Study Reveals Persistent Mental Health Struggles Among College Freshmen During COVID-19 Pandemic
By Grayson Mendenhall
Communication Specialist
As the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020-2023 becomes a distant memory, its enduring impact on the mental health of university students remains a significant concern.
A recent study of first-year college students at UNC sheds new light on how the pandemic amplified mental health challenges, particularly for young adults entering their first year of college.
The study, co-authored by Carolina Population Center Fellows Jane Fruehwirth and Krista Perreira, used survey data to track the mental health of 339 students between 2019 and 2021. It revealed a significant increase in anxiety and depression symptoms four months into the pandemic, with lasting effects well into 2021, even after vaccines became widely available and colleges began returning to in-person classes.
“When they were in their third year of college, students were returning to in-person instruction. At that point in time, we saw that depression approached pre-pandemic levels, but anxiety symptoms had not. They had continued to rise,” Fruehwirth said.
Despite a reduction in depression symptoms around 18 months into the pandemic, anxiety remained high among those surveyed, raising concerns about the long-term effects of Covid-19 on college students’ mental health.
Pandemic-Induced Stress and Its Long-Term Impact
Researchers focused on the mental health of first-year students, an age group already vulnerable to emotional distress due to the pressures of adjusting to college life. The students were surveyed three times: before the pandemic, in the early stages of the pandemic, and again 18 months later, allowing researchers to track changes in anxiety and depression over time.
The results were sobering. By July 2020, just a few months after the pandemic began, mental health symptoms had increased significantly, particularly for depression by close to 40%. While depression symptoms approached pre-pandemic levels by September/October 2021, anxiety symptoms did not improve by that time and are still about 40% higher than before the pandemic, Fruehwirth said.
Factors Contributing to Mental Health Decline
Several key factors contributed to the worsening of mental health among students, according to the study. Chronic stress, social isolation, and challenges with remote learning were all significant risk factors for increased anxiety and depression symptoms, Perreira said.
The abrupt shift to online classes and the challenges of adapting to distance learning were particularly difficult for students, many of whom reported struggles with staying engaged and maintaining academic performance in a virtual environment.
Researchers found that distance learning was a major source of stress for students during the pandemic, particularly for those with no anxiety or depression symptoms prior to the pandemic. From difficulties with technology to a lack of social interaction, it disrupted students’ sense of community and belonging, which are crucial to mental well-being, especially in the first year of college.
“We found that students who experienced increases in social isolation during the pandemic, also had bigger increases in anxiety and depression symptoms,” Fruehwirth said.
The study also examined the role of other Covid-19-related stressors, such as concerns about family members’ health, economic hardships, and the loss of jobs or financial support. These were not significant determinants of depression and anxiety symptoms.
Resilience as a Protective Factor
The study also found that resilience acted as a protective factor, helping some students better cope with pandemic-related stress. Students who demonstrated higher levels of resilience, a psychological quality that allows individuals to bounce back from adversity, reported fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression over time.
“Increasingly there are programs available to build resilience, partly as an antidote to the mental health crisis, to work alongside counseling centers because counseling centers are becoming overwhelmed and they’re having a hard time keeping up with demand,” Fruehwirth said.
Additionally, social support from family was found to buffer the negative effects of the pandemic on depression for students who had depression symptoms prior to the pandemic.
Implications for Colleges and Mental Health Support
The study’s findings underscore the urgent need for colleges and universities to address the mental health crisis among students. Colleges should prioritize bolstering social connectedness, supporting mental health resilience, and providing resources that can help students navigate the challenges of academic life.
Maintaining a sense of connection and belonging can have a positive impact on students’ emotional well-being. Strategies to reduce social isolation, such as organizing virtual events, social gatherings, and peer mentorship programs may also help students.
“Resilience was a strong protective factor, particularly for those who had moderate-severe anxiety or depression symptoms prior to the pandemic,” Perreira said.
“Investing in programs to help students build those kinds of skills seems like a particularly meaningful way to help students navigate significant challenges like the pandemic,” Fruehwirth said. “We can’t protect our students from all adversities, but we can help them learn the skills to cope.”