Assessment and Evaluation of Psychological Status of Undergraduate College Students during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus instigated a worldwide lockdown that affected students mitigating various psychological issues including depression, stress, and anxiety. This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on undergraduate university students’ psychological status in terms of depression, anxiety, and stress. A total of 206 students from the Higher College of Technology (HCT), Sharjah Campuses participated in this descriptive cross-sectional study. Data were collected between March and May 2021. Participants completed an online survey including a demographic data questionnaire and the depression, anxiety, stress scale (DASS-21). The mean depression, stress, and anxiety scores were 15.56 (±11.573), 17.13 (±10.946), and 14.90 (±10.523) respectively. Categorically, most students (33.3%) reported no depression, while 26.1% of students reported moderate depression. For stress, the majority (44.4%) experienced no stress, while 19.8% reported moderate stress. Strikingly, 36.7% of students reported extreme severe anxiety, with 28% reporting no anxiety. Students with history of depression, stress, and anxiety symptoms reported a statistically significant mean difference in depression, stress, and anxiety compared with those with no previous history of those symptoms. We conclude with a recommendation to expand mental health screening among undergraduate university students and design appropriate therapeutic modalities.