University Student Mental Well-Being during COVID-19 Outbreak: What Are the Relationships between Information Seeking, Perceived Risk and Personal Resources Related to the Academic Context?

Adaptation and Validation of the Post-Pandemic Health Promotion Behavior of Young Adults in the Digital Age (PS-SGD) Scale in the Turkish Population

BACKGROUND

Young adulthood is a critical developmental period in which individuals establish life-long health behaviors and take responsibility for their own health care. Health promotion strategies tailored to young adults, leveraging digital tools, and addressing challenges exacerbated by events like the COVID-19 pandemic are needed. The aim of this study was to adapt the post-pandemic health promotion behavior of young adults in the digital age (PS-SGD) scale to the Turkish population in order to assess and compare the health behavior of young adults after the pandemic.

METHODS

A total of 312 participants, aged between 19 and 29 years, were included in the study via non-probabilistic criterion sampling, while the Turkish adaptation process started with translation and back translation methods performed with three language and two health science experts. For statistical analysis, EFA and CFA were conducted to evaluate internal consistency and structural validity. Confirmatory factor analysis was utilized to confirm the structure of the six sub-dimensions. Additionally, measurement invariance was examined regarding participants' gender to determine if the scale accurately captured similar traits across diverse groups. The relationship between the test-retest data was tested by Pearson correlation to measure consistency and its invariance over time.

RESULTS

The gender distribution of the sample was found to be 61.3% female and 38.7% male. According to the results of EFA, items 8 and 18 were removed from the Turkish-adapted version. As a result of the reliability analysis conducted with the Turkish version of the scale, the Cronbach alpha coefficient was obtained as 0.851 for the post-pandemic health promotion behavior. Additionally, the scale was rated as reliable with the following Cronbach alpha values: 0.79 for the "personal hygiene", 0.78 for "dietary habits", 0.72 for "using mobile devices", 0.70 for "emotional health", 0.68 for "health care and physical activity", and 0.51 for "social health" sub-dimensions. To examine the six sub-dimension factor structures of the scale, fit indices were calculated as χ2/df (1.722), GFI (0.894), IFI (0.908), TLI (0.892), CFI (0.907), RMSEA (0.048), and SRMR (0.057) and were within acceptable limits. Findings of the multi-group confirmatory factor analysis for measurement invariance were less than or equal to 0.01 for the ∆CFI and ∆RMSEA values across all indices. Consequently, it was observed that the item-factor structure, factor loadings, variances, covariances, and error variances of the scale were equivalent for both male and female young adults, while test-retest results showed a high positive correlation.

CONCLUSIONS

The Turkish version of the post-pandemic health promotion behavior scale of young adults in the digital age scale, consisting of 25 items and six subscales, was proven to be a valid and reliable tool to measure health promotion behavior in young adults aged 19-29 years.

Determining the role of innovative teaching practices, sustainable learning, and the adoption of e-learning tools in leveraging academic motivation for students' mental well-being

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes in the educational landscape, with a significant shift towards e-learning and remote teaching practices. As such, it has become increasingly important to understand the role of innovative teaching practices, sustainable learning, and the adoption of e-learning tools in leveraging academic motivation for students' mental well-being.

PURPOSE

The study aims to determine whether academic motivation can helpful for mental wellbeing of students directly and through the adoption of e-learning tools, and sustainable learning considering the role of innovative teaching.

METHODS

Target population of this research were the students of Chinese universities. Data was collected from 308 students and was analyzed by using Mplus software.

RESULTS

Students expressed higher motivation, quality education and good mental health. Additionally, it was discovered that academic motivation helped the students to develop good academic record and mental health.

CONCLUSION

The research's conclusions can help the policy makers creating successful educational initiatives and programs that promote students' overall growth. These results can also guide the university administration and teachers to adopt effective policies and practices for creating academic motivation in order to construct a healthy environment not just for better academic results but also for the well-being of students. Additionally, this research draws attention of future researchers to explore mechanisms that can drive students' academic and psychological outcomes.

Covid-19 psychological pressures, depression and FOMO: the mediating role of online social support and emotional regulation

BACKGROUND

The spread of the coronavirus has led to significant anxiety among university students, resulting in various mental health problems that could potentially impact their academic performance.

METHOD

To examine the mediating role of emotional regulation and online social support in the relationships between COVID-19 psychological pressures, depression, and the fear of missing out (FoMO) among young adult university students, a cross-sectional research design was employed using an online survey. The sample consisted of 521 full-time university students from China, currently enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

RESULTS

Findings revealed that more than half (55.09%, n=287) of the university students experienced COVID-19 psychological pressures. These pressures directly contributed to increased levels of depression (β = 0.339, p < .001) and fear of missing out (β = 0.236, p < .001). Moreover, online social support and emotional regulation exhibited partial mediating effects on the association between COVID-19 psychological pressures, depression, and the fear of missing out. The results indicated that COVID-19 psychological pressures were linked to higher levels of depressive symptoms and a greater fear of missing out among university students.

CONCLUSIONS

However, the provision of timely and adequate online social support, as well as the implementation of emotional regulation strategies, mitigated the negative effects of the pandemic on students' social and emotional well-being. Consequently, this led to reduced levels of depression and fear of missing out.

Work readiness of pharmacy graduates: An exploratory study

Introduction

The recent global pandemic of Covid-19 caused various disruptions. Among them were face-to-face teaching and learning activities being switched to virtual sessions in accordance with health authorities recommendations. The impact of these changes on work readiness of pharmacy graduates is unknown.

Aim

This study aims to determine the impact of pharmacy graduate's work readiness, particularly those that had their studies disrupted from the pandemic.

Methods

Practicing pharmacists with supervisory experience were interviewed on their opinions on work readiness of early career and intern pharmacists. Specifically, they were asked to comment on work readiness of pharmacy graduates who had their later stage of pharmacy education impacted by the pandemic. Data was transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. This was also supplemented with quantitative data from graduating students in 2020 and 2021 using the Work Readiness Scale.

Results

Qualitative feedback showed four themes related to workforce readiness: work competence, social intelligence, personal characteristics, and organizational acumen. Preceptors interviewed noted differences in communication abilities when interacting with patients. However, this improved with time. Quantitative data collected from graduates via the validated Work-Readiness Scale also showed a more positive agreement towards perceived work readiness. These graduates were comfortable with using technology as they had used these extensively in their learning during the pandemic and thus was comfortable in adopting digital health tools in their practice.

Conclusion

Although graduates reported to be work ready, there were gaps in communication skills and confidence levels when interacting with patients, as reported by supervising preceptors. Graduates also described this sense of 'missing out' from not having the opportunity to attend face-to-face activities like their originally planned hospital placements and how it impacted their choice of career. As pharmacists continue to play vital roles as members of the broader healthcare workforce, both in clinical and nonclinical settings, learnings from this study should be considered in designing educational activities to train and develop the workforce of the future.

Psychological wellbeing in Chinese university students: insights into the influences of academic self-concept, teacher support, and student engagement

Objective

This study investigates the complex interplay between academic self-concept, teacher support, student engagement, and psychological wellbeing among Chinese university students. We aimed to elucidate the mediating role of student engagement in these relationships.

