PSYCHOSOCIAL IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON STUDENTS AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING.

Elizabeth O Akin-Odanye,Helene Vilme,Chioma C Asuzu,Carol L Warren,Roland N Ndip,Charles Muiruri,Ivette Lopez,Ernest Kaninjing

doi:10.46827/ejes.v8i6.3770

Abstract

Students at higher institutions of learning are more susceptible to psychosocial problems compared to the general public. These may further be exacerbated by the measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19. This mixed methods study examined the factors associated with the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on students’ financial stability, interpersonal relationships and worries related to achieving academic milestones. Data comprised of a series of closed and open-ended questions collected via Qualtrics from students in the United States and Africa (Central and West). The quantitative data were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages and chi-square, while the qualitative data was analyzed using thematic content analysis. More than 90% of the students resided in the United States, 72.5% were females and 78.4% were undergraduates. Financial hardship was experienced by 26.4% of the students, 55.8% indicated that COVID-19 negatively affected their relationship with friends and over 40% worried over delays in achieving academic milestones. Continent of residence, employment status and financial hardship were significantly associated with the negative impact of COVID-19 on one or more of the students’ relationships and with worries about achieving academic milestones. Qualitative data support the findings that financial hardship contributed to experience of psychological distress by students. It also revealed negative (compromised relationships – broken or fractured relationships and loneliness) and positive (bonding) impact of COVID-19 on interpersonal relationships. School administrators should provide students with resources to access economic relief packages and tele-counseling services to help meet their financial and psychosocial support needs amidst COVID-19.

Highlights

Preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, psychological and social problems among college and university students were already being considered a serious challenge (Salzer, 2012; Nsereko, David, Seggane, Janet, & Denis, 2014)
We describe the psychosocial impacts of COVID-19 on undergraduate and postgraduate students’ financial stability, interpersonal relationships and worries related to achieving academic milestones in various universities and colleges in the United States and three African countries - Cameroon in Central Africa, Ghana and Nigeria in West Africa
Over 50% of the students had their relationship with friends negatively impacted and greater than 80% were worried over delays in achieving academic milestones due to COVID-19

Summary

Introduction

Preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, psychological and social problems among college and university students were already being considered a serious challenge (Salzer, 2012; Nsereko, David, Seggane, Janet, & Denis, 2014). Some students encounter challenges with living arrangement, strain in forming and maintaining interpersonal relationships, which for some may lead to isolation, which in turn can increase likelihood of psychological distress (Beiter et al, 2015; Liu, et al, 2019). For those that thrive on social interactions with peers, when the opportunity to continue to engage socially is limited, psychological distress can arise (Xiao et al, 2019; Peloso et al, 2020; Qi et al, 2020)

Methods

Results

Conclusion