College closures and psychological distress during COVID-19: The role of loneliness, social media use, and physical activity

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the college mental health crisis, yet the specific role of college closures remains understudied. This study examines the psychological consequences of operational college closures during the pandemic through the lens of Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, focusing on loneliness, physical activity, and social media use as potential mediators. College closures were measured using three student-reported measures of instructional modality, which capture environmental and preference-based differences across colleges and serve as proxies for campus access. Results show that greater operational closures were associated with higher levels of psychological distress. These results were driven by increases in serious rather than moderate distress. The closure-distress relationship was fully mediated by loneliness and social media use, but not by physical activity. Loneliness emerged as the primary mechanism, explaining approximately half of the total association, while social media use accounted for about 4%. Consistent with COR theory, these findings highlight the critical role of social resources in managing stress. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions focused on strengthening social connections to mitigate the adverse psychological effects of college closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.