Objective: To observe changes on mental health of college students during and after the COVID-19 epidemic, to understand the impact of the epidemic on their mental health, and to make mental health education more targeted and effective.
Methods: A longitudinal survey was conducted on 2468 college students over a four-year period (April 2021-April 2024) using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and the Psychological Resilience Scale.
Results: The mean scores of SCL-90 and the nine factors from 2021 to 2023 were higher than in 2024, with significant differences (p<0.01). Except for somatization, depression, and paranoia, the mean scores for the other factors showed a significant decreasing trend year by year (p<0.01). There were significant differences in the total score of psychological resilience and the scores of its five sub-factors from 2021 to 2024 (p<0.01). Except for positive cognition, the scores for the other four factors were highest in 2024, with significant differences compared to 2023 (p<0.01).
Conclusion: The epidemic has had a negative impact on the mental health of college students, with some lasting effects. By 2024, the mental health and psychological resilience of students have gradually improved, but positive cognition has not yet recovered. Future mental health education should focus on improving psychological resilience, developing students’ emotional regulation skills, and fostering positive cognition.
YUAN Chenxin
,
ZHANG Yue
,
WANG Junli
,
YANG Xuehua
. The Impact of the COVID-19 Epidemic on Mental Health of College Students: A Longitudinal Study[J]. Psychological Communications, 2024
, 7(4)
: 235
-241
.
DOI: 10.12100/j.issn.2096-5494.224032
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