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

Resting-State EEG Alterations of Practice-Related Spectral Activity and Connectivity Patterns in Depression

BACKGROUND

Depression presents with altered energy regulation and neural plasticity. Previous electroencephalography (EEG) studies showed that practice in learning tasks increases power in beta range (13-30 Hz) in healthy subjects but not in those with impaired plasticity. Here, we ascertain whether depression presents with alterations of spectral activity and connectivity before and after a learning task.

METHODS

We used publicly available resting-state EEG recordings (64 electrodes) from 122 subjects. Based on Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores, they were assigned to either a high BDI (hBDI, BDI > 13, N = 46) or a control (CTL, BDI < 7, N = 75) group. We analyzed spectral activity, theta-beta, and theta-gamma phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) of EEG recorded at rest before and after a learning task.

RESULTS

At baseline, compared to CTL, hBDI exhibited greater power in beta over fronto-parietal regions and in gamma over the right parieto-occipital area. At post task, power increased in all frequency ranges only in CTL. Theta-beta and theta-gamma PAC were greater in hBDI at baseline but not after the task.

CONCLUSIONS

The lack of substantial post-task growth of beta power in depressed subjects likely represents power saturation due to greater baseline values. We speculate that inhibitory/excitatory imbalance, altered plasticity mechanisms, and energy dysregulation present in depression may contribute to this phenomenon.

The mediator role of the feeling of personal unaccomplishment in the effect of unemployment anxiety on depression: a research on business faculty students in Türkiye

Background

This study aims to determine how the unemployment anxiety of university students affects their depression level. It also examines the mediating role of the feeling of personal unaccomplishment between these effects.

Methods

The data was analyzed using the PROCESS method. The research was conducted on 843 students attending different public or foundation (private) universities in Türkiye. Random sampling was used to select the participants.

Results

As a result of the analysis, it was determined that there is a positive, significant, moderate (R = 0.509, p < 0.01) relationship between unemployment anxiety and depression and a positive, significant and weak relationship between unemployment anxiety and feeling of personal unaccomplishment (R = 0.102, p < 0.01), there is a positive, significant, and weak (R = 0.184, p < 0.01) relationship between feeling of personal unaccomplishment and depression. Unemployment anxiety of university students had significant and positive effects on their depression level and significant and positive effects on feelings of personal unaccomplishment of students.

Conclusion

As a result of the mediating variable analysis, it was determined that the feeling of personal unaccomplishment has a partial mediator role in the relationship between unemployment anxiety and depression.

Trends and factors influencing the mental health of college students in the post-pandemic: four consecutive cross-sectional surveys

Background

The long-term impact of COVID-19 on the mental health and well-being of college students, specifically trends over time after full removal of COVID-19 restrictions, has not been well-studied.

Methods

Four consecutive cross-sectional surveys were conducted in December 2022 (N = 689), March 2023 (N = 456), June 2023 (N = 300), and November 2023 (N = 601) at a university in Sichuan Province, China.

Results

The proportion of students with COVID-19 panic decreased from 95.1 to 77.3% (p < 0.001). The prevalence of moderate anxiety and above decreased from 18 to 13.6% (p < 0.001), and the prevalence of moderate and above depression decreased from 33.1 to 28.1% (p < 0.001), while the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increased from 21.5 to 29.6% (p < 0.005). Further, the proportion of suicidal thoughts increased from 7.7 to 14.8% (p < 0.001). Suicidal thoughts and self-injuries were significantly associated with COVID-19 panic, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Students who reported being in close contact with COVID-19 patients in the past were more likely to develop PTSD. Further, COVID-19-induced panic was a risk factor for self-injury.

Conclusion

One year after the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall mental health of college students was not optimal. Hence, we can conclude that the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on the mental health of college students may have already occurred. To mitigate this impact and prepare for the next major public health event, strengthening college students' mental health curricula and promoting healthy behaviors among college students should be a priority for universities and education authorities.

