Mental health among college students a year after COVID-19 outbreak in Israel: The association between wellbeing and anxiety

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate anxiety and well-being among college students. Participants: The sample comprised 366 college students who responded to an online survey In January 2021. Methods: An online survey included demographics, a 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and a 14-item Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) measuring well-being. Results: Findings revealed low self-rated well-being compared to the general population. The mean anxiety level was 8.89, and 39% of respondents showed moderate to severe anxiety. Negative correlations were found between well-being and anxiety. A regression model showed that students who live with their parents, had been diagnosed with COVID-19, and have low emotional well-being scores, are at risk of suffering from anxiety (R²=0.32, F = 53, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Student mental health is significantly affected by the pandemic and should be carefully monitored. It is crucial to provide timely psychological support to prevent negative long-term implications of the crisis on student mental health.

Keywords:

• Well-being
• anxiety
• students
• mental health
• COVID-19

Acknowledgments

We sincerely thank the students who participated in the study.

Authors contributions

OB, NS, EF, and LA contributed substantially to the study’s conception and design. NS, EF, and LA carried out data collection. OB carried out the statistical analysis. OB, NS, EF, and LA interpreted the data. OB drafted and revised the manuscript. All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

Declarations

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 Israel and received approval from the Ethics Committee of the Ashkelon Academic College.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.