Poster #108 - The Role of Support on the Mental Health of First-Generation College Students During the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

• In Event: Poster Session 10

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the mental health of college students in the United States, with levels of internalizing symptoms (e.g., anxiety and depression) increasing significantly during the pandemic (Tasso et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2020). This impact was especially true for students from underrepresented backgrounds such as first-generation college students (FGCS). Previous studies have found that during the pandemic, FGCS were significantly more likely to experience mental health symptoms than non-FGCS (Soria et al., 2021). FGCS were also more likely to feel a loss of support from the COVID closures due to FCGS relying more on university resources and community than their non-FCGS peers (Jeong et al., 2021). While previous studies have found that social support was associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression during the pandemic (Li et al., 2021; Qi et al., 2020), few studies have examined the pandemic's impact on the mental health of FGCS. The current study examines the impact of COVID stress on the levels of internalizing symptoms in FGCS and whether this association was moderated by the presence of social and family support.

Data was drawn from a sample of 359 FGCS (Mage = 17.95 years old, SD = 0.63 years, range = 17-23 years old) recruited from a larger study on the experiences of FGCS. For the purposes of this study, data was collected in the fall 2019 and spring 2020 semesters. At both time points, participants were asked to complete self-report survey items assessing their exposure to COVID-19 related stressors, social support, and internalizing symptomatology, as well as basic demographic information. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were measured using the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ; Meyer et al., 1990) and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised (CESD-R; Eaton et al., 2021). COVID-Related stressors were measured using an adapted version of the SARS-Related Stressors Checklist (Main et al., 2021).

Linear regression analyses indicated that COVID-related stressors significantly predicted higher levels of anxiety and depression (β= .32, p <.001; β = .29, p < .001), and both family support and general social support significantly predicted less anxiety ( β = -.23, p < .001; β = -.22, p < .001; respectively) and depression ( β = - .42, p < .001; β = -.43, p < .001; respectively). However, contrary to hypotheses, no significant interactions emerged.

These findings indicate that higher levels of family support and social support were linked to lower levels of internalizing symptoms during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic for FGCS, an often overlooked population of minoritized college students. However, the positive effects of these social supports did not offset the negative impact of COVID stressors on anxiety and depression for FGCS. Future studies should examine other possible resilience factors (i.e., structural changes that reduce exposure to discrimination, financial support, university belonging) that may help mitigate the impact of COVID stress on the mental health of FGCS.

Authors

• Ariana Rodriguez, Fordham University
  Presenting Author

• Tripat K Rihal, Fordham University

• Elizabeth Raposa, Fordham University