After two years of the corona pandemic, students suffer more from gloom, stress, anxiety and insomnia. This is apparent from a study by six universities and a university of applied sciences, including Maastricht University, which was published on Wednesday.
10,000 students were interviewed for the study.
‘The dupe’
“It has been confirmed time and again that students have been severely affected by lockdowns and distance learning,” says Lisanne de Roos, chair of the Interstedelijk Studenten Overleg (ISO). “The problems have become much clearer during the crisis and, unfortunately, sometimes worse.”
Lonely
Of the students surveyed, 65 percent indicate that they have been gloomy during the corona pandemic. A quarter even say they have experienced severe loneliness. According to ISO, other problems have also come to light. Half of the students who need help with mental complaints do not know where to find this help. “That is and remains a very big concern. I hope that the institutions will scratch their heads after seeing these figures.”
Complaints with influence
The report is the third in a series of investigations. Together, the studies show a trend of depression and anxiety among students. Complaints that, according to the researchers, can affect study progress, opportunities on the labor market and functioning in the short and long term.
Study delay
Although students are afraid of study delay, study results do not seem to be affected by the corona crisis. According to the researchers, this is remarkable because there is a large increase in psychological and psychosocial problems. Various measures have been taken to help students during the corona pandemic, such as relaxing binding study advice and financial compensation for students who have incurred study delay.
‘Students’ well-being already under pressure before the pandemic’
According to the ISO, it is important that the situation regarding student welfare is not lost sight of. “More time, money and energy must be invested in guiding students to deal with the after-effects of corona for students. At the same time, we must also remember that the well-being of students was already under pressure before the pandemic. We can really do that. Don’t blame all the problems on the pandemic,” says De Roos.