Methods

A sample of 597 Chinese undergraduate students from diverse universities participated in the study. We employed structured questionnaires to assess academic self-concept, teacher support, student engagement, and psychological wellbeing. Confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling were used to test our hypothesized model.

Results

Structural equation modeling indicated that the partial mediation model, which considered both direct and indirect effects, outperformed full mediation and direct effect models. Student engagement significantly mediated the relationships between academic self-concept, teacher support, and psychological wellbeing. Importantly, teacher support demonstrated a direct impact on psychological wellbeing, even when accounting for the mediating role of student engagement.

Conclusion

This study underscores the pivotal role of student engagement as a mediator in the relationship between academic self-concept, teacher support, and psychological wellbeing among Chinese university students. While student engagement plays a substantial mediating role, our findings also recognize the persistent direct influence of teacher support on psychological wellbeing. These insights have implications for educators and policymakers aiming to enhance the wellbeing of university students by fostering positive academic self-concept and teacher support while recognizing the importance of student engagement.

Academic Achievement and Satisfaction Among University Students With Specific Learning Disabilities: The Roles of Soft Skills and Study-Related Factors

Understanding the individual qualities sustaining students with and without specific learning disabilities (SLDs) is key to supporting their academic achievement and well-being. In this study, we investigated the differences between students with and without SLDs in terms of intraindividual factors (soft skills and study-related factors), academic and nonacademic outcomes (achievement, academic and life satisfaction), and the relationships between such intraindividual factors and the three outcomes. A total of 318 students (79 males; Mage = 22.7; SD = 3.56; age range = 19-45 years; 147 with SLDs) completed self-reported questionnaires and a measure of fluid intelligence. The results showed that students with SLDs reported higher creativity but lower academic self-efficacy, study resilience, and academic achievement, with small-to-medium effect sizes. In both groups, achievement significantly positively related to academic self-efficacy and negatively to creativity. Life satisfaction was positively related to study resilience; and academic satisfaction was related to critical thinking, curiosity, and academic self-efficacy. Nurturing such intraindividual factors can benefit students with and without SLDs.

Why do people post when they or others are under risk or threat? Sociological and psychological reasons

Introduction

Advances in technology make it easier for users to post content on social media. People can post different types of content in digital environments. Sometimes, they post such content in risky situations. Accordingly, this study aims to determine the sociological and psychological reasons why people record dangerous occurrences where they or other people are under risk or threat and post these recordings on social media.

Methods

This study aimed to answer five research questions. a) Why do individuals use social media? b) Why do people post on social media? c) What types of posts do people share on social media? d) What are the possible psychological reasons that push people to share such occurrences on social media? e) Why do individuals feel the need to record and share dangerous occurrences while under risk or danger? This study was conducted on the basis of a case study design, and interviews were conducted with two psychiatrists, two specialist clinical psychologists, and two sociologists.

Results

After the interviews, the reasons why individuals use social media platforms and post on the said platforms were laid out. It can be argued that the most prominent reason behind individuals' tendency to post while under risk or threat is isolation and inability to help.

Online health information-seeking behaviour and mental well-being among Finnish higher education students during COVID-19

Online health information-seeking behaviour has increased since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic in March 2020. This study examined whether health-related information on COVID-19 searched on the internet was associated with mental well-being among higher education students. A cross-sectional internet survey was conducted among 18- to 34-year-old students in Finland (N = 2976; mean age 24.61 years and median 24) in the spring of 2020. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's chi-square tests, Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric H tests, and a two-way ANOVA. The results indicated that most students (86% of females, 82% of males) used the internet to search for information on COVID-19. Students' self-perceived abilities to determine the relevance of online information on COVID-19 were associated with mental well-being.

Social Media Overload as a Predictor of Depressive Symptoms Under the COVID-19 Infodemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey From Chinese University Students

Objectives: People's mental health and digital usage have attracted widespread attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate how social media overload influenced depressive symptoms under the COVID-19 infodemic and the role of risk perception and social media fatigue. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted on 644 college students during the COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai, and data analysis was conducted using the PROCESS4.0 tool. Results: The findings showed that in the COVID-19 information epidemic: 1) both information overload and communication overload were significantly and positively associated with depressive symptoms; 2) risk perception of COVID-19, and social media fatigue mediated this association separately; 3) and there was a chain mediating relationship between communication overload and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Social media overload was positively associated with depressive symptoms among college students under the COVID-19 infodemic by increasing risk perception and social media fatigue. The findings sparked further thinking on how the public should correctly use social media for risk communication during public health emergencies.

A multifactorial framework of psychobehavioral determinants of coping behaviors: an online survey at the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 dramatically changed people's behavior because of the need to adhere to infection prevention and to overcome general adversity resulting from the implementation of infection prevention measures. However, coping behavior has not been fully distinguished from risk perception, and a comprehensive picture of demographic, risk-perception, and psychobehavioral factors that influence the major coping-behavior factors remain to be elucidated. In this study, we recruited 2,885 Japanese participants. Major coping-behavior and risk-perception factors were identified via exploratory factor analysis of 50 candidate items. Then, we conducted a hierarchical multiple regression analysis to investigate factors associated with each coping-behavior factor. We identified four types of coping behavior [CB1 (mask-wearing), CB2 (information-seeking), CB3 (resistance to social stagnation), and CB4 (infection-prevention)] and three risk-perception factors [RP1 (shortages of daily necessities), RP2 (medical concerns), and RP3 (socioeconomic concerns)]. CB1 was positively associated with female sex and etiquette. CB2 was positively related to RP1 and RP3. CB3 was positively related to RP1 and leadership, and negatively associated with etiquette. CB4 was positively associated with female sex, etiquette, and active well-being. This parsimonious model may help to elucidate essential social dynamics and provide a theoretical framework for coping behavior during a pandemic.

The Dynamic between Self-Efficacy and Emotional Exhaustion through Studyholism: Which Resources Could Be Helpful for University Students?

While university students have experienced increased stress, anxiety, and study obsession (studyholism) during the COVID-19 emergency, supportive university environments and academic self-efficacy (ASE) were found to be protective factors. However, the perception of overstudying could have impaired ASE's protection against studyholism, akin to workaholism. Following the job-demands resource model, this contribution examines the moderating roles of study load and teaching staff support in the relationship between ASE and exhaustion, mediated by studyholism. 6736 students from 11 universities (69.8% females; Mean age 24.67 years) completed a self-report survey concerning various academic and life aspects. Results showed that ASE was partially mediated by studyholism in its negative relationship with exhaustion. Both study load and support moderate this relationship, although the interaction effect between studyholism and ASE is positive. Nonetheless, ASE plays a protective role for all levels of study load and support, while studyholism is confirmed to have a significant impact on exhaustion, both directly and through its mediating role. Considering the high scores of both studyholism and exhaustion in this sample, the enhancement of ASE should be complemented by teacher support centered around opportunities to review study strategies with the students and strong attention to preventive measures, such as in itinerant evaluation, which could enhance both the perception of positive support and strengthen ASE.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Mental Health among Students Seeking Psychological Counseling Services

Recent years have seen a marked rise in the number of students accessing University Psychological Counseling (UPC) services, and their concerns have been increasingly severe. This study aimed to examine the impact of cumulative adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on mental health in students who had approached counseling services (N = 121) and students who had no experience with counseling services (N = 255). Participants completed an anonymous online self-report questionnaire measuring exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACE-Q), psychological distress (General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), personality traits (PID-5), and coping strategies. We found that students who approached UPC services scored higher on cumulative ACEs than the non-counseling group. While ACE-Q score was a direct positive predictor of PHQ-9 (p < 0.001), it did not predict GAD-7. Moreover, the results supported the existence of a mediation effect of avoidance coping, detachment, and psychoticism on the indirect effects of ACE-Q score on PHQ-9 or GAD-7. These results underlined the importance of screening for ACEs in a UPC setting because it can help identify students at higher risk for developing mental and physical health problems and provide them with early interventions and support.

