Learning Difficulties and Loneliness in College and Beyond: The Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy, Proactive Coping, and Hope

A 2-year mental health follow-up study subsequent to COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted the mental health and education of college students. This study examined the interrelationships among loneliness, resilience, and COVID-19 fear among college students in Northern Michigan, a region of the United States severely affected by the pandemic. Data were collected from two student cohorts (n = 258), with half surveyed in early 2022 and the other half in mid-2022, two years after pandemic's onset. The Omicron wave peaked in Michigan in January 2022, but by June 2022, cases, hospitalizations, and deaths had significantly declined. Students completed measures of loneliness, resilience, learning difficulty, and psychological symptoms. Key findings are: 1) Participants' fear, loneliness, and academic difficulty decreased over time, reflecting fluctuations in acute situational and emotional states; 2) Unexpectedly, resilience declined from early to mid-2022, suggesting its diminishing protective role under prolonged, pandemic-induced stress; 3) Despite improvements, students continued reporting high academic difficulties. Loneliness, heightened fear, and dampened happiness together contributed to greater academic difficulties; 4) Pre-existing sex differences equalized two years after the pandemic's onset. While modest improvements were noted, enduring academic and mental health impacts signal a need for continued support.

The hope theory and specific learning disorders and/or attention deficit disorders (SLD/ADHD): Developmental perspectives

Research on disabilities has generally used a deficit-oriented approach. However, the recent appreciation of the personal strengths and positive traits of the disabled has raised awareness of them as empowering and activating factors. According to the hope theory, the ability to embrace future perspectives, set meaningful goals, and plan specific paths to reach these goals predict well-being and adjustment. We review the research on the role of hope in the lives of individuals with SLD/ADHD from a developmental perspective. We investigate hope as a resource in predicting these people's ability to deal with personal risks through developmental stages and contextual conditions. We conclude by proposing future research and intervention directions.