

Associations of trait emotional intelligence and stress with anxiety in Chinese medical students

Background

Medical students are vulnerable to anxiety. Identifying its key influencing factors can potentially benefit both students and their future patients. Trait emotional intelligence (EI) and perceived stress may play important roles in anxiety. The main objective of this study was to examine the associations between trait EI, perceived stress and anxiety among Chinese medical students.

Materials and methods

Self-report questionnaires, consisting of the Chinese versions of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form, the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and demographic section were distributed to 1500 students at three medical universities in China. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed to examine the associations between trait EI, perceived stress and anxiety. Asymptotic and resampling strategies were utilized to examine the mediating effect of perceived stress.

Results

A total number of 1388 medical students became final participants. After adjustment for demographics, while trait EI was strongly and negatively associated with anxiety, accounting for 21.1% of its variance, perceived stress was strongly and positively related to anxiety, explaining an additional 10.0% of the variance. Stress appeared to have a mediating effect on the association between trait EI and anxiety in students with high and moderate levels of stress, but not in low stress group.

Conclusions

Both constructs of trait EI and perceived stress could be of vital importance to understand anxiety in medical students. Evidence-based strategies to enhance trait EI and reduce perceived stress might be undertaken to prevent and treat anxiety in the students.

The feasibility of a brief, Internet-based mantram repetition program for undergraduate students

OBJECTIVE

To assess the feasibility of a brief, self-guided, Internet-based version of the mantram repetition program (MRP) for undergraduate students, a population with mental health challenges and high reliance on Internet-based resources.

PARTICIPANTS

Undergraduate students (n = 60) receiving course credit had a mean age of 20.66 years and primarily identified as female (84.5%) and Asian (55.9%).

METHODS

MRP was taught through four video modules. Participants completed module 1 at timepoint 1 (T1), modules 2-4 one week later (T2), and questions about their practice one week following (T3).

RESULTS

Most (88.3%) participants completed all four video modules and 76.7% completed T3 questions. At T3, 80.4% of participants endorsed using mantram repetition, practicing 4.46 days/week and 3.26 times/day on average.

CONCLUSIONS

A self-guided, Internet-delivered MRP is feasible for undergraduate students. Further research is needed to establish its utility for managing psychological challenges in college students.

A study in University of Ruhuna for investigating prevalence, risk factors and remedies for psychiatric illnesses among students

There is no comprehensive study on the mental health of Sri Lankan undergraduate in higher education, as most existing studies have been done for medical students only. It is unknown how academic and environmental factors contribute for the prevalence of psychiatric illnesses. Further, there is no sufficient information on the student/university based remedies to reduce the psychological distress of students. This research is carried out to find the overall psychological distress, well-being, prevalence percentages of psychiatric illnesses, associated risk factors, and student/university remedies to overcome them. We use standard questionnaires to screen for psychiatric illnesses, and we analyze the responses for our own questionnaire using Binary logistic regression analysis to identify demographic factors, academic factors, and environmental factors causing each mental disorder. We use Pearson correlation coefficient to identify correlation between prevalence of each psychiatric illnesses. All 13 psychiatric illnesses were found with a moderate correlation among diseases having a mean prevalence percentage of 28 and a standard deviation of 14.36, despite the prevalence of well-being factors among students and only 8% are clinically diagnosed. 89% of the students were suffering from at least one psychiatric illness and 68% were found to be psychologically distressed. Sets of overall and individual demographic, academic, and environmental risk factors contributing for the prevalence of a psychiatric illness in general and in particular were identified respectively after a binary logistic regression analysis. 61% of the students don’t receive psychiatric help from the university and are using their own remedies. The universities must consider the environmental and academic risk factors associated with psychiatric illnesses and design curriculum, expand resources, and provide counseling services to reduce the impact of risk factors.

Economic strain, parental education and psychotic experiences among college students in the United States: Findings from the Healthy Minds Study 2020

AIM

Socioeconomic status (SES) is linked to psychosis, and much can be learned by examining how various indicators of SES-specifically economic strain and intergenerational transfer of resources-are related to sub-threshold psychotic experiences among college students.

METHODS

Using data from the Healthy Minds Survey (September 2020-December 2020), we used multivariable logistic regression models to examine the associations between five SES indicators and 12-month psychotic experiences, adjusting for age, gender and race/ethnicity. We also examined the count of predictors and psychotic experiences.

RESULTS

Each indicator of economic strain was associated with greater odds of psychotic experiences. In particular, increasing levels of financial stress (current, childhood and pandemic-related) were associated with greater odds of psychotic experiences in a dose-response fashion. Food insecurity was associated with double the odds of psychotic experiences. In terms of intergenerational transfer of resources, having either one or no parents who attended college was associated with significantly greater odds of having psychotic experiences, when compared with having both parents who attended college. Examining all predictors in the same model, only childhood and current financial stress and food insecurity were significantly associated with psychotic experiences. The count of predictors was significantly associated with greater odds of having psychotic experiences in a dose-dependent fashion.