A systematic review of first-generation college students' mental health

Objective: To synthesize peer-reviewed research on first-generation college students' mental health. Methods: Systematic searches were conducted in 4 databases through 2022 to identify empirical, peer-reviewed, and published articles on first-generation college student anxiety, depression, stress and mental health. Results: Across 62 papers, first-generation college students appeared to experience heightened anxiety, depression and stress when academic activities and social relationships conflicted rather than aligned with interdependent norms. Importantly however, when these negative mental health outcomes were measured generally - without reference to a specific domain (i.e., academic or social) - nearly all papers found no significant differences between first- and continuing-generation students. Conclusions: The findings further emphasized the need for understanding mental health within specific contexts.

COVID-19: Academic, Financial, and Mental Health Challenges Faced by International Students in the United States Due to the Pandemic

Background and objective Many international students often face challenges regarding their mental health, finances, and academics. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak may have presented unprecedented challenges to many foreign students in these aspects. Our study examined the academic, financial, and mental health challenges encountered by international students residing in the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also examined the association between the mental health of the respondents and the academic and financial challenges they encountered. Method The study involved international students enrolled at Texas A&M University, who identified themselves as non-US citizens or non-permanent residents. We conducted a cross-sectional study by using Qualtrics® to explore the three domains of the study. Questions included in previous studies were modified to assess the academic and financial status while the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) score was used to assess the mental health of the respondents. We presented descriptive statistics for all domains and used an ordered logistic regression to further analyze the effect of the other domains on the mental health of the respondents. Results Of the 281 respondents, the majority (79%) experienced challenges with online classes; 91% reported having negative emotions and some students (24%) lost funding due to the pandemic. The inability to pay bills resulted in a three-fold increase in the likelihood of reporting higher mental distress [adjusted odds ratios (aOR): 3.051, 95% CI: 1.665-5.591; p<0.001], and experiencing academic challenges led to a seven-fold increase in the likelihood of reporting higher mental distress (aOR: 7.236, 95% CI: 3.168-12.530; p<0.001). Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic posed a major challenge to international students and its impact on the mental health of the participants was aggravated by concurrent academic and financial hardships.

COVID-19 and mental health among college students in the southwestern United States

Objective: We examined COVID-19-related experiences, mental health, and future plans among US undergraduate and graduate students in the initial months of the pandemic. Participants: 72 students (68% female; 51.4% white; age x- =24.4) from 21 colleges in the US southwest concurrently enrolled in a stress-reduction study. Methods: Between March and June 2020, participants completed an online survey about demographics, personal and vicarious COVID-19 experiences, mood, and future plans. Anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed with the GAD-7 and PHQ-9, respectively. Results: Worry about COVID-19 was associated with anxiety and depression symptoms and personal and vicarious experiences with COVID-19. COVID-19 worry varied by illness severity and level of intimacy with those impacted. Most participants reported changing educational (66.7%) and life (55.6%) plans due to COVID-19. Conclusions: Given the continued impact of COVID-19 on physical/emotional health and future plans, universities should assist students in managing COVID-19-related stress so they can continue to learn and grow.

Limited Metabolomic Overlap between Commensal Bacteria and Marine Sponge Holobionts Revealed by Large Scale Culturing and Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics: An Undergraduate Laboratory Pedagogical Effort at Georgia Tech

Sponges are the richest source of bioactive organic small molecules, referred to as natural products, in the marine environment. It is well established that laboratory culturing-resistant symbiotic bacteria residing within the eukaryotic sponge host matrix often synthesize the natural products that are detected in the sponge tissue extracts. However, the contributions of the culturing-amenable commensal bacteria that are also associated with the sponge host to the overall metabolome of the sponge holobiont are not well defined. In this study, we cultured a large library of bacteria from three marine sponges commonly found in the Florida Keys. Metabolomes of isolated bacterial strains and that of the sponge holobiont were compared using mass spectrometry to reveal minimal metabolomic overlap between commensal bacteria and the sponge hosts. We also find that the phylogenetic overlap between cultured commensal bacteria and that of the sponge microbiome is minimal. Despite these observations, the commensal bacteria were found to be a rich resource for novel natural product discovery. Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics provided structural insights into these cryptic natural products. Pedagogic innovation in the form of laboratory curricula development is described which provided undergraduate students with hands-on instruction in microbiology and natural product discovery using metabolomic data mining strategies.

