TY - JOUR

T1 - Psychological wellbeing and academic experience of university students in australia during covid-19

AU - Dodd, Rachael H.

AU - Dadaczynski, Kevin

AU - Okan, Orkan

AU - McCaffery, Kirsten J.

AU - Pickles, Kristen

N1 - Funding: This research received no external funding. R.H.D. receives salary from a University of Sydney Postdoctoral Fellowship (197589). K.J.M. is supported by an NHMRC Principal Research Fellowship (1121110).

PY - 2021/2/1

Y1 - 2021/2/1

N2 - COVID-19 has created significant challenges for higher education institutions and major disruptions in teaching and learning. To explore the psychological wellbeing of domestic and international university students during the COVID-19 pandemic, an online cross-sectional survey recruited 787 university students (18+ years) currently studying at an Australian university. In total, 86.8% reported that COVID-19 had significantly impacted their studies. Overall, 34.7% of students reported a sufficient level of wellbeing, while 33.8% showed low wellbeing and 31.5% very low well-being. Wellbeing was significantly higher in postgraduate students compared with undergraduate students. Future anxiety was significantly greater among undergraduate than postgraduate students. Multivariable regression models showed female gender, low subjective social status, negative overall learning experience or reporting COVID-19 having a huge impact on study, were associated with lower wellbeing in the first few months (May–July) of the pandemic. Supporting the health, well-being, and learning experiences of all students should be of high priority now and post-pandemic. Strategies specifically targeting female students, and those with low self-reported social status are urgently needed to avoid exacerbating existing disparities.

AB - COVID-19 has created significant challenges for higher education institutions and major disruptions in teaching and learning. To explore the psychological wellbeing of domestic and international university students during the COVID-19 pandemic, an online cross-sectional survey recruited 787 university students (18+ years) currently studying at an Australian university. In total, 86.8% reported that COVID-19 had significantly impacted their studies. Overall, 34.7% of students reported a sufficient level of wellbeing, while 33.8% showed low wellbeing and 31.5% very low well-being. Wellbeing was significantly higher in postgraduate students compared with undergraduate students. Future anxiety was significantly greater among undergraduate than postgraduate students. Multivariable regression models showed female gender, low subjective social status, negative overall learning experience or reporting COVID-19 having a huge impact on study, were associated with lower wellbeing in the first few months (May–July) of the pandemic. Supporting the health, well-being, and learning experiences of all students should be of high priority now and post-pandemic. Strategies specifically targeting female students, and those with low self-reported social status are urgently needed to avoid exacerbating existing disparities.

KW - COVID-19

KW - Education

KW - Students

KW - University

KW - Wellbeing

KW - Health sciences

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85099554894&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/ijerph18030866

DO - 10.3390/ijerph18030866

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 33498376

AN - SCOPUS:85099554894

VL - 18

SP - 1

EP - 12

JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

SN - 1661-7827

IS - 3

M1 - 866

ER -