Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://dx.doi.org/10.25673/118264
Title: University students' financial situation during COVID-19 and anxiety and depressive symptoms : results of the COVID-19 German Student Well-Being Study (C19 GSWS)
Author(s): Negash, Sarah
Horn, Johannes
Heumann, Eileen
Stock, Christiane
Zeeb, HajoLook up in the Integrated Authority File of the German National Library
Pischke, Claudia RuthLook up in the Integrated Authority File of the German National Library
Matos Fialho, PaulaLook up in the Integrated Authority File of the German National Library
Helmer, Stefanie MariaLook up in the Integrated Authority File of the German National Library
Niephaus, Yasemin
Mikolajczyk, RafaelLook up in the Integrated Authority File of the German National Library
Issue Date: 2024
Type: Article
Language: English
Abstract: Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on students’ financial situation as well as on their mental health. Aim: To examine the reported change in the financial situation of German university students before and across two time points of the COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate its associations with anxiety and depressive symptoms. Methods: We used data from the cross-sectional COVID-19 German Student Well-being Study conducted at five German universities (N = 7203). Linear regression models were used to analyze associations between a reported change in financial situation and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Results: Twenty-eight percent of the participants reported to have a worsened financial situation at the time of the survey compared to the time prior to the pandemic. A worsened financial situation at the time of the survey as compared to prior to the pandemic was associated with higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms reported in all three depression and anxiety scales [a 1.46 point increase on the CES-D 8 scale (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19; 1.73), a 0.37-point increase in PHQ-2 (95% CI: 0.28; 0.46), and a 0.45-point increase in GAD-2 (95% CI: 0.35; 0.55)]. An improved financial situation, on the other hand, was associated with lower levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms. As for the second change, comparing the current financial situation with the situation during the first wave of the pandemic, the associations with anxiety and depressive symptoms were broadly similar. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that students are a vulnerable population in need of mental and financial support during times of crisis. Future research is needed to obtain insights into potential long-term effects of the pandemic on students’ mental health.
URI: https://opendata.uni-halle.de//handle/1981185920/120223
http://dx.doi.org/10.25673/118264
Open Access: Open access publication
License: (CC BY-NC 3.0) Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 3.0(CC BY-NC 3.0) Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 3.0
Journal Title: Psychology research and behavior management
Publisher: Dove Medical Press
Publisher Place: Albany, Auckland
Volume: 17
Original Publication: 10.2147/PRBM.S453694
Page Start: 2271
Page End: 2285
Appears in Collections:Open Access Publikationen der MLU

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