Multilevel IRT models for the analysis of satisfaction for distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic played a relevant role in the diffusion of distance learning alternatives to "traditional" learning based on classroom activities, to allow university students to continue attending lessons during the most severe phases of the pandemic. In such a context, investigating the students' perspective on distance learning provides useful information to stakeholders to improve effective educational strategies, which could be useful also after the end of the emergency to favor the digital transformation in the higher educational setting. Here we focus on the satisfaction in distance learning for Italian university students. We rely on data comprising students enrolled in various Italian universities, which were inquired about several aspects related to learning distance. We explicitly take into account the hierarchical nature of data (i.e., students nested in universities) and the latent nature of the variable of interest (i.e., students' learning satisfaction) through a multilevel Item Response Theory model with students' and universities' covariates. As the main results of our study, we find out that distance learning satisfaction of students: (i) depends on the University where they study; (ii) is affected by some students' socio-demographic characteristics, among which psychological factors related to Covid-19; (iii) is affected by some observable university characteristics.

The Switch to Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Interplay between Personality and Mental Health on University Students

The switching from traditional to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging for students, determining an increase in physical and mental health problems. The current paper applied a two-step cluster analysis in a large sample of n = 1028 university students (Mage = 21.10 years, SD = 2.45 years; range: 18-30 years; 78.4% females). Participants responded to an online survey exploring neuroticism, trait/state anxiety, general self-efficacy, academic motivation, fear of COVID-19, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical and mental health, and the help requests. Results showed two significant clusters of students having a Maladaptive Academic Profile (n = 456; 44.4%) or an Adaptive Academic Profile (n = 572; 55.6%). Significant differences were found between the two clusters, where students belonging to the Maladaptive Academic Profile reported higher levels of neuroticism, higher dispositional and situational anxiety, and fear of COVID-19, and lower self-efficacy and academic motivation than students of the Adaptive Academic Profile cluster. In addition, more physical or mental health problems and help requests, mainly to partners during the COVID-19 pandemic, were found in the Maladaptive Academic Profile cluster compared to the Adaptive Academic Profile. Finally, the practical implications of the study's results in implementing university counseling services as protective measures to contrast psychological distress in the long-term COVID-19 pandemic are discussed.

Student adjustment during Covid-19 pandemic: Exploring the moderating role of university support

The study investigates the moderating effect of university support on the association between fear of Cov19 and student adjustment including (a) academic; (b) psychological; and (c) social adjustment. A total of 592 students took part in the research by completing self-reported questionnaire. The respondents were chosen using a multi-stage sampling technique. The data was processed and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 24 and SEM-PLS, respectively. Results reveal fear of Cov19 negatively predict student's academic, psychological, and social adjustment. University support positively predicts student's academic, psychological, and social adjustment and further mitigate the impact of fear of Cov19 on students' academic, psychological, and social adjustment. This is the first study to examine university support as a moderator between fear of Cov19 and three dimensions of students' adjustment.

Emotional Exhaustion and Engagement in Higher Education Students during a Crisis, Lessons Learned from COVID-19 Experience in Italian Universities

Italian university students face an uncertain future characterised by a competitive neoliberal academic environment with high demands and a weak labour market that often cannot hire those who are best qualified. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated students’ uncertainty and negatively affected their well-being. The purpose of this study is to explore perceptions of academic life during the pandemic and to examine the relationship between study load, reduced academic performance, internet addiction, academic self-efficacy, and engagement and emotional exhaustion. A sample of university students (N = 10,298) from 11 Italian universities completed a self-report questionnaire about their academic and personal lives between May and June 2021. We performed two multiple linear regressions and one ANOVA to highlight gender differences. Results indicate that female students reported lower levels of engagement and academic self-efficacy, and higher levels of exhaustion and study demands compared to male students, while older students generally appear to exhibit higher levels of well-being. Study load, reduced academic performance, and internet addiction showed a negative association with engagement, particularly the first two, and a positive association with exhaustion, while self-efficacy was positively associated with engagement and negatively associated with exhaustion. The results suggest the need to introduce additional forms of support, such as psychological support, internet addiction awareness courses or counseling services.

"Imagine Your Career after the COVID-19 Pandemic": An Online Group Career Counseling Training for University Students

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively influenced the psychological well-being of people around the world; university students have experienced feelings of fear of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the intolerance of uncertainty, and a worsened quality of life, related to the reduction of social contacts. Scholars all around the world widely suggest the need to take care of this issue, proposing solutions to support students' adjustment in the post-pandemic period. The literature on positive psychology and the life design approach has identified multiple psychological resources, the character strengths, that can sustain people's life satisfaction and well-being in changing contexts, including their university experience. We proposed an online group career counseling intervention for 30 Italian university students (experimental group) to promote university students' psychological resources and mitigate the long-term negative implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on life satisfaction. The other 30 students formed the control group. We found that the students engaged in the online group career counseling intervention evidenced, at the post-test, higher levels than the pre-test of (a) resilience, (b) subjective risk intelligence, (c) career adaptability, (d) self-efficacy, (e) optimism, (f) hope, (g) life satisfaction, and lower levels than the pre-test of (h) fears of COVID-19 pandemic. No differences at Time 1 and Time 2 were found in the control group. Implications for future research and practice will be discussed.

Students in Turkey During the Early Days of the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study aims to analyse the subjective well-being of university students during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic process and to examine how students have been affected economically, psychologically and socially. Other subjects included in the scope of the study are the suitability of the physical conditions during the process of online education, the students' motivation, and their expectations towards the future. The study also analyses the connection between these factors and the subjective well-being concepts of happiness and life satisfaction. The study focuses on students of the Faculty of Economics at Marmara University in Turkey. In total, 428 students took part in the survey prepared for the study. Descriptive analyses indicate that students have been negatively affected in terms of psychological and socio-economic factors along with subjective well-being. Ordered probit models show a statistically significant relationship between a major part of these changes and subjective well-being variables.

