The Psychological, Academic, and Economic Impact of COVID-19 on College Students in the Epicenter of the Pandemic. Issue 2 (April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Reyes-Portillo, Jazmin A.; Masia Warner, Carrie; Kline, Emily A.; Bixter, Michael T.; Chu, Brian C.; Miranda, Regina; Nadeem, Erum; Nickerson, Amanda; Ortin Peralta, Ana; Reigada, Laura; Rizvi, Shireen L.; Roy, Amy K.; Shatkin, Jess; Kalver, Emily; Rette, Danielle; Denton, Ellen-ge; Jeglic, Elizabeth L.
• Is Part Of: Emerging adulthood. Volume 10:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 473
• Page End: 490
• Publication Date: 2022-04
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- college students -- minorities -- race -- ethnicity -- mental health; Young adults -- Periodicals; Adolescence -- Periodicals; Teenagers -- Periodicals; Adolescent psychology -- Periodicals; 305
• DOI: 10.1177/21676968211066657
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2167-6968

Abstract

Initial research has indicated that college students have experienced numerous stressors as a result of the pandemic. The current investigation enrolled the largest and most diverse sample of college students to date ( N = 4714) from universities in New York (NY) and New Jersey (NJ), the epicenter of the North American pandemic in Spring 2020. We described the impact on the psychological, academic, and financial health of college students who were initially most affected and examined racial/ethnic group differences. Results indicated that students' mental health was severely affected and that students of color were disproportionately affected by academic, financial, and COVID-related stressors. Worry about COVID-19 infection, stressful living conditions, lower grades, and loneliness emerged as correlates of deteriorating mental health. COVID-19's mental health impact on college students is alarming and highlights the need for public health interventions at the university level.