Negative COVID-19 impacts and depressive symptoms over time among first-year college students

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the disruptions to social life, financial impact, and academic concerns caused by COVID-19 experienced by first-year college students, as well as their associations with depressive symptoms over time. Participants and Methods: Five hundred and thirty freshman college students completed an online survey at baseline and 14-week follow-up. Results: We found that female students reported greater COVID-19 academic concerns than males. Black students endorsed lower COVID-19 academic concerns and Latinx students reported greater negative COVID-19 financial impact compared to other ethnic groups. First-generation college students reported greater negative COVID-19 financial impact than domestic students. COVID-19 academic concerns and negative social and financial impacts were associated with greater depressive symptoms at baseline. However, only COVID-19 academic concerns were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms over time. Conclusions: Findings suggest that the academic, social, and financial disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have negative mental health consequences that should be addressed in research and university settings.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• depressive symptoms
• first-year college students
• mental health
• sociodemographic identities
• intersectionality

Acknowledgments

We extend our appreciation to the numerous research assistants who contributed to this work and the participants of this study.

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States of America and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of New York University.

Funding

This work was supported by the New York University Steinhardt Office of Faculty Development and Diversity - Diversity Innovation Grant (WT).

Notes

1 Students who endorsed Middle Eastern heritage (n = 6) were excluded from the ANOVA and regression analyses due to the small group size.