A Three-Year Examination of U.S. Undergraduates Attending a High-Ranking Public College During COVID-19: Contributions to the Field’s Understanding of Psychological Adjustment

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ABSTRACT This study focused on the psychological adjustment of college undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants attended a small public university in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. Using a cohort research design, data were collected across a three-academic-year period (N = 3323). Data included measures of change in functional adjustment to the pandemic (i.e., self-perception of anxiety, depression, loneliness, psychological distress, alcohol and substance use, academic performance), and standardized measures of anxiety, depression, personality, and childhood trauma. Student responses decreased in severity and intensity over the three-year period. Standardized anxiety scores remained in the mild range of severity. Females and students identifying as other than male and female, scored higher on all measures. Students endorsing childhood trauma scored higher on all measures. The authors offered recommended next steps in research, program evaluation, and clinical practice to help inform the effective management of future pandemics or natural disasters.