The Relationship Between Perceived Stress, State-Trait Anxiety, and Sleep Quality Among University Graduates in China During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the relationship among perceived stress, state-trait anxiety, and sleep quality of graduates to provide a reference for improving their psychological status and attitude adjustment of job-searching during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was conducted in a descriptive cross-sectional online survey between May 2020 and August 2020. The data were collected from 1,200 participants by using the personal information form prepared by the researchers in line with the literature, the Perceived Stress Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Among the surveyed participants, 47.67% were female, and 10.92% were medical students. The mean perceived stress, state anxiety, trait anxiety, and sleep quality were moderate and found as 31.4±6.69, 46.67±5.80, 49.45±5.54, and 5.94±2.47, respectively. The detection rates of state anxiety and trait anxiety were 48.63 and 49.50%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the detection rate of state anxiety and trait anxiety among different genders and majors (p >0.05). The detection rate of state anxiety and trait anxiety of rural family students was higher than that of urban family students (p <0.01). The score on the PSQI was positively associated with the scores on the perceived stress, state anxiety, and trait anxiety scales (p <0.001 for each model). Sleep quality was associated with increased perceived stress, state anxiety, and trait anxiety among graduates in China. Collectively, the study revealed the relationship between perceived stress, state-trait anxiety, and sleep quality among university graduates in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results offer novel practical implications for all circles of the society to ensure students’ health under the context of the COVID-19 epidemic.