Post COVID-19: Mental Health and Academic Performance in 1st year College Students

Abstract

Background: Good mental health helps students to realize their full potential in academics, handle stress and pressures related to studies and help them to work productively towards their goals. But COVID-19 had an immense effect on the students world-wide. Students were isolated from their peers causing a steep decline in their social skills and increased alienation. This study was done on the first-year college students who faced home isolation for nearly 2 and half years. Purpose: This study was done on the first-year college students who faced home isolation for nearly 2 and half years. The overall aim of this study was to assess negative emotionality among these students as they come out of new normal and face college life. It also aimed to find out its effect on academic scores. Methods: Sample consists of 200 students, age group 19 to 23 years, both male and female of different streams coming from urban and rural areas. Data was collected through Kundu’s Neurotic Personality Inventory. The academic scores were obtained from their respective colleges. Results: Results evaluated using Pearson correlation, and descriptive analysis. Findings show that 27% of the students have no neurotic tendencies, 42% are slightly neurotic, 26% are moderately neurotic, 6% are highly neurotic. A significant negative correlation was seen between the scores of KNPI and academic performance indicating that increase in neurotic scores results in decrease in academic performance. Conclusion: Post Covid mental health problems are seen to increase among college students which lead to lower academic functioning. These results from the present study provide insight for development of timely mental health interventions in colleges for the students to come out of the new normal created by COVID-19.