RT Journal Article
T1 A Study on the Psychological Wound of COVID-19 in University Students
A1 Padrón Rodríguez, Isabel
A1 Fraga Carou, Isabel
A1 Vieitez Portas, Lucía
A1 Montes Piñeiro, Carlos
A1 Romero Triñanes, Estrella
K1 University students
K1 Psychological impact
K1 COVID-19
K1 Stressors
K1 Coping
K1 COnVIDa-20
AB An increasing number of studies have addressed the psychological impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the general population. Nevertheless, far less is known about the impact on specific populations such as university students, whose psychological vulnerability has been shown in previous research. This study sought to examine different indicators of mental health in university students during the Spanish lockdown; we also analyzed the main sources of stress perceived by students in relation to the COVID-19 crisis, and the coping strategies adopted when faced with the situation. Data was collected from 932 students (704 women) through a web-based platform. Measures of anxiety (i.e., GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), irritability, and self-perceived change in mental health were administered, as well as ad hoc measures of stressors and coping strategies. Results indicated that students experienced considerable psychological problems during the confinement, with higher rates of emotional difficulties in women and undergraduate students than in men and postgraduates, respectively. Psychological distress was mainly related to several specific domains of stressors, as perceived by the participants: academic future, task overload, worsening of interpersonal conflicts, and restrictions in pleasant social contact; and far less related to the spread of the disease and its consequences for physical health. As regards coping strategies, both reframing skills and daily routines were shown to be the most effective. A path-analysis model integrating stressors, coping, and mental health revealed that coping strategies partially mediated the effect of stressors on psychological health. In general, results suggest that students’ psychological health was substantially affected by the COVID-19 situation and that the academic and relational changes were the most notable sources of stress. This study reinforces the need to monitor and promote mental health in university students to boost resilience in times of crisis. Our results on effective coping strategies may inform preventive programs aimed at helping students to deal with challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic
PB Frontiers Media
YR 2021
FD 2021
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10347/26077
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10347/26077
LA eng
NO Padrón I, Fraga I, Vieitez L, Montes C and Romero E (2021) A Study on the Psychological Wound of COVID-19 in University Students. Front. Psychol. 12:589927
NO Publication of this manuscript was supported by Regional Goverment of Galicia, Programa de Axudas para a Consolidación e Estruturación de Unidades de Investigación Competitivas e outras Accións de Fomento, Refs. ED431C 2018/2 and ED431B 2019/20
DS Minerva
RD 22 abr 2026