CONCLUSIONS

Among college students, economic strain and intergenerational transfer of resources were associated with recent psychotic experiences, highlighting the importance of economic interventions targeting young adults to influence risk for psychosis.

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Well-Being of College Students

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an overall increase in stress and depression in society. The aim of the present research was to evaluate the psychological condition of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore factors influencing their daily functioning. The study focused on four main aspects such as mental well-being, sexuality, concern about financial status, and trust in medical authorities. The study was based on a specially designed survey. The questionnaire was created using Google Forms and shared on social media sites. A total of 630 students participated in the survey, 17 surveys were excluded due to incomplete data and 613 surveys (97.30%) were considered for the final analysis. During isolation, 68.0% of students experienced fear of missing out (FOMO). A total of 73.4% were frustrated due to spending a lot of time in front of a computer. A significant decrease in motivation to study was reported by 78.1% of the respondents. Students showed significantly different attitudes towards sexuality. Concern about the financial situation was reported by 48.7% of respondents. The state of the Polish economy was of concern to 86.4% of respondents. A total of 74.5% of students declared concern about their career development. During the pandemic, 59.0% of respondents became concerned about their health. The attitude towards vaccination was described as positive by 82.5% of the respondents. The percentage of respondents experiencing negative psychological effects relative to the overall epidemiological situation of COVID-19 is troubling. Given the unexpected length and severity of the pandemic, we suggest that students’ concerns be more thoroughly understood and addressed.

The influence of family cohesion on self-regulation and anxiety problems among African American emerging adults

Although African Americans have lower rates of anxiety in childhood than other racial and ethnic minority groups, they seem to experience escalating rates during emerging adulthood. Despite this, few studies have examined factors associated with anxiety during emerging adulthood among African American populations. The current study investigated the extent to which late adolescent family relationships affect anxiety problems among African American emerging adults. Informed by family development theory, family cohesion was hypothesized to indirectly effect anxiety problems through self-regulation. This model was tested with three waves of data (ages 17, 19, 21) from African Americans participating in the Maryland Adolescent Development in Context Study. Study findings were consistent with the hypothesized model: family cohesion forecasted decreased anxiety problems, indirectly, via increased self-regulation. This finding suggests that families may be an important promotive process for anxiety problems during emerging adulthood. Prevention programs that target family processes may be able to reduce anxiety problems in emerging adult African Americans.

General Anxiety, Academic Distress, and Family Distress Among Doctor of Pharmacy Students

Objective. To examine the prevalence of general anxiety among Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students and the role of academic distress and family distress in causing general anxiety.Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted among first, second, and third year PharmD students. All students received an online survey consisting of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62) questionnaire and sample characteristics. Variables from CCAPS-62 considered in this study included academic distress and family distress measured on a three-level scale: no, low, and high clinical level. Data on gender, race, work status, and physical activity were also collected. Descriptive and multinomial logistic regression were conducted to identify factors associated with general anxiety.Results. Of the 238 students who took the online survey (63% response rate), the majority were female (67%) and Asian (49%). Overall, 69 first year, 75 second year, and 94 third year students participated. The prevalence of general anxiety was 50%, with equal distribution (25% each) among high-clinical and low-clinical general anxiety groups. High academic distress and high family distress were associated with a greater probability of a student having high general anxiety.Conclusion. General anxiety was quite prevalent among pharmacy students. Identification and implementation of strategies to lower general anxiety as well as academic distress is of great importance. Also, understanding and enhancing the role of family members in students' lives is essential. College administrators can provide support for students as well as for family members to make improvements in these areas.

Mental health in academia: Hacks for cultivating and sustaining wellbeing

Mental health concerns among university populations are on the rise. Faculty and students report increasing levels of depression, stress, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. These mental health crises reduce overall wellness and inhibit the educational process. We identify uncertainty, financial stress, disruptions to social networks, burnout, and the contemporary social/political climate as key triggers for mental health crises for faculty and students. Faculty are in a position to provide support to one another and their students and as such, we provide strategies that attend to these triggers and complement other forms of intervention. We do not intend these "hacks" to supplant structural change or reputable medical advice; rather, they are intended to help focus attention on the importance and magnitude of mental health concerns in academia and to offer some strategies that faculty can implement.

Future anxiety in students of communication and Islamic broadcasting program: The correlation with resilience

Background

Anxiety becomes a mental health problem that students experience most frequently. One of the anxiety disorders in students is future anxiety. A high level of unemployment becomes the most significant stressor of this anxiety. In 2019, the department of communication became the department with the highest unemployment rate in the world. The students at Communication and Islamic Broadcasting Department feel this phenomenon and find difficulties in finding a job. This condition triggers the students’ concerns about the future. In this case, future anxiety can be influenced by one of the protective factors, namely resilience. This study aims to identify the correlation between resilience and future anxiety of the Communication and Islamic Broadcasting Department's students.

