Abstract
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related quarantine has had unique psychological challenges for medical students, particularly loneliness. In this study, we demonstrated the patterns and predictors of loneliness in medical students since post-lockdown to new normal with COVID-19.Methods: A convenience sampling method was used in this study. Face-to-face online questionnaires of UCLA Loneliness Scale and psychological characteristics scales were completed by 1,478 participants. Latent profile analysis and multinominal logistic regressions were performed.Results: Three latent profile models were identified in this study: low loneliness (52.3%), interpersonal sensitivity loneliness (3.5%), and high loneliness (44.1%). Sophomore (Est = 1.937; p < 0.05) and junior students (Est = 2.939; p < 0.05), neuroticism (Est = 2.475; p < 0.05), high arousal symptoms (Est = 2.618; p < 0.01), and the quality of support from friends (Est = 2.264; p < 0.05) were the risk factors for high loneliness profile. In addition, sophomore (Est = 2.065; p < 0.05) and junior students (Est = 2.702; p < 0.01), openness (Est = 2.303; p < 0.05), and conscientiousness personality (Est = −2.348; p < 0.05) were the predictors of an interpersonal sensitive loneliness profile. Good peer relationship (Est = −2.266; p < 0.05) and other support (Est = −2.247; p < 0.05) were protective factors for low loneliness profile.Limitations: Participants were selected from one medical university; the generalizability is limited.Conclusions: Timely loneliness-focused interventions should be targeted on the different profiles and predictors of loneliness in medical students.
Highlights
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak was at the end of 2019 and had spread immediately all over the world
Timely loneliness-focused interventions should be targeted on the different profiles and predictors of loneliness in medical students
Because of situational risk factors associated with the social isolation of medical students, loneliness was suspected as a prominent factor of depression during the pandemic, which could persist for a longer time [15]
Summary
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak was at the end of 2019 and had spread immediately all over the world. Evidence of mental health distress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic has been reported globally [1, 2]. Several studies have been conducted since the beginning of the Patterns and Predictors of Loneliness pandemic on the psychological well-being of individuals, showing high levels of psychological distress in terms of anxiety, depression, stress, and even PTSD symptomatology [3,4,5,6]. Some studies revealed that college students showed a surge of depression that increased compared with that before the COVID19 pandemic, whereas anxiety levels declined [13, 14]. We demonstrated the patterns and predictors of loneliness in medical students since post-lockdown to new normal with COVID-19
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