Student adaptation to college and coping in relation to adjustment during COVID-19: A machine learning approach

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for university students, creating uncertainties for their academic careers, social lives, and mental health. Our study utilized a machine learning approach to examine the degree to which students' college adjustment and coping styles impacted their adjustment to COVID-19 disruptions. More specifically, we developed predictive models to distinguish between well-adjusted and not well-adjusted students in each of five psychological domains: academic adjustment, emotionality adjustment, social support adjustment, general COVID-19 regulations response, and discriminatory impact. The predictive features used for these models are students' individual characteristics in three psychological domains, i.e., Ways of Coping (WAYS), Adaptation to College (SACQ), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), assessed using established commercial and open-access questionnaires. We based our study on a proprietary survey dataset collected from 517 U.S. students during the initial peak of the pandemic. Our models achieved an average of 0.91 AUC score over the five domains. Using the SHAP method, we further identified the most relevant risk factors associated with each classification task. The findings reveal the relationship of students' general adaptation to college and coping in relation to their adjustment during COVID-19. Our results could help universities identify systemic and individualized strategies to support their students in coping with stress and to facilitate students' college adjustment in this era of challenges and uncertainties.

Students experiences of an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention at a college of opportunity: a qualitative investigation of the mindfulness-based college program

BACKGROUND

Mindfulness-based programs have the potential to improve the well-being of undergraduate students by reducing anxiety, depression, and isolation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore lived experiences of undergraduates in a mindfulness-based program at a "college of opportunity" that has high proportions of first-generation college students. Specifically, we sought to: (1) explore the application of mindfulness practices in students' daily lives; (2) explore how participants believe mindfulness training affected their health and well-being; (3) learn participants' recommendations and suggested changes for mindfulness-based interventions in future iterations.

METHODS

Students were recruited from XXX and consented to participate in semi-structured digitally conducting interviews after the completion of the 8-week intervention in the Fall/Spring 2020 academic year. Data were analyzed using Applied Thematic Analysis and a codebook was constructed using a consensus-driven process using both a priori and emergent coding. All transcripts were double-coded, and concordance was achieved for all interviews.

RESULTS

Qualitative results indicated that the most applied practices were those that could be easily incorporated into a daily routine. Furthermore, students reported an increased ability to cope with a variety of stressors, decreased reactivity, and enhanced resilience specifically concerning mental health challenges. Additionally, engaging in mindfulness training improved students' ability to navigate social distancing measures, other COVID-19-specific stress, and enhanced motivation for self-care practices to sustain well-being. Concerning preferred intervention delivery modality, participants stated that due to multiple, growing responsibilities (e.g., pressures of commuting to class) they preferred in-person delivery, shorter sessions over a longer period, with classes in the morning or early afternoon.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings provide pragmatic and psychosocial insights into students' application of mindfulness training across personal, professional, and academic domains enhancing their well-being. This work builds on qualitative work concerning students' perceptions and applications of mindfulness while offering insights into the future of mindfulness programs among undergraduates.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03124446.

A US National Study of Barriers to Science Training Experienced by Undergraduate Students during COVID-19

Undergraduate research is a high-impact practice on college campuses. How the COVID-19 pandemic has affected undergraduate researchers' progress is poorly understood. We examine how demographics, academic characteristics, research disruptions and faculty mentorship are associated with four barriers to research progress. Data are drawn from a survey of over 1000 undergraduate student researchers across the US. We examine students who actively continued to conduct faculty-mentored research during mid-March/April 2020 (n = 485). Using generalized estimating equations that control clustering by institution, we found economic hardship, discomfort teleconferencing, lower quality mentors, sexual minority status and higher grade point averages were associated with motivation problems. Economic hardship, serious illness, Internet connection issues, a lack of face-to-face meetings and lower a frequency of mentor-mentee communication were associated with a time crunch with regard to conducting research. Discomfort teleconferencing, Internet connection issues, a lack of face-to-face meetings and decrease in research workload were associated with task uncertainty. Economic hardship, serious illness and being an engineering major were associated with lacking needed tools for the research. In sum, economic hardship was an important correlate of research barriers, as were communication challenges and sexual minority status. Results can inform practical actions by research program directors and faculty undergraduate research mentors.