Exploring the triggering factors for mental stress of university students amid COVID-19 in Bangladesh: A perception-based study

Assessment of work-related stress utilizing the Find My Stress mobile application among university students and adult workers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVES

This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate work-related stress and the efficacy associated with the newly developed Find My Stress mobile application. The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly influenced the quality of life, transcending geographical boundaries and inducing stress that has detrimentally affected health and work efficiency.

METHODS

A total of 440 male and female participants, comprising university students and adult workers, were enrolled in the study. Participants completed an assessment in the application that consisted of three components: 1) perceived work stress, 2) environmental stress factors, and 3) application efficiency.

RESULTS

University students exhibited higher perceived stress levels compared to adult workers (p = 0.031). The predominant physical factors contributing to musculoskeletal disorders in university students were identified as movement and posture factors, particularly related to vibration and organization. Conversely, environmental factors took precedence in adult workers, followed by posture and movement. The reliability of the perceived work stress questionnaire was evaluated by Cronbach's alpha coefficient and yielded a value of 0.96. The Find My Stress application demonstrated high efficiency.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated levels of work stress were observed in both university students and adult workers. Initial signs of musculoskeletal disorders in university students primarily manifested in the neck and upper back, arms, and hands, while adult workers predominantly reported complaints related to the arms and hands. The Find My Stress application emerges as a valuable tool for screening occupational stressors.

Self-system and mental health status among Malaysian youth attending higher educational institutions: A nationwide cross-sectional study

Introduction

Mental health disorders (MHDs) are a global health burden with an increasing prevalence. During the COVID-19 pandemic, depression was the commonest MHD, followed by anxiety and stress. This nationwide study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of depression, anxiety and stress among Malaysian students attending higher educational institutions.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to December 2021. Institutions were selected via stratified random sampling and students via convenience sampling. A self-administered questionnaire comprising questions on socio-demographic characteristics, academic background, substance abuse, childhood abuse, religiosity and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 was used. Data were analysed using SPSS version 27; descriptive, point-biserial correlation, chi-square and multiple binary logistic regression analyses were conducted.

Results

Sex and adverse childhood experiences significantly predicted all three MHDs (P<0.05). The students from public institutions (odds ratio [OR]=0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.56-0.90, P=0.004) had a lower risk of depression than those from private institutions. The smokers/vapers (OR=1.43, 95% CI=1.02-2.02, P=0.041) a higher risk of depression than the non-smokers/non-vapers. The social science students (OR=1.29, 95% CI= 1.01-1.65, P=0.039) had a higher risk of anxiety than the science students. The students who highly engaged in organisational religious activity (OR=0.91, 95% CI=0.84-0.98, P=0.015) had a lower risk of anxiety than their counterparts.

Conclusion

Anxiety is the commonest MHD among Malaysian youth, followed by depression and stress. Childhood abuse is a crucial related factor requiring further attention. Screening, surveillance, preventive measures and comprehensive interventions for MHDs should be initiated among youth.

Mental workload, musculoskeletal discomfort and physical activity level in master's degree students in the COVID-19 context: A pilot study

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a change of pedagogical strategies from on-campus to "online" modality (synchronous and asynchronous learning) and may influence the health of university students, including their mental workload.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the association between mental workload, perception of musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD), and the level of physical activity of Masters's students' online learning due to the pandemic.

METHOD

This was a pilot descriptive study with a cross-sectional, quantitative, non-experimental study design. The sample consisted of 20 students. To collect the data, the participants answered a sociodemographic questionnaire, NASA-Task Load Index, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire.

RESULTS

The students presented mental workload at medium (45%) and high (55%) levels, with time demands as the most prevalent dimension. In addition, 80% of the students reported experiencing MSD in the last seven days, with the most frequent areas being the neck and lower back. Regarding the level of physical activity, five students had a low level (25%), five students had a medium level (25%), and ten students had a high level (50%) of activity.

