COVID-19 and the class of 2020: a national study of the mental health and wellbeing of Leaving Certificate students in Ireland

Figures & data

Table 1. Summary statistics on study measures (N=902).

Measure	Low	Moderate	High	M	SD
WHO-5	61%	36%	3%	10.98	5.04
Academic Motivation	3%	29%	68%	16.50	2.66
Brief Resilient Coping	44%	44%	12%	13.63	2.63
SWEMW-S	46%	50%	3%	21.75	4.56
Perceived Stress Scale	42%	46%	12%	9.08	2.86

Table 2. Results of a multiple regression model predicting WHO-5 wellbeing.

Variable	B	B (SE)	ß
Academic Motivation	−.35	.18	−.05
Brief Resilient Coping Scale	−.01	.05	.00
SWEMW-S	.38	.04	.34*
Perceived Stress Scale	−.30	.06	−.17*
PERMA Profiler	.84	.10	.27*
R^2	.47
F for change in R^2	166.315

*p < .001.

Table 3. T-test results comparing the PERMA wellbeing scores of 2015 versus 2020 students.

Wellbeing component	2015			2020			t	Cohen’s d
	n	M	SD	n	M	SD
Positive Affect	212	6.29	1.63	745	5.93	1.82	2.80*	.008
Negative Affect	212	5.25	1.77	741	5.52	1.81	−1.88	.003
Physical Health	212	6.86	1.82	745	6.46	2.01	2.76*	.007
Support	212	6.27	2.68	744	6.01	2.68	1.25	.001
Happiness	212	6.50	1.88	746	6.09	2.10	2.56*	.006
Loneliness	212	5.03	2.88	745	5.41	2.77	−1.78	.003

*p < .05

Box 1. A selection of student quotes describing the impact of COVID-19 on their mental health and wellbeing

“My friends with mental illnesses and difficult home life situations are struggling greatly at the moment and they can't lean on their friends or find an escape as they could before. On top of that, I can't push myself to support them like I did since the weight of their problems more easily pulls me down and manifests in my mind when I'm isolated. I've had to distance myself to maintain my mental health which is a more monolithic task in the current circumstances. So, I feel like a crap friend and I'm terrified that my friends are struggling so much.” “Isolation and loneliness, even during a regular 3-month summer break triggers my anxiety every year and everything else going on at the moment also piles on top of this anxiety, I'm doing everything I can to connect with people (like phone calls and video games with my friends) but some days I can't help but feel extremely alone.” “The thing that has affected my mental health the most during this period is the fact that the ‘class of 2020’ hasn't gotten closure on our school years. It feels like six years went to nothing really.” “Very tough not meeting any friends for months. Even as we are coming back to normal, there will be many friends who I will not see for a while. This is difficult and texting them is not the same.” “Feeling isolated from friends because they disregard social distancing and precautions while I try to abide by them. I am being judged for following the rules.” “The health of the most vulnerable people, in terms of physical and mental health. I do not want people to feel isolated and unhappy. I also do not want people to continue to contract and suffer from COVID-19.”