Emotion Regulation and Psychological Capital of Chinese University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Serial Mediation Effect of Learning Satisfaction and Learning Engagement

The mediating mechanism between the emotion regulation and psychological capital of university students is currently unclear. This study analyzed the serial mediation of learning satisfaction and learning engagement on the relationship between the emotion regulation and psychological capital of university students during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A total of 328 undergraduates and postgraduates from universities in different regions of China were surveyed through an online questionnaire. The tools used in the study were the emotion regulation questionnaire, university student learning satisfaction questionnaire, learning engagement questionnaire, and psychological capital questionnaire. The analysis revealed both direct and indirect mediation effects. It was found that emotion regulation can positively predict psychological capital. Further, learning satisfaction and learning engagement can act as mediating variables between emotion regulation and psychological capital, respectively. Learning satisfaction and learning engagement can also have a serial mediation effect between emotion regulation and psychological capital. The results show that learning support should be strengthened to improve the learning satisfaction and learning engagement of students and, consequently, enhance their psychological capital.

Tertiary students maintaining control over depression, anxiety, and stress during the pandemic—An emerging market perspective

The higher education sector was affected by this pandemic, managing enduring challenges since early 2020. Institutions of higher learning (IHL) are prepared to address unsurmountable challenges to ensure that students are not deceived and are being given the proper nurture, coupled with adherence to syllabuses. Simultaneously, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused unscrupulous pressure on students of these institutions. The psychological waves are creating mammoth consequences, affecting the beneficiaries of the higher education system and their families. In recent years, with limited studies on psychological impact among tertiary students on a cross-country basis, general self-efficacy, and the degree of coping strategies, we were motivated to investigate the degree of depression, anxiety, and stress (DAS), among this cohort of students encompassing the pre-university/Diploma, 1st–4th-year undergraduate, and postgraduate students from private universities in Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Southern Africa, and China, representing the emerging economies. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, followed by quantitative analysis. The objective of this study was to recognize whether there is a relationship between the psychological impact of DAS and the coping strategies adopted by the undergraduate students responding during the lockdown. The findings of this study revealed that with a sample size of 397, DAS lacked any severe impact on students across gender, country, household income, and level of education. DAS was established to be well managed with a coping strategy and self-efficacy established. This study resulted in a deeper understanding of DAS among undergraduates in emerging economies and their degree of coping behavior, providing a glimpse of the approach of millennials to handle DAS during the pandemic.

Multi-Impacts of Spatial Self-Policing during COVID-19: Evidence from a Chinese University

Current research has focused on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on university students' physical and mental health conditions but has rarely examined the secondary effects caused by school management and prevention policies. Chinese universities generally took a self-policing strategy to address the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to examine how the self-policing effect fluctuated during the pandemic, assessed from the perspective of university students. We collected monthly data from January 2020 to August 2022 from Zhejiang University's online forum CC98 and analyzed the monthly frequency of keywords in the online posts' titles. The dataset covered five topics: pandemic situations, epidemic prevention policies, campus access control, campus space use, and emotional conditions. The results showed that university students have expressed concern about the pandemic over the past thirty-two months, which still has an unignorable influence on their lives and studies. They paid more attention to the epidemic prevention policies, which directly affected their social connections, spatial use, and psychological well-being. University students gradually questioned their duty to obey and showed impatience and resistance toward school self-policing management, especially during the second Omicron wave. Additionally, the findings investigated an introverted trend for university students living in a gated campus environment. In conclusion, we call for reflections on the current Chinese campus self-policing strategy to cope with future long-term and normalized pandemic situations. The concerns of university students should be taken into account as we move toward a post-COVID-19 world.

A hybrid approach for the analysis of complex categorical data structures: assessment of latent distance learning perception in higher education

A long tradition of analysing ordinal response data deals with parametric models, which started with the seminal approach of cumulative models. When data are collected by means of Likert scale survey questions in which several scored items measure one or more latent traits, one of the sore topics is how to deal with the ordered categories. A stacked ensemble (or hybrid) model is introduced in the proposal to tackle the limitations of summing up the items. In particular, multiple items responses are synthesised into a single meta-item, defined via a joint data reduction approach; the meta-item is then modelled according to regression approaches for ordered polytomous variables accounting for potential scaling effects. Finally, a recursive partitioning method yielding trees provides automatic variable selection. The performance of the method is evaluated empirically by using a survey on Distance Learning perception.

University Students' Risk Perception, Protective Measures, and General Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate university students' risk perception, protective measures, and general health during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Turkey.

METHODS

The research sample consisted of 1920 university students. The data were collected through an online questionnaire.

RESULTS

A total of 56.6% of the students considered their risk of being infected with the COVID-19. The number of measures taken by students was lower than expected. Students' increased anxiety perceived individual risk level, insufficient social support perceptions, and their perceptions of the current pandemic more serious than previous epidemics affect the number of measures they take. Students had sleep and study problems, and suicidal thoughts in the social isolation period. Sex, studying in medicine, anxiety related to COVID-19, feeling unconfident in coping with the pandemic, social support, were determined to be risk factors regarding general health, sleep and study problems, and suicidal thoughts.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the study showed that the measures taken by university students were insufficient and the precautions were affected by many factors. It was determined that their health was adversely affected by the pandemic. University administrations and decision-makers should consider the risk factors to improve the students' experiences in such pandemics and emergencies.

Remote Working and Home Learning: How the Italian Academic Population Dealt with Changes Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced changes in people’s lives that affected their mental health. Our study aimed to explore the level of psychological distress in the academic population during the lockdown period and investigate its association with the new working or studying conditions. The study sample included 9364 students and 2159 employees from five Italian universities from the study IO CONTO 2020. We applied linear regression models to investigate the association between home learning or remote working conditions and psychological distress, separately for students and employees. Psychological distress was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). In both students and employees, higher levels of distress were significantly associated with study/work–family conflicts, concerns about their future careers, and inadequacy of equipment; in employees, higher levels of distress were significantly associated with a lack of clarity on work objectives. Our results are in line with previous research on the impact of spaces and equipment in remote working/studying from home. Moreover, the study contributes to deepening the association between well-being and telework–family conflict, which in the literature is still equivocal. Practical implications require academic governance to promote sustainable environments both in remote and hybrid work conditions, by referring to a specific management by objectives approach.

Employment Training at the University: Employment Expectations in Times of Pandemic

This study analyses the job expectations found in early childhood education students as well as the main personal and academic aspects that influence their training during the COVID-19 pandemic. A nonexperimental ex post facto study based on a descriptive, correlational and inferential approach is developed. A total of 168 students from the University of Seville (Spain) participated. The results show a moderate to high level of expected employability. However, salary expectations and how the university is perceived regarding employability reveal more negative data. Expectations are higher for men, first-year students and those from a high socioeconomic background. The results suggest the value of offering guidance to students according to their employment preferences, before and during their training, to avoid considering the university as the only educational institution available.

Government Trust and Motivational Factors on Health Protective Behaviors to Prevent COVID-19 Among Young Adults

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of government trust on young adults’ adoption of health behaviors to prevent infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Method: We tested the hypothesis that government trust would directly and indirectly (through worry/fear and subjective norms) influence the adoption of health-protective behaviors. A sample of 1,136 university students completed a web survey after Chile’s first wave of infections.

Results: The results indicate that low government trust only indirectly (through subjective norms) influenced health-protective behaviors. Conversely, worry/fear was the primary motivating factor for adopting health-protective behaviors in young adults, followed by subjective norms.

