A mixed-methods investigation of COVID-19 pandemic-specific stress in college students.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To identify pandemic-specific stressors among college students and compare patterns of stressors in samples obtained during early and chronic phases of the pandemic. METHOD: Different undergraduate student samples from a Southeastern university completed an online survey in Spring 2020 (early pandemic; N = 673) and Fall 2020 (chronic pandemic; N = 439). This repeated cross-sectional survey study used a mixed methods triangulation design to validate and expand on quantitative findings using qualitative data. RESULTS: Quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed 13 pandemic stressor domains, with academics and lifestyle adjustment among the most stressful in both samples, and more stressful in the chronic pandemic sample. Non-freshmen, female, and first-generation college students were at greater risk for pandemic stress. CONCLUSIONS: As college students continue to experience stressors related to COVID-19 and encounter future crises, colleges and universities must adapt to meet their unique needs specific to the context.