ArticlePloS one2022
The mental health of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: An online survey in the UK.
Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 121 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
121 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 357 citations in OpenAlex.
- A systematic review of predictors of college students' subjective well-being: evidence from pre- and post-pandemic literature.Frontiers in public health · 2026Pooled it
- Psychosocial Aspects of the Lived Experience of Long COVID: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis of Qualitative Studies.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2024Pooled it
- Psychological wellbeing of Italian students and clinical assessment tools at university counseling services during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Pooled it
- Parental Postnatal Depression in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review of Its Effects on the Parent-Child Relationship and the Child's Developmental Outcomes.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Pooled it
- Religiosity, Burnout, Depression, and Anxiety in a University Setting During COVID-19 in the USA: A Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of religion and health · 2026Article
- Perceived Social Support, Study-Related Stress, and Depressive Symptoms in Saudi Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- A digital yoga-based 'Pause Grow Reflect' intervention for postgraduate researchers: a feasibility randomised controlled trial and embedded qualitative acceptability study.Pilot and feasibility studies · 2026Article
- Psychometric Validity of the CES-D Scale for Assessing Depressive Symptoms in University Students in Bogotá. Colombia.International journal of methods in psychiatric research · 2026Article
- The impact of COVID-19 on the trajectory of Australian tertiary students' mental health, 2017-2023.Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology · 2026Article
- Article
- Designing a systemic intervention for student loneliness and social connectedness using a mixed-methods, co-creation approach.Npj mental health research · 2026Article
- The relationship of physical activity on mental health among Chinese university students: a chain mediation model of sports lifestyle and phubbing.BMC psychology · 2026Article
- Meaning in Life Mediates Associations Between Gratitude, Forgiveness, Spirituality, and Mental Health in Postgraduate Students.European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education · 2026Article
- Brain fog symptoms in individuals with and without post COVID-19 condition: translation and validation of the brain fog scale.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Facilitators to doctoral completion among international students in a Global South University: An appreciative inquiry perspective.PloS one · 2026Article
- Mental health patterns and associated social determinants among university and college students in sub-Saharan Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic era: a scoping review.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- The impact of acute COVID-19 symptoms on insomnia: A longitudinal study among medical students.Brain, behavior, & immunity - health · 2025Article
- 'When They Drop in and They Are Crying': Experience of University Academics Supporting Students with Mental Health Problems.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Poor mental health and its impact on academic outcomes in university students before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: analysis of routine service data.BJPsych open · 2025Article
- Perceived Stress, Well-Being, and Academic Performance of University Students During the First COVID-19 Lockdown: A Study of Portuguese, Spanish, and Brazilian Students.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
61 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Higher education students' mental health has been a growing concern in recent years even before the COVID-19 pandemic. The stresses and restrictions associated with the pandemic have put university students at greater risk of developing mental health issues, which may significantly impair their academic success, social interactions and their future career and personal opportunities. This paper aimed to understand the mental health status of University students at an early stage in the pandemic and to investigate factors associated with higher levels of distress. An online survey including demographics, lifestyle/living situations, brief mental well-being history, questions relating to COVID-19 and standardised measures of depression, anxiety, resilience and quality of life was completed by 1173 students at one University in the North of England. We found high levels of anxiety and depression, with more than 50% experiencing levels above the clinical cut offs, and females scoring significantly higher than males. The survey also suggested relatively low levels of resilience which we attribute to restrictions and isolation which reduced the opportunities to engage in helpful coping strategies and activities rather than enduring personality characteristics. Higher levels of distress were associated with lower levels of exercising, higher levels of tobacco use, and a number of life events associated with the pandemic and lockdown, such as cancelled events, worsening in personal relationships and financial concerns. We discuss the importance of longer-term monitoring and mental health support for university students.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.