COVID-19 Vaccine Anxiety Partially Mediates the Association Between COVID-19 Anxiety and Student Adjustment to College (Poster 27)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Saturday 9:50 a.m.
  In Poster Session: Looking at Factors Affecting Stress and Resilience

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic caused severe disruptions in living and learning to millions of college students. We investigated two dimensions of anxiety that were specific to the pandemic – COVID-19 related anxiety and COVID-19 vaccine anxiety – to evaluate their relationship to college adjustment during the pandemic using mediation analysis. Using cross-sectional survey data across three semester waves (Spring 2021, Fall 2021, and Spring 2022), we probed whether anxiety acted as a challenge or hindrance stressor on adjustment. We found that although anxiety decreased in both COVID-19 dimensions across semesters, student adjustment to college remained consistently low. Our mediation analysis revealed that both COVID-19 anxiety and COVID-19 vaccine anxiety acted as challenge stressors, elevating academic, social, personal-emotional, and institutional adjustment during the pandemic.

Authors

• Hanh Nguyen, Edmentum

• Hawai Kwok, City College of New York - CUNY

• Robert Melara, City College of New York - CUNY