ORCID
Randy Mark Ludwig, https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2825-8296
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic exacerbated the traditional challenges of being a college student. This study examined the factors associated with the mental health difficulties many college students faced during the pandemic. Factor analysis was used to uncover a latent variable called psychological strain, which was composed of mental instability, mental health strain, sadness, anxiety, and unhappiness. An exploratory path model was created to determine which factors most closely related to psychological strain. Of the 14 factors considered, 11 were significant predictors. Overall, the most important risk factor was found to be social isolation (total effects = .437), while the most important protective factor was optimism (total effects = –.228). In total, the path model predicted nearly 58% of the variance (R2 = .577). Additionally, social comparison effects were a driving force behind many of the risk factors associated with psychological strain.
Included in
Health Psychology Commons, Personality and Social Contexts Commons, School Psychology Commons
