Assessment of the Psychological Impact of COVID-19 among College Students’ Perspective: A Descriptive Study

Abstract

Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to assess the psychological consequences (anxiety, depression, and addiction to substance abuse) of COVID-19 among college students.

Materials and Methods: The study employed a quantitative descriptive research design, with a sample of 641 students selected through convenient sampling. Participants were drawn from various colleges and data were collected using Google Forms to measure the variable of interest. The study employed a study instrument comprising a self-structured demographic section and a standardized questionnaire to evaluate levels of anxiety (using the GAD-7), depression (using the PHQ-9), and addiction to substance misuse (using the CAGE). Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS, employing both descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: The study revealed that the majority of participants were personally worried about the COVID-19 (77.7%), afraid to go to public places (65.4%), and frequently uses immunity boosters (67.1%) as a preventive aspect. Anxiety, depression, and addiction to substance use were significantly associated with the year of study and region of residence (P < 0.05). Students who residing in rural showed significantly higher anxiety (t = 4.091; P = 0.000) and depression (t = 3.308; P = 0.001) than urban and students whose close family members have been infected with COVID-19 showed significant lower anxiety (t = 5.131; P = 0.000) and depression (t = 4.743; P = 0.000) than others.

Conclusion: The present study documented that individuals enrolled in higher education institutions continued to encounter symptoms of anxiety and sadness as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, this discovery could prove beneficial for higher education administrators and mentors in devising proactive tactics