Anxiety and depression among college students in the post-COVID-19 phase

Abstract

Stress is prevalent in the lives of college students, which may manifest into anxiety and depression, especially after life-altering events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of this study was to assess the post-pandemic presence and severities of anxiety and depression among the current population of college students at a minority-serving institution using a psychometrically valid 37-item questionnaire. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 Scale (GAD-7) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) were used to assess anxiety and depression, respectively. Univariate and bivariate statistical tests were utilized to analyze the data. A total of 41 students completed the survey, of which 29 (70.8 %) demonstrated minimal to mild anxiety and 12 (29.2 %) demonstrated moderate to severe anxiety. Among respondents, 26 (63.4 %) demonstrated depressive symptoms, and 15 (36.6 %) did not demonstrate any depressive symptoms. There were significantly higher anxiety scores among undergraduate students (p = 0.013) and those who have encountered barriers to identifying mental health resources (p = 0.03). In addition, marginally significant anxiety scores were found among students who have used mental health resources (p = 0.05). There were also significantly higher depression scores among undergraduate students (p = 0.005), those who have encountered barriers to identifying mental health resources (p = 0.02), and 18–22-year-olds (p = 0.01). As time has progressed since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, further research is needed to discern whether anxiety and depression symptoms have improved or worsened in college students.