ABSTRACT

Evidence of the psychological distress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, including depression, anxiety, and health anxiety, has been documented globally. College students are a unique sub-set of the population with consistently elevated psychological distress associated with the pandemic, and well-informed intervention is urgently needed. The current study is the first, to our knowledge, to document the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of undergraduates in a heavily impacted area in the United States. Cross-sectional, self-report data on psychological distress and COVID-19 exposure were collected from a racially and ethnically diverse sample of 641 undergraduates between April 7–9 May 2020. Nearly half of the students reported elevated psychological distress, including health anxiety, general anxiety, and depression. Heightened risk of psychological distress was associated with female sex, a COVID-19 case in one’s immediate social network, underlying medical vulnerabilities, and recent experience of ≥3 viral symptoms. Vigilance to viral symptoms and worry about coronavirus were also factors associated with more severe psychological distress. The current study highlights some of the factors associated with a greater risk of developing psychological distress due to COVID-19 and can be used to inform the dissemination of psychological interventions.

摘要

全球已记录了与COVID-19大流行相关的心理困扰的证据，包括抑郁症，焦虑症和健康焦虑症。大学生是人口的独特子集，与大流行相关的心理困扰持续加剧，因此迫切需要进行充分的知情干预。据我们所知，本研究是第一个记录COVID-19大流行对美国受灾最严重地区的学生心理健康的影响的研究。有关心理困扰和COVID-19暴露的自我报告横断面数据是从2020年4月7日至5月9日的641名本科生的种族和族裔多元化样本中收集的。近半数的学生报告了心理困扰加剧，包括健康焦虑，普遍焦虑和沮丧。心理困扰的风险增加与女性，一个直接的社交网络中的COVID-19病例，潜在的医疗脆弱性以及最近经历过3种以上病毒性症状有关。警惕病毒症状和担心冠状病毒也是与更严重的心理困扰相关的因素。当前的研究强调了一些因COVID-19而引起更大的心理困扰风险的因素，可用于指导心理干预措施的传播。警惕病毒症状和担心冠状病毒也是与更严重的心理困扰相关的因素。当前的研究强调了一些因COVID-19而引起更大的心理困扰风险的因素，可用于指导心理干预措施的传播。警惕病毒症状和担心冠状病毒也是与更严重的心理困扰相关的因素。当前的研究强调了一些因COVID-19而引起更大的心理困扰风险的因素，可用于指导心理干预措施的传播。