Conclusion: In scenarios where people perceive low government trust, emotions and social norms are the motivational factors with the most significant predictive power on the adoption of health-protective behaviors.

Risk Perception towards COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Qualitative Synthesis

Several studies have attempted to identify how people's risk perceptions differ in regard to containing COVID-19 infections. The aim of the present review was to illustrate how risk awareness towards COVID-19 predicts people's preventive behaviors and to understand which features are associated with it. For the review, 77 articles found in six different databases (ProQuest, PsycInfo, PubMed, Science Direct, SCOPUS, and Web of Science) were considered, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was followed, and data synthesis was conducted using a mixed-methods approach. The results indicate that a high-risk perception towards COVID-19 predicts, in general, compliance with preventive behaviors and social distancing measures. Additionally, risk awareness was found to be associated with four other key themes: demographic factors, individual factors, geographical factors, and timing. Therefore, gaining a greater understanding of individual and cultural differences as well as how people behave could be the basis of an effective strategy for raising public risk awareness and for countering COVID-19.

Gender Risk Perception and Coping Mechanisms among Ghanaian University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Recent research has shown that gender is an important driver of the risk of mortality and morbidity rates for people with COVID-19, with case fatality rates being higher for women than men. Despite this pattern, research is sparse on gender risk perception and potential coping mechanisms. This study examined the role gender plays in the relationship between COVID-19 risk perception and coping mechanisms among university students. Through the adoption of traditional and online surveys, 859 students from two public universities in Ghana were conveniently selected to respond to the survey instrument. The results from the multivariate regression analysis revealed that COVID-19 risk perception was positively related to active coping. The outcome of the moderation analysis showed that while males were more likely than females to adopt active and emotional support coping with heightened risk perception, a contrary outcome was observed for behaviour disengagement. This result is an indication that female students are likely to be overwhelmed with a high level of risk perception and easily give up trying to adopt effective strategies to reduce the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic situation. The findings highlight the need for different forms of intervention for male and female students for dealing with the effect of COVID-19.

Mass email risk communication: Lessons learned from COVID-19-triggered campus-wide evictions in Canada and the United States

From an out-of-province/state and international post-secondary student perspective, this article (a) explores mass email risk communication facilitation during the COVID-19-triggered campus-wide evictions in Canada and the United States; and (b) develops relative recommendations to improve mass email risk communication strategies for future emergency response. Investigating mass email risk communication-related impacts on students in a tertiary educational context has revealed a significant deficit in emergency response research, practice, and policymaking. Mandatory temporary university and college closures during the COVID-19 first wave provided an opportunity to address this research and practice deficit, as most Canadian and American universities/colleges administered their eviction communication via daily mass email chains. Through a phenomenological lens, this study interviewed twenty out-of-province/state and international students, ten from each country respectively, to examine student eviction experiences associated with intensive mass email risk communication. This research identified four factors linked to mass email risk communication: email chain characteristics, student interpretation, interdepartmental cooperation, and frontline voices. Synthesizing these findings, four evidence-based recommendations were developed: to efficiently convey risk information to students, to understand student perceptions and to inform their behaviors, to enhance interdepartmental cooperation, and to enable mutual dialogue in decision making. These recommendations could assist post-secondary institutions, and other organizations, in strengthening their mass email risk communication strategies and advancing organizational emergency response plans for future extreme events.

Investigating COVID-19 risk perception and preventive behaviours in third-level students in Ireland

Objectives

The novel coronavirus outbreak required the population's compliance with public health measures yet young adults have been identified as having low risk perceptions and relatively low adherence with preventive measures. This study investigated third-level students' COVID-19 risk perception, knowledge and attitudes, and preventive behaviours between February and June 2021 to further understand young adults' beliefs and behavioural response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland.

Design

Cross-sectional quantitative online survey design.

Methods

Three hundred and sixty-four university students completed an online survey which measured risk perception, preventive behaviours, knowledge of COVID-19, vaccination attitude and source of COVID-19 information.

Results

University students in Ireland reported high levels of knowledge of COVID-19 and high adherence to preventive behaviours. While risk perception levels were moderately high, students displayed higher concern for others than for themselves. High levels of risk perception significantly predicted preventive behaviours while general knowledge of the virus increased the likelihood of vaccine uptake. Over two-thirds of participants were willing to take the COVID-19 vaccine if available.

Conclusions

Vaccination hesitancy remains a concern among the young adult population requiring urgent attention from public health officials. The implication for health policymakers is that positive behavioural responses of the young population can be reinforced by targeting risk perceptions and by increasing the public's knowledge and understanding of COVID-19.

Relationship Between COVID-19 Related Knowledge and Anxiety Among University Students: Exploring the Moderating Roles of School Climate and Coping Strategies

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in abrupt disruptions in teaching and learning activities in higher education, with students from diverse programs suffering varying levels of anxieties. The physical education field happens to be one of the most affected academic areas due to its experiential content as a medium of instruction. In this study, we investigated the roles of school climate and coping strategies in the relationship between COVID-19 related knowledge and anxiety. Through the census approach, a cross-sectional sample of 760 students was administered a questionnaire in two universities offering Physical Education in Ghana: the University of Education, Winneba, and University of Cape Coast. The outcome of the study found a positive and significant link between COVID-19 knowledge and anxiety. Further, school climate and coping strategies significantly moderated the relationship between students' COVID-19 knowledge and associated anxiety. The findings have implications for creating a conducive school environment that reduces the risk of COVID-19 infection and through students' adoption of active coping strategies in an attempt to reduce psychological distress associated with COVID-19 anxiety.

Students' negative emotions and their rational and irrational behaviors during COVID-19 outbreak

The pandemic has posed an intense threat to the mental health of younger adults. Despite significant efforts in studying various aspects of COVID-19, there is a dearth of evidence on how negative emotions are associated with behaviors. A comparison across associated factors to different negative emotions by means of a unified model is especially missing from the literature. This study was conducted by using the results of a survey conducted across 2,534 students enrolled in 7 states in the US. Various feelings such as sad, irritable, stress and guilt were analyzed in a unified model by means of seemingly unrelated regression (SUR). Questions were asked related to rationally limiting the spread of virus, and questions related to behaviors that seem to be extreme. Irrational behaviors, such as limiting exercise at home due to COVID-19 could be due to experiencing negative emotions, which distort the meaning of events for the students. That behavior, for instance, was found to be positively associated with various negative feelings. In addition, the results highlighted significant differences across emotions in terms of demographic characteristics such as gender and age, and various precautionary actions that students take, such as limiting outdoor activities or limiting social gathering. For instance, it was highlighted while avoiding a large group of people, in spite of its importance in curbing the spread of virus, is negatively associated with various negative emotions, taking a possible nonconsequential precaution of completely limiting all people outside the immediate family result in a higher level of negative emotions. Also, it was found that having a higher body mass index (BMI), self-rated worse health conditions, and limiting outdoor activities have detrimental effects on the mental health of students.

The effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of students and teaching staff

In the past decade, mental health is embedded in the concept of health and teachers’ mental health has become the focus of surveys. In this study we examined the mental health of special educator-students compared to their lecturers and inspectors at the University Semmelweis Pető András Faculty.

