Post-pandemic student mental health and coping strategies: A time trajectory study

Abstract

Students are particularly vulnerable to lockdown-related problems associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study aimed to investigate mental health (anxiety and depressive symptoms, and wellbeing) during the second year of the pandemic, after three lockdowns, in relation with coping strategies. For this, 380 students participated in a longitudinal study between June and December 2021. At three measurement points (T1: between June 7th and July 14th, 2021; T2: between October 12th and November 14th, 2021; and T3: between December 7th and 20th 2021), participants were asked to complete the same questionnaire measuring mental health and coping strategies for dealing with the pandemic. To highlight longitudinal profiles in coping, we estimate longitudinal cluster analyses. Our results show 5 profiles of students according to the coping strategies used to deal with the pandemic at the three collection times. Students who prefer to use avoidance are particularly vulnerable, while those using coping focused on positive thinking experience fewer anxiety and depressive symptoms and higher wellbeing.