CONCLUSION

Most of the students (95%) conduct their master's degree along with maintaining a full-time job. Therefore, the adaptive requirements according to "time demands" is a negative factor because of its contribution to mental workload. Especially in addition to students' perception of musculoskeletal discomfort, organizational aspects would be fundamental to prevent physical and mental health risks.

Predictors and prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD among university students during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey

This study aimed to find the prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD; differences according to demographic variables; and predictors of mental health problems during the second wave of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Turkey. Differences in exposure to COVID-19 during the first and second waves of the pandemic among students were compared. A total of 754 students from seven universities in different parts of Turkey participated in the survey between November and December 2020. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) scale measuring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) were used to measure the mental well-being of students. Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, correlations, and multinomial logistic regression methods were used to analyze the data. The prevalence of high stress, high generalized anxiety (GAD-7 ≥ 10), high depression symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 10), and high PTSD in the total sample were 84.2, 36.2, 55.0, and 61.2%, respectively. High perceived stress, moderate generalized anxiety disorder, mild depression symptoms, high severity PTSD, and moderate satisfaction were found among students in Turkey. Religiosity and spirituality have significant negative correlations with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Religiosity level, gender, relationship status, year of study, physical activity, symptoms of coronavirus, death of a close relative, job loss, and economic status are significant parameters for predicting psychological problems of students in Turkey.

Predicting students’ intention to continue business courses on online platforms during the Covid-19: An extended expectation confirmation theory

The objective of this study was to analyze the intention of a University's business department students to continue their studies on e-learning platforms during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, a questionnaire was developed to collect primary data from students in business fields. The study took into account more than 285 respondents from two different universities and relied on the expectation confirmation model (ECM) theory and the structural equation model. The partial least squares (SEM-PLS) method was used to analyze the data. The results of the study showed that task skills (TS) and task challenges (TC) were significant for the enjoyment (EN) of the students which in turn had a positive effect on the satisfaction levels. Confirmation (CON) had an impact on the post adoption perceived usefulness (PAPU), which was deemed positive for student satisfaction (SAT). The SAT and psychological safety (PS) of online learning platforms were found to positively influence the continuance intention (CI) on e-learning platforms. Finally, both SAT and PS of online learning platforms were observed to positively influence CI on e-learning platforms. Further research in this area could be useful in making decisions about promoting educational programs based on e-learning. The researchers recommend that academicians and policymakers must ensure appropriate arrangements for teaching on e-learning platforms.

A Turf-Based Feature Selection Technique for Predicting Factors Affecting Human Health during Pandemic

Worldwide, COVID-19 is a highly contagious epidemic that has affected various fields. Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and particular feature selection approaches, this study evaluates the aspects affecting the health of students throughout the COVID-19 lockdown time. The research presented in this paper plays a vital role in indicating the factor affecting the health of students during the lockdown in the COVID-19 pandemic. The research presented in this article investigates COVID-19’s impact on student health using feature selections. The Filter feature selection technique is used in the presented work to statistically analyze all the features in the dataset, and for better accuracy. ReliefF (TuRF) filter feature selection is tuned and utilized in such a way that it helps to identify the factors affecting students’ health from a benchmark dataset of students studying during COVID-19. Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosted Decision Trees (GBDT), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and 2- layer Neural Network (NN), helps in identifying the most critical indicators for rapid intervention. Results of the approach presented in the paper identified that the students who maintained their weight and kept themselves busy in health activities in the pandemic, such student’s remained healthy through this pandemic and study from home in a positive manner. The results suggest that the 2- layer NN machine-learning algorithm showed better accuracy (90%) to predict the factors affecting on health issues of students during COVID-19 lockdown time.