We used the validated Hungarian language Mental Health Test (MHT) to assess the mental health. The MHT is linked to the concept of physical and mental wellbeing, it is ability-based approach, and examines 5 areas: wellbeing, savoring, creative-executive efficiency self-regulation resilience.

Altogether 237 questionnaires had been returned that were suitable for evaluation (19 lecturers, 16 instructors and 202 students).

Students' mean values are lower than the instructors' and lecturers’ mean values, and students presented significant lower scores in three scales: self-regulation, creative-executive efficiency, and resilience subscales. In the wellbeing scale we found significant correlation with the existence of the separate room to learn/work during the home-office.

These results point to the need for the university to pay attention to the mental health of students, who will be able to consciously monitor their mental health, and who are able to provide effective support to their students.

Return to Work during the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Study on the Role of Job Demands, Job Resources, and Personal Resources upon the Administrative Staff of Italian Public Universities

Background: Compared to healthcare workers and teleworkers, occupational wellbeing of employees who continued or suddenly returned to work during the COVID-19 pandemic have received less attention thus far. Using the Job Demand–Resource model as a framework, the present study aimed at evaluating the role of job demands and job and personal resources in affecting emotional exhaustion among university administrative staff. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data collected through an online questionnaire completed by 364 administrative employees that continued working in presence (WP) and 1578 that continued working blended (WB), namely, partly remotely and partly in presence. Results: Among job demands, quantitative job demand overloads and perceived risk of being infected were positively associated with higher levels of emotional exhaustion. Among job resources, colleague support was significantly associated with lower emotional exhaustion for both WB and WP, whereas supervisor support and fatigue management were salient only for WB. Among personal resources, personal contribution in managing COVID-19-related risk at work emerged as a protective factor for emotional exhaustion. Conclusion: Insights for the development of targeted preventive measure for a more psychologically safe and productive return to work can be derived from these results.

The Role of General and Study-Related Intraindividual Factors on Academic Learning Outcomes under COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis

Little is known about the intraindividual dispositional factors related to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional academic learning outcomes under COVID-19. This study investigated (i) the associations of intraindividual factors, some related to studying (motivation to learn, self-regulated learning, and study resilience), others more general (soft skills, intolerance of uncertainty) with three situational academic learning outcomes (general distress, online self-regulated learning, study-related emotions), and (ii) the effect of time, intraindividual factors, online self-regulated learning, and study-related emotions on distress and achievement over the following three exam sessions. A total of 331 university students took part in the study during the first Italian nationwide lockdown (T1; March–May 2020). Of those, 121 also completed at least one follow-up (T2: August 2020; T3: September 2020; T4: February 2021). At T1, study-related dispositions and soft skills were positively associated with online self-regulated learning and study-related emotions, while study-related dispositions were also negatively associated with general distress. Intolerance of uncertainty was associated positively with general distress and negatively with study-related emotions. Longitudinal effects of T2 and T3 for intolerance of uncertainty and study-related emotions were observed for distress, while those for T4 were study-related dispositions for achievement. Nurturing intraindividual factors can help students cope with a prolonged stressful situation such as a pandemic.

Mental Health during COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Optimism and Emotional Regulation

In light of different challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, university students are considered a particularly vulnerable population to mental health and study engagement issues. The first years at university represent a crucial period for students and are associated with an increase in mental health problems, particularly in healthcare studies. This study aimed (1) to document the current levels of mental health and study engagement among healthcare students in Tunisia, and (2) to investigate the relationships between emotional regulation, optimism, study engagement and common mental health problems (stress, anxiety and depression) among this population. A cross-sectional, electronic survey-based research design was used to draw a sample of 366 health care students from a University in Tunisia. Participants mostly reported mild (34.7%) or moderate (44.3%) levels of depression, moderate (44.7%) or severe (33.6%) levels of anxiety, average (50.8%) or mild (33.8%) levels of stress, and high levels of study engagement (>85%). Through structural equation modelling, the results showed that emotional regulation negatively affected stress, anxiety, and depression. Optimism partially mediated the relationship between emotional regulation, anxiety and depression and fully mediated the relationship between emotional regulation and study engagement. The findings indicated a high prevalence of psychological distress among healthcare university students in Tunisia, and specific protective factors that may be targeted to reduce mental health problems.

Early and Dynamic Socio-Academic Variables Related to Dropout Intention: A Predictive Model Made during the Pandemic

Social and academic integration variables have been shown to be relevant for the understanding of university dropout. However, there is less evidence regarding the influence of these variables on dropout intention, as well as the predictive models that explain their relationships. Improvements in this topic become relevant considering that dropout intention stands as a useful measure to anticipate and intervene this phenomenon. The objective of the present study was to evaluate a predictive model for university dropout intention that considers the relationships between social and academic variables during the first university semester of 2020. The research was conducted using a cross-sectional associative-predictive design, with a convenience sampling (n = 711) due to the restrictions of the pandemic period. The results showed a good fit of the proposed hypothetical model that explained 38.7% of dropout intention. Both social support and perceived social isolation predicted the sense of belonging and, through it, engagement. Previous academic performance predicted early academic performance and, through it, engagement. The set of variables predicted the intention to quit through engagement. These results are a contribution both to the understanding of the phenomenon and to guide potential interventions in the early stages of the university experience.

Perceived Employability, Academic Commitment, and Competency of University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Exploratory Study of Student Well-Being

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has led to the closure of schools and universities, which forced students to reorganize their daily and academic lives. The pandemic has thus impacted the well-being of students in various ways. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the perceived employability, self-efficacy, ambition, organizational commitment, and career planning of students, as well as mental well-being, student engagement, and academic burnout during the pandemic. A total of 269 Italian university students participated in an online questionnaire. Our results highlight that students experienced high levels of uncertainty about their employability and career planning. In contrast, however, they reported healthy levels of mental well-being and student engagement, high career ambitions, and strong self-efficacy, despite the impact of COVID-19. We suggested that intervention and supportive programs should be offered to students over the long term in order to minimize the negative impact of the pandemic.

An Exploratory-Descriptive Study on the Impact of COVID-19 on Teaching and Learning: The Experiences of Student Nurses in the Rural-Based Historically Disadvantaged University of South Africa

Covid-19 has disrupted normal working conditions as people were not allowed to assemble in one place. There is a limit that is placed on the number of people congregating in public areas, and these measures also affect the education system worldwide. The purpose of the study was to explore nursing students’ experiences in a historically disadvantaged rural-based university on the impact of Covid-19 on teaching and learning. The study employed an exploratory-descriptive qualitative design among nursing students who were purposively sampled to participate in the study. A qualitative self-administered open-ended online google form was used to collect data. Thematic analysis was employed for this study. All ethical measures were respected during this study. Interviews were conducted with 68 participants, including 12 undergraduate second-year students, 7 third-year students, and 49 fourth-year students. A total of 51 females and 17 males participated in this study. The study yielded several themes, including participants’ expression of their experiences related to teaching and learning during the national lockdown, participants’ views on the impact of COVID-19 on teaching and learning/research, and Participants suggested sustainable strategies to promote teaching and learning during the national lockdown. In conclusion, the role of preceptors in all clinical areas should be strengthened to improve clinical teaching and learning. The researchers recommend strengthening collaboration among university lecturers for sharing ideas and finding innovative solutions appropriate for handling any pandemic that threatens teaching and learning processes.

