Abstract

BackgroundThe SARS-CoV-2 pandemic represents an unprecedented situation in the most recent history. It has had a number of negative consequences for individuals and for whole societies. Individual effects of the pandemic include not only loss of life and of physical health, but also deteriorated quality of life.ObjectiveThis study examines the effect of core self-evaluations (CSE), social support and fear of COVID-19 on the well-being of university students in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe conducted an online survey on a nationwide group of 1,000 students of Polish universities. The survey was carried out between 1 and 15 March 2021. The respondents filled out the following set of tools: World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale, Core Self-Evaluations Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and The Fear of COVID-19 Scale.ResultsThe findings showed that core self-evaluations (CSE) were significantly positively associated with well-being in each of the four domains studied: physical health (r = 0.519), psychological (r = 0.763), social relationships (r = 0.465) and environment (r = 0.496). Similarly, social support correlated positively with physical health (r = 0.277), psychological health (r = 0.306), social relationships (r = 0.552) and environment (r = 0.496). Fear of COVID-19 correlated negatively with well-being in the domain of physical health (r = 0.188), in social relationships (r = 0.042) and with regard to the environment (r = 0.071), the correlations were weak. However, the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and well-being in the psychological domain was not confirmed.ConclusionThe findings point to the significant role of CSE and the role of social support in the perceived quality of life of young people during the pandemic. They provide valuable data concerning individuals who are particularly vulnerable to the adverse psychological effects at the time of the pandemic. They also prove that research conducted to explore other factors protecting individual well-being in difficult situations, including that of the pandemic, should be continued.

Highlights

  • The first confirmed case of SARS-CoV-2 in Poland was recorded on 4 March 2020

  • This study examines the effect of core self-evaluations (CSE), social support and fear of COVID-19 on the well-being of university students in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic

  • The findings showed that core self-evaluations (CSE) were significantly positively associated with well-being in each of the four domains studied: physical health (r = 0.519), psychological (r = 0.763), social relationships (r = 0.465) and environment (r = 0.496)

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Summary

Introduction

The first confirmed case of SARS-CoV-2 in Poland was recorded on 4 March 2020. As a result of the restrictions that were imposed, the majority of Polish university students continued their studies remotely until the end of the 2019/2020 academic year. The virus became a real threat in the whole world and many families suffered due to the loss of loved ones who had lost the fight against it It was a period, on the one hand, of intense stress and fear of infection, and on the other hand of a sense of powerlessness in the face of the successive restrictions, and of no hope for a rapid change in the situation [1,2,3,4]. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic represents an unprecedented situation in the most recent history It has had a number of negative consequences for individuals and for whole societies. Individual effects of the pandemic include loss of life and of physical health, and deteriorated quality of life

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