Anxiety, Burnout, Depression: Over 80% of US College Students Are Struggling Emotionally Post-COVID

Over 80 percent of college students in the United States and Canada are struggling emotionally to some extent after the COVID-19 pandemic, a new survey has found. The primary concerns among respondents are anxiety, burnout and depression.

The report “The Student Mental Health Landscape” by Wiley, one of the world’s largest publishing companies, reveals that more than a fourth of students are struggling significantly. About 58 percent indicated their mental health is worsening, Erudera.com reports.

60 percent of students responding to the survey said that their mental health has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to results, 59 percent of students are dealing with anxiety, 58 percent have reported feelings of burnout, and 43 percent of students said they are experiencing depression.

Commenting on the survey, which included 2,574 students, mostly undergraduates, Wiley Group vice president Amanda Miller voiced concerns about mental health challenges faced by students, stressing the need for proactive steps to address the issue.

“Student mental and emotional health continues to grow as a problem on college campuses. We urge college officials and instructors to seek out ways to help reduce the strain it creates for students, staff members, and loved ones alike,” she said.

Some 83 percent of students admitted to having sought support from their family and friends to maintain their mental health, while only 14 percent said they had been using college health services as their counseling resource.

Additionally, students mentioned other challenges they have been experiencing alongside their deteriorating mental health. These challenges include difficulties in maintaining a balance between school, work, and family, as 59 percent of students reported.

Living expenses and uncertainty about preparing for their future careers are challenges for 49 percent and 41 percent of respondents, respectively.

The report’s authors have suggested, among other things, that schools offer flexibility and hybrid teaching to keep up with students’ changing needs as well as to provide more instructor support.

“The student mental health crisis is real, and evident every single day in my classroom. Students worry about on-going pressures in their current lives and their future lives. Understanding these pressures and the strategies that work to help students feel both engaged and supported is essential for all instructors,” co-author of Psychological Science Catherine Sanderson said.

Another survey conducted previously, published on BMC Psychology, revealed that amid the pandemic, 60.8 percent of students closer to completing their studies faced anxiety, 54 percent reported feelings of loneliness, and almost 60 percent had depression.

The report “Impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of US college students” states that for 20 percent of students, mental health declined due to worries about the health of their family.

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