Design and Methods

This study was conducted by employing a cross-sectional design and involving students at the Communication and Islamic Broadcasting Department (n=238) of Universitas Ibn Khaldun, Bogor. This study used the Connor- Davidson Resilience Scale 10 questionnaire to measure the resilience and Future Anxiety Scale to measure future anxiety. Meanwhile, the bivariate analysis between resilience and future anxiety was conducted by employing the Pearson productmoment correlation.

Results

This reveals a negative correlation between resilience and future anxiety (-0.379) with a moderate correlation.

Conclusions

This study recommends several efforts to increase resilience for stress management, possibly guided by nurses. Moreover, higher education institutions can facilitate students by providing counseling and training in time management, enhancing adaptive coping, and developing the alumni association as media of future planning discussion for students.

Worsened Financial Situation During the COVID-19 Pandemic Was Associated With Depressive Symptomatology Among University Students in Germany: Results of the COVID-19 International Student Well-Being Study

Background: Previous findings suggest that university students are at an elevated risk to experience financial hardship and to suffer from depressive symptoms. This vulnerability may have substantially increased during the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic which might have affected students' socio-economic situation but possibly also their mental well-being. We examined whether the financial situation changed during the COVID-19 pandemic among German university students, and whether changes were associated with mental well-being. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey in May and July 2020 at five German universities. Participants were asked, if they had sufficient financial resources to cover monthly expenses before and during the pandemic. The answer options were dichotomized into worsened and no change/better financial situation compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the CES-D 8 scale. For examining associations between sociodemographic, study-related, and financial factors and "worsened financial situation," we ran a generalized linear mixed model. To assess associations between depressive symptoms and worsened financial situation, we performed a linear mixed model. Results: We included 7,199 participants in the analyses (69% female, 30% male, 1% diverse, mean age: 24 years, standard deviation: 4.7). Overall, 25% of the participants reported to have a worsened financial situation at the time of the survey than in the time before COVID-19. Factors associated with a worsened financial situation were migration background, parents not being academics, not being able to borrow money, and payment of tuition fee by student and loan [odds ratios (OR) ranging from 1.20 to 2.35]. Factors associated with lower odds were: being single, living with others, studying a health-related field, being enrolled in a doctoral/Ph.D. or state exam program, and publicly funded tuition/tuition paid with a scholarship (OR ranging from 0.42 to 0.80). A worsened financial situation was associated with 1.02 points more on the CES-D 8 scale (95% CI: 0.80-1.24). Conclusion: Our results suggest that the pandemic put a number of students under financial strain with detrimental consequences for their mental well-being. Renewed attention must be paid to this vulnerable group to prevent the potentially damaging effects on their mental health.

Rest a while and run a mile: Relationship between distraction and negative emotions among college students in China

Previous experimental studies have regarded distraction, an emotional regulation strategy, as an attentional disengagement strategy and considered it to be maladaptive in the long term. This study intends to further examine the relationship between distraction and negative emotions by using a questionnaire and a multiple mediation model. A total of 723 college students completed the distraction, cognitive reappraisal and problem-solving subscales of the Measurement of Affect Regulation Styles, the Needs Satisfaction Questionnaire, the Meaningful Life Measure, and the Emotional Experience Questionnaire of Well-being. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed, and mediation effects were tested. The results showed that (1) distraction was used significantly more frequently than problem-solving and cognitive reappraisal, with a large effect size (partial η² = 0.321 > 0.138), and (2) distraction had an effect on negative emotions through two multiple mediation paths, i.e., positive emotion—cognitive reappraisal—meaning in life, and positive emotion—problem-solving—needs satisfaction. Distraction reduces negative emotions by enhancing positive emotions and facilitating cognitive reappraisal, problem-solving, meaning in life and needs satisfaction. It is not a kind of avoidance but a temporary rest to strive for a better life.

Effects of guided mindfulness meditation on anxiety and stress in a pre-healthcare college student population: a pilot study

Objective: To identify the effects of guided mindfulness meditation on anxiety and stress in pre-healthcare college students. Participants: Students (n = 33, age 19-22 years) were tested between September and November of 2017. Methods: Students completed 5-12 minutes of meditation 6 days/week for 8 weeks. We examined differences in pre- and post-intervention stress, anxiety, mindfulness, and heart rate variability. Results: All variables significantly improved after the intervention. When broken into quartiles based on minutes of meditation, groups 1 (0-184 min, p = 0.044) and 2 (184.1-268 min, p = 0.042) significantly increased mindfulness after the intervention. Group 3 (268-350 min) significantly decreased state anxiety (p = 0.015) and increased mindfulness (p = 0.029). Group 4 (350.24-424.05 min) decreased stress (p = 0.003), state anxiety (p = 0.007), trait anxiety (p = 0.003), and increased mindfulness (p = 0.007). Conclusion: Five to twelve minutes of daily mindfulness meditation is associated with decreased stress and anxiety, and increased mindfulness with greater changes observed following more minutes of meditation.