Psychological Wellbeing and Academic Experience of University Students in Australia during COVID-19.

Rachael H Dodd,Kristen Pickles,Kirsten J Mccaffery,Kevin Dadaczynski,Orkan Okan

doi:10.3390/ijerph18030866

Abstract

COVID-19 has created significant challenges for higher education institutions and major disruptions in teaching and learning. To explore the psychological wellbeing of domestic and international university students during the COVID-19 pandemic, an online cross-sectional survey recruited 787 university students (18+ years) currently studying at an Australian university. In total, 86.8% reported that COVID-19 had significantly impacted their studies. Overall, 34.7% of students reported a sufficient level of wellbeing, while 33.8% showed low wellbeing and 31.5% very low wellbeing. Wellbeing was significantly higher in postgraduate students compared with undergraduate students. Future anxiety was significantly greater among undergraduate than postgraduate students. Multivariable regression models showed female gender, low subjective social status, negative overall learning experience or reporting COVID-19 having a huge impact on study, were associated with lower wellbeing in the first few months (May–July) of the pandemic. Supporting the health, wellbeing, and learning experiences of all students should be of high priority now and post-pandemic. Strategies specifically targeting female students, and those with low self-reported social status are urgently needed to avoid exacerbating existing disparities.

Highlights

Accepted: 18 January 2021The 2019–2020 coronavirus pandemic has prompted extraordinary measures to be implemented globally in an effort to reduce transmission of the virus [1]
This study reports the wellbeing of university students in Australia at a time when there were substantial disruptions to the higher education sector due to COVID-19
Significant predictors of lower wellbeing included being female, having lower subjective social status, lower sense of coherence and higher anxiety, reporting a negative overall learning experience or COVID-19 having a huge impact on their study

Summary

Introduction

The 2019–2020 coronavirus pandemic has prompted extraordinary measures to be implemented globally in an effort to reduce transmission of the virus [1]. In Australia, the number of new cases increased rapidly in late March, averaging 350 cases per day [2]. At this time, restrictions were placed on all international travel, state borders closed, returning international travellers entered mandated hotel quarantine, and social distancing rules were introduced. To reduce the spread of the virus among younger and adult populations, Australian universities were closed nationally at the start of the academic year in March 2020, with on-campus learning suspended, educational and social events postponed or cancelled, and student accommodation facilities closed. As of 15 January 2021, Australia has reported 28,658 cases, 275 active cases, and 909 deaths [2]

Objectives

Results

Discussion

Conclusion