The Spread of COVID-19 in Russia: Immediate Impact on Mental Health of University Students

Abstract

Amid the spread of COVID-19, a study of mental health in university students from different regions of Russia (n = 3057) was undertaken during the period from April 9 to April 20, 2020. The results were compared to studies conducted earlier within a large-scale research project examining student mental health. Mental health indicators were analyzed during three different periods: long before the onset of the pandemic (period 1); in the early days of the spread of COVID-19 in Russia, though prior to the implementation of containment measures (period 2); during tough measures to contain the first wave of the pandemic (period 3). The comparison of indicators showed no differences in the levels of psychological well-being (F = 0.918; p =.4), significantly lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress during the period 1 compared to the periods 2 and 3 (p <.001), and the highest levels of anxiety and stress during the period 2. We also established a higher increase in the levels of depression (F = 6.883; p =.001), anxiety (F = 11.868; p <.001) and stress (F = 10.384; p <.001) in young men compared to the changes in the same indicators in young women during the pandemic. However, both before and during the pandemic, these indicators showed better mental health in young men than in young women. Thus, when studying the impact of the pandemic on students' mental health, it is crucial to take into account the possible dynamics of their mental state within relatively short periods of time and to pay particular attention to gender differences.