A phenomenological exploration of students' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the aspect of students' mental health. Anxiety, feelings of social isolation, depression, difficulty sleeping, and maladaptive behavior are problems that are often reported to students. This study was conducted to explore mental health problems endured by university students during the pandemic. Therefore, this article provides information related to potential mental health issues undergone by students during the pandemic. This study used a qualitative method of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), and 21 students (13 women; aged 18-24 years) participated through the snowball technique. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews online and by telephone. The analysis found various mental health problems endured: pandemic life adaptation problems, loneliness, and stress related to the pandemic. The crisis was encountered along with challenges in adapting to pandemic life, fear of infection, and future uncertainty. We suggest the university facilitate access to mental health students' psychological assistance. Our findings highlighted mental health issues experienced by college students during the pandemic.