The impact of COVID-19 on students' mental health experiences

Core Spaces, a student housing developer, conducted a survey of 2,500 US college participants in 11 States about the impact COVID-19 had had on them, including their mental health experiences. Of note, the majority of students surveyed reported experiencing a changed sleep pattern (76%), more stress or anxiety (75%), and more worry and depression (55.5%). Of the students participating in the survey, 12% had seen a professional for physical or mental health since COVID-19’s onset.

The survey elicited information about environmental impacts on students that may have attributed for an increase in mental health concerns, such as summer jobs being canceled (57%), summer job hours or pay being reduced (32%), one or more parent(s) losing a job (21%), and one or more parents having reduced hours or pay (55%).

Looking towards the immediate future, the survey found that 46.6% of students were “very confident” and 43.4% were “somewhat confident” that their respective universities would take appropriate measures to keep them safe from the virus spreading upon return to school. As far as the long-term future is concerned, students appeared to envision the future a bit differently since the onset of the virus. Almost 20% of student participants were less confident in future job prospects and over 40% were somewhat less confident. There were 40% who believed their job prospects were the same.