Stay Home, Drink at Home? A Daily Diary Study on College Students' Alcohol and Social Media Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 and measures to contain it may have impacted college students' behavior, including their drinking behavior. Students' drinking may have decreased-for example, due to the closure of bars-but problematic drinking may have increased-for example, due to (solitary) drinking at home. Another behavior that has increased due to COVID-19 and the accompanying social isolation is students' social networking site (SNS) use. This is worrisome because students' SNS use has been shown to increase their alcohol use. Nevertheless, little research has investigated these behaviors and the possible link between them during a lockdown. Therefore, this study aimed to examine (1) whether students engaged in drinking during a lockdown, (2) whether they displayed their drinking behavior on SNSs, and (3) whether exposure to and posting of alcohol-related content was linked to their daily alcohol use.

METHODS

337 college students (M_age = 20.63 years, SD_age = 1.55 years; 50.3% male) participated in a two-week daily diary study. Descriptive statistical analyses and generalized linear mixed modeling (GLMM) were deployed.

RESULTS

Descriptive analysis results showed that during the week, students' drinking occurred with friends in dormitories, while in the weekend, this behavior shifted to drinking with friends and parents at home. Moreover, students mostly saw visual and posted textual posts of this drinking on SNSs. Furthermore, GLMM revealed associations between exposure to alcohol postings, sharing of alcohol postings, and students' probability of drinking on the same day.

CONCLUSION

This study provides important insights into students' alcohol use and its underlying mechanisms during health crises.

Perceived Safety of Learning Environment and Associated Anxiety Factors during COVID-19 in Ghana: Evidence from Physical Education Practical-Oriented Program

The outbreak of COVID-19 led to the swift migration to alternate instructional delivery models and pedagogical practices in educational institutions. This study examined the perceived safety of the learning environment and associated anxiety factors among physical education students amidst COVID-19. Using a cross-sectional design, a sample of 638 students drawn purposively and conveniently from a public university in Ghana completed a self-developed questionnaire. Frequency counts, percentages, and ordered logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Findings of the study showed that students perceived the practical lesson environment as unsafe, with self-reported moderate to high levels of anxiety during their practical lessons. The ordered logistic regression results revealed that varied factors such as age, COVID-19 information platforms, certainty about personal safety, and adequacy of preparation to manage COVID-19 cases were associated with anxiety. The study concluded that an unsafe practical physical education learning environment increases the anxiety levels of students. Academic departments/units should provide periodic interventions (e.g., positive self-talk, mental rehearsal, cognitive restructuring) and counseling services for students amidst the ongoing pandemic to help moderate situational-specific anxiety. In addition, key to the management of students' anxiety is the provision of a safe and supportive school environment, including the provision of adequate personal protective equipment for practical lessons by school authorities.

Factors associated with psychosocial problems in Korean nursing and non-nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed our lives in many ways, including school closures and social distancing practices. These abrupt life changes may have led to psychosocial problems in college students. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with psychosocial problems in South Korean nursing and non-nursing students.

Methods

This descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted with 139 nursing and 147 non-nursing students (N = 286) between August 6 and October 30, 2020. We investigated participants' general characteristics (that is, sociodemographic and health-promoting behaviors), sensitivity to COVID-19 infection, COVID-19 pandemic response indicators, and psychosocial problems. The factors associated with psychosocial problems were determined using multiple regression analysis.

Results

Among the COVID-19 pandemic response indicators, perceived health status during the COVID-19 pandemic was verified as a factor associated with psychosocial problems in nursing (β =  - 5.831, p < .001) and non-nursing students (β =  - 8.513, p < .001). Perceived stress (β = 1.263, p = .045), trust in policy (β = .892, p < .001), and religion (β =  - 1.424, p = .004) were verified as correlates of psychosocial problems in non-nursing students.

Conclusion

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the stakeholders can use our study results to identify students experiencing psychosocial problems and subsequently as a theoretical background for developing intervention programs for those at a high risk of psychosocial problems. Additionally, it can be used as primary data for future research and practice regarding COVID-19 guidelines among students.

Emotional Intelligence and Academic Self-Efficacy in Relation to the Psychological Well-Being of University Students During COVID-19 in Venezuela

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, educational centers and universities in Venezuela have closed their physical plants and are migrating to emergency remote education to continue with academic programs. This empirical study aimed to analyze the predictive capacity of academic self-efficacy and emotional intelligence skills on each of the dimensions of psychological well-being. We employed a cross-sectional predictive design. The sample comprised 277 university students, of which 252 were female (91.00%). Their ages ranged from 18 to 45 years, with a mean of 20.35 (SD = 2.29). Non-probabilistic chance sampling was used. For data collection, we used an anonymous online form, contacted students by mail, and invited them to participate in the study. Questionnaires were available between 217 and 227 days of decreed quarantine in Venezuela. The results indicated average levels of academic self-efficacy (Me = 4; IQR = 2), emotional intelligence: clarity (Me = 27; IQR = 10), attention (Me = 25; IQR = 10) y repair (Me = 25; IQR = 12), and psychological well-being (Me = 35; IQR = 5). We found differences according to sex and age, specifically in emotional regulation (z = 3.73, p < 0.001, d = 0.438) and in bonds of psychological well-being (z = 2.51, p = 0.012, d = 0.276) favoring men (Me = 33, IQR = 9; Me = 8, IQR = 1), respectively. Regarding age, statistically significant differences were found in the group of students older than 21 years with higher perception of psychological well-being (z = 3.69, p < 0.001, d = 0.43) and in each of its dimensions. Emotional intelligence and academic self-efficacy were found to be significant predictors of psychological well-being and its dimensions, specifically on control (R 2-Cox = 0.25, R 2-Nagelkerke = 0.34, 69.90% of total correct classification), links (R 2-Cox = 0.09, R 2-Nagelkerke = 0.12, 65.07% of total correct classification), projects (R 2-Cox = 0.32, R 2-Nagelkerke = 0.46, 78.40% of total correct classification), acceptance (R 2-Cox = 0.17, R 2-Nagelkerke = 0.23, 68.28% of total correct classification), and total well-being (R 2-Cox = 0.52, R 2-Nagelkerke = 0.71, 87.16% of total correct classification). It was concluded that emotional intelligence and academic self-efficacy are protective psychological resources of psychological well-being that should be promoted at university to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic on the mental health of young people.

The Relationship among COVID-19 Information Seeking, News Media Use, and Emotional Distress at the Onset of the Pandemic

Although several theories posit that information seeking is related to better psychological health, this logic may not apply to a pandemic like COVID-19. Given uncertainty inherent to the novel virus, we expect that information seeking about COVID-19 will be positively associated with emotional distress. Additionally, we consider the type of news media from which individuals receive information—television, newspapers, and social media—when examining relationships with emotional distress. Using a U.S. national survey, we examine: (1) the link between information seeking about COVID-19 and emotional distress, (2) the relationship between reliance on television, newspapers, and social media as sources for news and emotional distress, and (3) the interaction between information seeking and use of these news media sources on emotional distress. Our findings show that seeking information about COVID-19 was significantly related to emotional distress. Moreover, even after accounting for COVID-19 information seeking, consuming news via television and social media was tied to increased distress, whereas consuming newspapers was not significantly related to greater distress. Emotional distress was most pronounced among individuals high in information seeking and television news use, whereas the association between information seeking and emotional distress was not moderated by newspapers or social media news use.

