Perceived academic challenges of Jewish and Arab undergraduates during the first wave of COVID‐19

Abstract

This study examined differences between Arab and Jewish undergraduate students in their perceived academic challenges, COVID‐19‐related concerns, perceived social support and trust in the university and the government. It also examined factors associated with perceived academic challenges and the moderating role of trust in the university in the associations between COVID‐19‐related concerns and perceived academic challenges. The sample consisted of 2751 students: 2291 (83%) Jewish, 398 (15%) Arab and 61 (2%) ‘other’. Arab students reported higher COVID‐19‐related concerns and perceived academic challenges, and lower levels of perceived social support and trust in university and government than did Jewish students. Both Jewish and Arab students identified COVID‐19‐related concerns as a stress‐vulnerability factor for perceived academic challenges, whereas perceived social support and trust in the university were identified as resources for perceived academic challenges. No support was found for the role of trust in government in the face of perceived academic challenges nor for the moderating role of trust in the university in the associations between COVID‐19‐related concerns and perceived academic challenges. In conclusion, the need of Arab students for emotional and academic support needs to be acknowledged as part of the efforts to promote academic success during the pandemic.

Perceived academic success of students during the third wave of COVID‐19

“…Indeed, the interpersonal resource of social support is considered to be an essential resource in times of stress (Hobfoll, Canetti‐Nisim, & Johnson, 2006). Thus, our findings are consistent with previous research showing that social support was positively associated with academic engagement (Koob et al, 2021) and negatively with perceived academic challenges during the beginning of the pandemic, in a sample of Israeli students (Ismail et al, 2023).…”

“…Thus, our findings are consistent with previous research showing that social support was positively associated with academic engagement (Koob et al, 2021) and negatively with perceived academic challenges during the beginning of the pandemic, in a sample of Israeli students (Ismail et al, 2023).…”

“…Our findings revealed a negative correlation between loss of the resource of trust in the university and perceived academic success as expected. Similar findings were reported in previous studies in which trust in the university appeared to be a resource against stress (Defeyter et al, 2021) and predicted lower academic challenges related to COVID-19 (Ismail et al, 2023).…”

“…Although trust is not mentioned as a resource in the COR theory, our findings and previous ones related to COVID‐19 (Ismail et al, 2023) suggested that trust can serve as a resource during the pandemic. Our findings revealed a negative correlation between loss of the resource of trust in the university and perceived academic success as expected.…”

“…For example, a study conducted on a sample of British students revealed that the lower the trust in the university and government, the lower the levels of mental well‐being are (Defeyter et al, 2021). Another study conducted on a sample of Israeli students found that the lower the trust in the university, the higher perceived academic challenges the students faced (Ismail et al, 2023). Consistent with these findings, students with higher loss of the trusted resource in both institutions might report a lower perceived academic success.…”