COVID-19 and Current Mental Health of College Students

This study examined whether current mental health differs between college students who have and have not had a prior COVID-19 diagnosis. An online survey was completed by 106 college students (age M = 19.32; SD = 2.73). Current depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9; Kroenke & Spitzer, 2002). Participants who had a COVID-19 diagnosis reported significantly higher levels of depression than participants who have never had COVID-19, t(104) = -1.67, p = .049, d = 0.34. Participants who reported having a prior COVID-19 diagnosis were asked to rate the severity of their COVID-19 symptoms. A linear regression revealed severity of COVID-19 symptoms at time of diagnosis is predictive of current depression levels, F(1, 64) = 4.22, p = .044, R2 = .06. Potential explanations and ramifications for why college students who had COVID-19 previously may be at a higher long-term risk for depression are explored.