Exploring Perceived Stress among Students in Turkey during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Students have been highly vulnerable to mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, and researchers have shown that perceived stress and mental health problems have increased during the pandemic. The aim of this study was to reveal the prevalence of perceived stress and mental health among students during the pandemic and to explore predictors of stress levels. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 358 undergraduates from 14 universities in Turkey, including 200 female students (56%). The measurements used in the study were the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Perception of COVID Impact on Student Well-Being (CI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Physical Activity Scale (PA), and a sociodemographic survey. Students reported high perceived stress, mild generalized anxiety, and low satisfaction with life. More than half of the students met the diagnostic criteria of GAD (52%) and depression (63%). Female and physically inactive students had higher PSS-10 levels. A hierarchical linear regression model showed that after controlling for gender and negative CI, anxiety and physical inactivity significantly predicted high perceived stress. The study shows that students’ mental health during the pandemic is at high risk.

The Psychological Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Graduating Class Students at the University of Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia

“…On the other hand, the prevalence of anxiety among graduating class students in this study was lower than studies conducted in Dessie town, Amhara region, Ethiopia; 71.8%, 15 Addis Ababa Ethiopia; 51.6%, 32 and Bangladesh 87.7%. 12 This discrepancy might be due to the higher population density in Addis Ababa than Gondar, so that keeping a social distance is difficult in Addis Ababa than in Gondar, Ethiopia.…”

The Psychological Impact of Strict and Prolonged Confinement on Business Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic at a Spanish University

“…The level of severe anxiety was significantly higher among females at 21.8% in comparison with 12.31% for males (see Table 3 ). Higher levels of anxiety in females have been detected in previous studies [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 18 ].…”

“…The level of severe anxiety was significantly higher among females at 21.8% in comparison with 12.31% for males (see Table 3). Higher levels of anxiety in females have been detected in previous studies [14][15][16]18]. Even though 55.2% of the sample (Table 2) show moderate and severe levels of anxiety, this did not prevent them from carrying out their everyday tasks (work, doing things at home and social relations).…”

“…In the literature review in Section 2.3 of this manuscript, we refer to the findings on anxiety suffering by university students during confinement for COVID-19. All studies showed high levels of anxiety in students and higher levels of severe anxiety when the survey was performed after a long and strict confinement period [ 16 , 18 ] Most of the studies showed higher levels of anxiety in females [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 18 ]. Cao et al [ 13 ] did not find any difference in anxiety levels between females and males.…”

“…The research instrument used here was DASS-21. Finally, we examined a study including a sample of Turkish university students during lockdown by Aslan et al [ 18 ]. The sample included 358 participants and GAD-7 was used as one of the research instruments in the study.…”