Negative COVID-19 impacts and depressive symptoms over time among first-year college students

Objective: This study examined the disruptions to social life, financial impact, and academic concerns caused by COVID-19 experienced by first-year college students, as well as their associations with depressive symptoms over time. Participants and Methods: Five hundred and thirty freshman college students completed an online survey at baseline and 14-week follow-up. Results: We found that female students reported greater COVID-19 academic concerns than males. Black students endorsed lower COVID-19 academic concerns and Latinx students reported greater negative COVID-19 financial impact compared to other ethnic groups. First-generation college students reported greater negative COVID-19 financial impact than domestic students. COVID-19 academic concerns and negative social and financial impacts were associated with greater depressive symptoms at baseline. However, only COVID-19 academic concerns were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms over time. Conclusions: Findings suggest that the academic, social, and financial disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have negative mental health consequences that should be addressed in research and university settings.