Post-Pandemic Differences in Symptom Networks and Personality Associations Among College Students: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study.

Yue Tang, Changyu Liu, Peng Lei, Huoyin Zhang, Xu Xu, Xuexuan Ning, Junyi Li, Wenshu Fan

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Article in Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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8 authors.

Yue TangCollege of Psychology, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China.

Changyu LiuCollege of Psychology, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China.

Peng LeiSchool of Tourism and Cultural Industries, Sichuan Tourism University, Chengdu 610100, China.

Huoyin ZhangDepartment of Military Psychology, Faculty of Medical Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.

Xu XuMental Health Education Center for College Students, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China.

Xuexuan NingCollege of Psychology, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China.

Junyi LiCollege of Psychology, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China.ORCID 0000-0003-4878-2884

Wenshu FanMental Health Education Center for College Students, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China.ORCID 0009-0004-8517-4866

Funding

2025 "Xinglin Scholar" Project of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine FDYZD2025006Mianyang Minor Psychological Growth Guidance and Research Center in Sichuan SCWCN2024YB01Sichuan Normal University College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program 202410636156Sichuan Normal University College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program S202410636061Sichuan Science and Technology Program 2025NSFSC2108Sunflower University Student Mental Health Promotion Project GX25B004-2025

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has substantially affected college students' mental health worldwide. Although daily life has gradually returned to normal, less is known about whether the underlying structure of psychological symptoms-and their associations with personality traits-has shifted in the post-pandemic period. Addressing this gap, the present study applied network analysis to psychological and personality data from 51,305 college freshmen to compare pre-pandemic and post-pandemic cohorts. Using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), networks based on EPQ dimensions and SCL-90 subscale scores were estimated and compared across pre-pandemic and post-pandemic cohorts. Results indicated that anxiety and depression remained central symptom domains across both periods; however, the network-structure invariance test was significant. Specifically, the expected influence (EI) of both interpersonal sensitivity (ΔEI = 0.058,

Indexed as

college studentsCOVID-19mental healthnetwork analysispersonality traits

Identifiers

PMID42510292

DOI10.3390/bs16071171

PMCPMC13403485

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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.