COVID-19 Pandemic and International Students’ Mental Health in China: Age, Gender, Chronic Health Condition and Having Infected Relative as Risk Factors

International students in China were among the first group of individuals to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the pandemic’s impact on their mental health is underexplored. This study—utilizing web-based survey data (N = 381), presents preliminary reports using ANOVA and MIMIC analytic approaches. Following the clinical demarcation of the 21-item version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), we found 24.6%, 38.3%, and 43.6% of the students to suffer mild to extreme stress, anxiety, and depression, respectively. Female students reported significantly higher levels of stress and depression than males. Older students’ reports of stress were more substantial than younger students. Students who reported having a relative infected with the virus (vs. those without) experienced significantly higher anxiety and stress. Those who reported having pre-existing chronic health condition(s) (vs. those without) also reported significantly higher stress, anxiety, and depression levels. Moreover, students with an exercise routine (vs. those without) experienced significantly lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Last, our MIMIC model results indicate that foreign students’ age, gender, chronic health status, and having a relative infected with the virus constitute significant risk factors explaining variations in foreign students’ experience of psychological distress. Implications for international students’ management have been thoroughly discussed.

An analysis of business students’ stressors and their coping strategies in the post-pandemic era

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a dramatic change in teaching–learning practices in higher education across the world. The post-pandemic era with a new shift of teaching–learning phase raises the concern of students' psychological well-being, especially the novice, i.e., first-year undergraduate students, as first-year students often struggle to adjust to the new environment of higher institutions, thereby depressive symptoms are more prevalent among them. In this regard, a qualitative study was conducted followed by a dyadic approach to explore the symptoms of students’ psychological stressors, their causes, and provide essential remedies for coping with such behaviors in the post-pandemic era. The findings show that students’ stressors were commonly reported due to the academic workload, institutional regulations, lack of resources, and financial constraints. Regarding indications, unusual behavior, lack of confidence, improper sleep, and lack of motivation were identified as the primary symptoms of students’ stress. However, participants reported a lack of understanding regarding stress-related matters. Yet, students and faculty members try to adopt several strategies for reducing such stressors. By examining the perceived psychological stress, indications, and coping behaviors, this study enriches the literature by bridging pragmatic and theoretical gaps regarding students’ stressors of business management. Furthermore, the study mainly suggests that adequate institutional support should be provided to deal with students’ problems that cause stress. Also, universities should organize workshops or seminars to cultivate psychological health awareness among students and faculty members.

Factors Associated With Underprivileged E-Learning, Session Jam Phobia, and the Subsequent Mental Distress Among Students Following the Extended University Closure in Bangladesh

Severe session jam phobia (SJP), the extent of underprivileged online education, and subsequent mental health disorders among students have emerged as distinguished global problems due to the overwhelming effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The purpose of this research was to evaluate the impact of extended COVID-19 lockdown and its mediating factors on current e-Learning activities, the prevalence of severe SJP and psychological distress among university students in Bangladesh. A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted to assemble responses through Google Form by applying a simple snowball sampling technique among university students aged 18 years or above in Bangladesh. All ethical considerations were maintained, and univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were employed to analyze the acquired data set. Among the total analyzed data (n = 1,122), the male and female ratio was almost 1:1, and a remarkable segment (63.7%) was aged between 21-24 years. Alarmingly, around 50-60% of the students were suffering from severe SJP, prevailing underprivileged education in the e-Learning platform, and severe mental distress. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that the students from public universities, lower- and mid-income families, lower-aged, and junior years education groups were significantly (p < 0.05) more underprivileged than their counter groups. Besides, the monthly family income and university type significantly influenced the extent of severe SJP. Finally, the students who were female, rustic, come from low-income families (below 25,000 BDT), who had academic uncertainty, job insecurity, online exam phobia, and dissatisfaction with e-Learning education, were significantly suffering from moderate to severe mental distress. The current evidence demonstrates that a substantial number of Bangladeshi university students are struggling with extreme session jam phobia, underprivileged e-Learning education, and subsequent psychological distress, which need to be immediately addressed through concerted efforts by the government, parents, and university authorities.