Well-Being and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract. The purpose of this systematic review is to analyze the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects through the lens of community psychology. Our study applied PRISMA methodology, and it was carried out using the PsycInfo, PubMed, Embase, and EBSCO databases utilizing the keywords “connectedness,” “resilience,” “shared action,” “social action,” “trust,” “individual well-being,” and “social well-being.” We selected 12 of 216 eligible publications based on the inclusion criteria. The results indicated that the role of trust in institutions and others is a protective factor for communities that experience crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, developing social actions promoted connections and social support and that, in the absence of in-person communication, online communication promoted connections and reduced psychological distress and isolation. Finally, the study revealed that some psychosocial factors stem from declines in people’s well-being due to the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. Furthermore, our findings highlighted the role of technology as a positive communication tool for promoting connectedness and social support, as well as the social function of trust in institutions. Our results suggested that community interactions at the local and virtual levels should be viewed as positive actions to support institutions in detecting the most effective social intervention measures to stimulate individual and community well-being during the pandemic. These findings may serve as a guide for health policymakers in their efforts to face the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic supporting beneficial strategies for social planning and effective public policies. Finally, both the strengths and limitations of the research will be discussed in depth.

Validation and Psychometric Evaluation of the COVID-19 Risk Perception Scale (CoRP): a New Brief Scale to Measure Individuals' Risk Perception

The aim of the work was to develop and validate the COVID-19 Risk Perception Scale (CoRP), a brief self-report questionnaire for individuals' perceptions of risk in the COVID-19 pandemic. Two studies were conducted in order to evaluate the new scale's psychometric properties. Study 1 included 269 Italian participants (77.3% female) to initially test the scale's structure and construct validity. Study 2 involved 1061 (76.2% female) Italians aged 18 to 80 years old and examined the structure of the scale, construct validity, and age invariance. Exploratory and Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the one-factor solution, and the structure of the scale was found to be invariant across age groups. The scale also demonstrated a high internal reliability. The CoRP correlated positively with the fear of COVID-19 scale, and low with the Impact of Event and distressing phenomena as measured by GHQ. The present work thus affirms that the CoRP is a valid instrument for measuring individuals' risk perception of COVID-19.

Finally, the chance to eat healthily: Longitudinal study about food consumption during and after the first COVID-19 lockdown in Italy

With the COVID-19 outbreak, structural constraints and social psychological factors changed the dietary habits of many people. This two-wave longitudinal study performed in Italy aimed to explore people’s perceptions of changes in healthy and unhealthy food consumption before and during the first lockdown and the possible persistence of such changes after its official end, as a function of the number of people cohabiting, negative emotion activation, and individual eating styles. A total of 728 Italian adults completed self-reported food consumption measures and related psychological variables at both time points. In the lockdown period, participants reported an increase in healthy food consumption and involvement in cooking and a decrease in the consumption of junk food. This general pattern was stronger for both young and restrained eaters. The intensity of negative emotions and the number of cohabitants were not associated with the examined behaviour. In the post-lockdown period, the new consumption pattern acquired during the confinement was partially discontinued: participants cut down their healthy food consumption as well as their involvement in food preparation, but they continued to reduce their junk food intake. These results suggest that people’s food consumption patterns can easily improve when the situation is favourable (e.g., more time and opportunities for cooking healthy meals) and offer an interesting theoretical contribution to understanding the factors useful in promoting healthy eating, in the event of a future outbreak.

Students' Wellbeing during Transition from Onsite to Online Education: Are There Risks Arising from Social Isolation?

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption to activities in many fields, including education and lifestyle. Major changes have taken place in the education system, where specific activities migrated suddenly from onsite to online. As a result, this period has witnessed an increased interest in impact studies that analyse the perceptions of the actors involved in the educational process. Based on the survey data (N = 665), the perceptions of the students in Romanian universities with regard to the effects of online education during the pandemic on their wellbeing were analysed. The empirical apparatus-SEM analysis-reached the following conclusions: the students' wellbeing was increased under the traditional education system; the economic crisis has caused concern, and a decrease in their wellbeing; their contamination fear is moderate to low, and does not influence their wellbeing; they have been discouraged in terms of their personal development during the pandemic, and their wellbeing has suffered as a result; the role of institutions is extremely important, given that the students' ability to study online depends on the universities' efficiency in implementing the online system.

Community dimensions and emotions in the era of COVID-19

Following an ecological perspective, reactions to a disaster—such as the COVID‐19 pandemic—should be analysed in the interdependence between individual and community dimensions. The present study aims to analyse individual emotional dimensions (anxiety, joy, fear or depressive feelings) and their community dimensions (connectedness, emotional sharing and solidarity) with a longitudinal approach among university students from Italian universities. Participants were 746 university students at t1 (during the lockdown) and 361 at t2 (after the lockdown) recruited in six Italian universities from different areas of Italy. Comparing emotional dimensions in the two times, t2 is characterized by a generalized ambiguity: both happiness or joy because of the end of limitations and a kind of ‘post‐lockdown anxiety’ because of a sense of individual inadequacy in facing the return to normality, conducting daily activities and attending community spaces. Data confirms that after the so‐called ‘honeymoon phase’ in community dimensions (first phase of t1 time), a sort of ‘depressive reaction’ arises at t2: Italian university students seem more aware of the need for individual and social responsibility and that many events are not under their personal control. The reconstruction phase and exit from the emergency are perceived as necessary but also as a difficult and risky period. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.

The Perceived Impact of COVID-19 on Student Well-Being and the Mediating Role of the University Support: Evidence From France, Germany, Russia, and the UK

The rapid and unplanned change to teaching and learning in the online format brought by COVID-19 has likely impacted many, if not all, aspects of university students' lives worldwide. To contribute to the investigation of this change, this study focuses on the impact of the pandemic on student well-being, which has been found to be as important to student lifelong success as their academic achievement. Student well-being has been linked to their engagement and performance in curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities, intrinsic motivation, satisfaction, meaning making, and mental health. The purpose of this study was to examine how student perceptions of their degree completion and future job prospects during the pandemic impact their well-being and what role university support plays in this relationship. We used the conservation of resources theory to frame our study and to develop five hypotheses that were later tested via structural equation modeling. Data were collected from 2,707 university students in France, Germany, Russia, and UK via an online survey. The results showed that university support provided by instructors and administration plays a mediating role in the relationship between the perceived impact of COVID-19 on degree completion and future job prospects and levels of student well-being. Student well-being is decreased by their concerns for their degree completion but not by their concerns for future job prospects. In turn, concerns for future job prospects affect student well-being over time. These results suggest that in a “new normal,” universities could increase student well-being by making support to student studies a priority, especially for undergraduates. Also, universities should be aware of the students' changing emotional responses to crisis and ensure visibility and accessibility of student support.