COVID shelter in place orders and mental health outcomes among college undergraduates

Abstract

Objective The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship , if any, COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders had on mental health outcomes for undergraduate students. Participants This study was comprised of 138 students, all of which were recruited from a single four-year college in the Midwest. Methods A pre-/post-test comparative design was adopted and was leveraged to capture data regarding students’ experiences before and after the shelter-in-place orders were enacted to determine if there was a marked effect between the pre-virus condition and the situation after stay at home orders went into effect. Results Paired sample t-test were conducted to determine whether the mental health outcomes of depression, anxiety and stress were significantly changed from before to after COVID-19 shelter in place disorders. While anxiety and stress scores were revealed no significant difference, significantly greater depression was revealed after COVID-19. Conclusion Overall, the results of this study highlight the need for colleges to be aware of the mental health toll that the pandemic and shelter-in-place orders may take on their students. Though this toll registered only directly in depression, there remains significant reasons to believe the situation may also affect stress and anxiety regardless of the absence of evidence for these factors in this study. There remains much to be done in assessing the ultimate impact of the pandemic on students’ mental health.