Psychotherapists’ views on triggering factors for psychological disorders

Triggering factors play an important role in the development of psychological disorders. Practicing psychotherapists have valuable knowledge on psychological disorders and since their views on triggering factors have not been reported in the literature, triggers were addressed in this study from psychotherapists’ perspectives. The following three main issues were examined: definitions of triggers, examples of the most recurrent triggers and the idea of a common trigger for psychological disorders. Sixteen psychotherapists agreed to participate in the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in person and the data collected were analyzed using frame analysis. Frame analysis aims at representing the data through frames or groups that indicate different interpretations of the same topic. The results showed that the therapists provided three definitions of triggering factors. They most often defined triggers as events, occurrences or situations that explain the onset of psychological symptoms. The psychotherapists also provided examples of triggering factors: these were grouped into three frames, interpersonal, environmental and trauma. The therapists identified no single common trigger, although they discussed common categories and connections between different triggering factors. The findings indicate that triggering factors are complex and closely connected to personal vulnerabilities, as different events and circumstances act as triggers for different individuals. Future research could expand on these findings by examining the constituents of individual vulnerabilities.

Influence of Digital Competence on Perceived Stress, Burnout and Well-Being Among Students Studying Online During the COVID-19 Lockdown: A 4-Country Perspective

PURPOSE

This paper aims to reveal the influence of digital competence on perceived stress, burnout and well-being among students studying online during the COVID-19 lockdown in the spring of 2020 and to compare this influence on the basis of studies conducted in four countries.

METHODS

An exploratory study was conducted in Poland, Lithuania, Turkey and India using a cross-sectional research design. A total of 1097 respondents took part in the survey. Well-being was measured by the World Health Organization (WHO) Well-being Index, stress was evaluated using a psychological stress measure (PSM-9) instrument, burnout was evaluated using the Copenhagen Burnout inventory, and digital competence was measured by the Digital Competency Profiler (DCP).

RESULTS

The results revealed that social and informational dimensions of digital competencies had a positive influence on dealing with stress or burnout and improved well-being of students studying online during the COVID-19 lockdown. Moreover, the analysis on a country level highlighted that with regard to dealing with stress and burnout, the epistemological dimension of digital competence was the most important for Lithuanians and Indians, the informational dimension for Polish students and the social dimension for Turkish students.

CONCLUSION

The findings support the importance of digital competence on perceived stress, burnout and well-being among students studying online during the COVID-19 lockdown and propose deeper research directions on this phenomenon.

Impact of online education on fear of academic delay and psychological distress among university students following one year of COVID-19 outbreak in Bangladesh

OBJECTIVES

Extreme fear of academic delay (FAD) and psychological distress among students have arisen as great public health concerns worldwide due to the devastating actions of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The precise aim of this study was to assess the impact of ongoing online education on current university students' FAD and psychological stress symptoms following one year of calamitous COVID-19 outbreak in Bangladesh.

METHODS

A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted from March 15 to 30, 2021, for data collection through a snowball simple sampling technique among Bangladeshi University students, where a total of 1,299 respondents (age: ≥ 18 years) responded in the questionnaire. After obtaining informed consent from the participants, we evaluated the association of various sociodemographic factors and the effects of current e-Learning activities on FAD and subsequent psychological distress among university students in Bangladesh. After excluding the partial responses (n = 177), we analyzed the clean data sheet (n = 1,122) by three consecutive statistical methods: univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

Alarmingly, near 60% of the current students exerted extreme FAD and were suffering from severe stress. Besides, 78.1% of students having severe FAD were severely psychologically stressed. Logistic regression analyses revealed that the students of the female gender, rural area, lower-income families, and who suffered from the highest FAD were more significantly (p < 0.05) stressed than their reference groups.

CONCLUSION

The current analysis demonstrates that most Bangladeshi university students are battling with the unrivaled trend of FAD and facing severe psychological stress symptoms, which must be alleviated by the concerted efforts of the Government, Universities, and educationalists.