Impact of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of university students and recommendations for the post-pandemic period: A systematic review
Introduction: Investigating the psychological impact caused by the interruption of social interactions on university students during the pandemic is essential, with a view to developing strategies to preserve mental health and academic performance. Objective: To analyze the impact of social isolatio...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354624002199 |
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| author | Tamiris Beppler Martins Joaquim Henrique Lorenzetti Branco Taís Beppler Martins Gilmar Moraes Santos Alexandro Andrade |
| author_facet | Tamiris Beppler Martins Joaquim Henrique Lorenzetti Branco Taís Beppler Martins Gilmar Moraes Santos Alexandro Andrade |
| author_sort | Tamiris Beppler Martins |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Investigating the psychological impact caused by the interruption of social interactions on university students during the pandemic is essential, with a view to developing strategies to preserve mental health and academic performance. Objective: To analyze the impact of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of university students and propose recommendations for the post-pandemic period. Method: This systematic review was conduced in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). Database searches were performed up to December 2024 in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, and PsycNET, using the terms “COVID-19,” “social isolation,” “mental health,” and “college students.” Studies were excluded if they focused on non-college populations, other causes of social isolation, physical health, or specific designs. Results: The initial search identified 3051 records and 68 studies were included in this review, with sample off 177,537 university students. Anxiety was the most commonly investigated variable (79.4%), followed by depression (75%) and stress (42.6%). Less frequently, studies highlighted the increase in alcohol and drug consumption and suicidal ideation. Some authors also investigated sleep quality, relating insomnia and emotional changes with the reduction in physical exercise. Anxiety symptoms related to online learning directly impacted academic performance. The assessment of the risk of bias showed that of the 68 studies included, 34 had a low risk of bias, 30 had a moderate risk of bias, and 4 had a high risk of bias. Conclusion: This study highlights the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of college students, particularly in relation to symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. Post-pandemic interventions should prioritize fostering healthy habits, such as ensuring quality sleep, engaging in moderate physical activity, and raising mental health awareness. Additionally, universities should implement proactive support systems to cultivate a safe and inclusive environment for students. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6d6a31174b844fc784fe0802fe355e0e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-3546 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-6d6a31174b844fc784fe0802fe355e0e2025-01-26T05:05:05ZengElsevierBrain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health2666-35462025-02-0143100941Impact of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of university students and recommendations for the post-pandemic period: A systematic reviewTamiris Beppler Martins0Joaquim Henrique Lorenzetti Branco1Taís Beppler Martins2Gilmar Moraes Santos3Alexandro Andrade4Postgraduate Program in Human Movement Sciences of the Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Corresponding author.Postgraduate Program in Human Movement Sciences of the Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Florianópolis, SC, BrazilPostgraduate Program in Human Movement Sciences of the Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Florianópolis, SC, BrazilPostgraduate Program in Human Movement Sciences of the Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Florianópolis, SC, BrazilPostgraduate Program in Human Movement Sciences of the Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Laboratory of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Florianópolis, SC, BrazilIntroduction: Investigating the psychological impact caused by the interruption of social interactions on university students during the pandemic is essential, with a view to developing strategies to preserve mental health and academic performance. Objective: To analyze the impact of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of university students and propose recommendations for the post-pandemic period. Method: This systematic review was conduced in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). Database searches were performed up to December 2024 in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, and PsycNET, using the terms “COVID-19,” “social isolation,” “mental health,” and “college students.” Studies were excluded if they focused on non-college populations, other causes of social isolation, physical health, or specific designs. Results: The initial search identified 3051 records and 68 studies were included in this review, with sample off 177,537 university students. Anxiety was the most commonly investigated variable (79.4%), followed by depression (75%) and stress (42.6%). Less frequently, studies highlighted the increase in alcohol and drug consumption and suicidal ideation. Some authors also investigated sleep quality, relating insomnia and emotional changes with the reduction in physical exercise. Anxiety symptoms related to online learning directly impacted academic performance. The assessment of the risk of bias showed that of the 68 studies included, 34 had a low risk of bias, 30 had a moderate risk of bias, and 4 had a high risk of bias. Conclusion: This study highlights the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of college students, particularly in relation to symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. Post-pandemic interventions should prioritize fostering healthy habits, such as ensuring quality sleep, engaging in moderate physical activity, and raising mental health awareness. Additionally, universities should implement proactive support systems to cultivate a safe and inclusive environment for students.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354624002199Covid-19Psychological factorsSocial distancingStudents |
| spellingShingle | Tamiris Beppler Martins Joaquim Henrique Lorenzetti Branco Taís Beppler Martins Gilmar Moraes Santos Alexandro Andrade Impact of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of university students and recommendations for the post-pandemic period: A systematic review Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health Covid-19 Psychological factors Social distancing Students |
| title | Impact of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of university students and recommendations for the post-pandemic period: A systematic review |
| title_full | Impact of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of university students and recommendations for the post-pandemic period: A systematic review |
| title_fullStr | Impact of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of university students and recommendations for the post-pandemic period: A systematic review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of university students and recommendations for the post-pandemic period: A systematic review |
| title_short | Impact of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of university students and recommendations for the post-pandemic period: A systematic review |
| title_sort | impact of social isolation during the covid 19 pandemic on the mental health of university students and recommendations for the post pandemic period a systematic review |
| topic | Covid-19 Psychological factors Social distancing Students |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354624002199 |
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