The influence of technostress on anxiety disorder in higher education students during the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

This article aimed to investigate the relationship between technostress and anxiety disorder in Brazilian public higher education students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The quantitative study was based on primary data (n = 1981) collected through the structured questionnaire of a population of Brazilian public higher education students. Partial least squares structural equation modelling method and multigroup analysis were used for data analyses and to compare the constructs. Of the five dimensions of technostress analysed, techno-uncertainty and techno-complexity did not influence generalized anxiety disorder. Nonetheless, the results demonstrated that technostress was present in the lives of the students studied, demonstrating significant relationships with generalized anxiety disorder. Therefore, this study presents relevant reflections regarding prolonged exposure and additional factors that technology influenced students’ quality of life, thus generating strategic alignments to improve the mental health of students who went through the remote teaching process imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.