College students’ emotional responses to social distancing protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative diary study

Abstract

ABSTRACT This qualitative diary study explored emotional responses of college students to social distancing (SD) protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty college students in an undergraduate senior capstone psychology course at a medium-sized public university in the Eastern USA wrote reflective diaries for several weeks. Their reactions to ongoing SD protocols were analyzed across four cohorts, from the virus onset in spring 2020 through late 2021. Entries related to SD protocols were selected, then coded with etic and emic coding strategies to characterize the aspects of SD and associated emotions. Participants discussed ten aspects of SD in passages that were complex in emotion, most strongly fear, joy, and sadness, and to a lesser extent, anger, disgust, and surprise. Gender differences in emotional reactions were minimal. Results are discussed in relation to student well-being, the socio-emotional toll of SD protocols, and ways to ease negative SD impacts.