You’re Such A Burden, COVID-19! Psychological Impact among Postgraduate Students in Malaysia

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has given significant impacts on students around the world. This pandemic had caused the closure of higher education institutions (HEIs), hence affecting the psychological well-being of the students. Currently, little is known about the psychological impact of the pandemic upon tertiary-level students. Therefore, this study aims to identify the psychological impact of the pandemic among postgraduate students in Malaysia, as well as to determine the relationship between psychological impact of the pandemic with postgraduate students’ socio-demographic. An online survey through Google Form is conducted and participated by a total of 606 postgraduate students from different backgrounds. The findings indicate that most postgraduate students experienced panic and nervousness when thinking about their studies and feeling dejected with their academic progress. This study also reveals that the postgraduate student’s socio-demographic (age, monthly income, source of income, study program, mode of study, and year of study) have significant relationship with psychological impact of the pandemic. This study is urgently vital for HEIs and relevant government agencies to assist them in formulating suitable policies and strategies in order to maintain a healthy psychological environment for postgraduate students amidst the pandemic.