IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i7p5255-d1106814.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Switch to Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Interplay between Personality and Mental Health on University Students

Author

Listed:
  • Marianna Alesi

    (Department of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Giulia Giordano

    (Department of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Ambra Gentile

    (Department of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Barbara Caci

    (Department of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

Abstract

The switching from traditional to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging for students, determining an increase in physical and mental health problems. The current paper applied a two-step cluster analysis in a large sample of n = 1028 university students (Mage = 21.10 years, SD = 2.45 years; range: 18–30 years; 78.4% females). Participants responded to an online survey exploring neuroticism, trait/state anxiety, general self-efficacy, academic motivation, fear of COVID-19, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical and mental health, and the help requests. Results showed two significant clusters of students having a Maladaptive Academic Profile ( n = 456; 44.4%) or an Adaptive Academic Profile ( n = 572; 55.6%). Significant differences were found between the two clusters, where students belonging to the Maladaptive Academic Profile reported higher levels of neuroticism, higher dispositional and situational anxiety, and fear of COVID-19, and lower self-efficacy and academic motivation than students of the Adaptive Academic Profile cluster. In addition, more physical or mental health problems and help requests, mainly to partners during the COVID-19 pandemic, were found in the Maladaptive Academic Profile cluster compared to the Adaptive Academic Profile. Finally, the practical implications of the study’s results in implementing university counseling services as protective measures to contrast psychological distress in the long-term COVID-19 pandemic are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Marianna Alesi & Giulia Giordano & Ambra Gentile & Barbara Caci, 2023. "The Switch to Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Interplay between Personality and Mental Health on University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-15, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:7:p:5255-:d:1106814
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/7/5255/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/7/5255/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marko Sarstedt & Erik Mooi, 2014. "The Market Research Process," Springer Texts in Business and Economics, in: A Concise Guide to Market Research, edition 2, chapter 2, pages 11-23, Springer.
    2. Maria Cusinato & Sara Iannattone & Andrea Spoto & Mikael Poli & Carlo Moretti & Michela Gatta & Marina Miscioscia, 2020. "Stress, Resilience, and Well-Being in Italian Children and Their Parents during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-17, November.
    3. Marium Aftab & Alsaleem Mohammed Abadi & Shamsun Nahar & Razia Aftab Ahmed & Syed Esam Mahmood & Manik Madaan & Ausaf Ahmad, 2021. "COVID-19 Pandemic Affects the Medical Students’ Learning Process and Assaults Their Psychological Wellbeing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-14, May.
    4. Carlos Fernández-Espínola & Manuel Tomás Abad Robles & Daniel Collado-Mateo & Bartolomé J. Almagro & Estefanía Castillo Viera & Francisco Javier Giménez Fuentes-Guerra, 2020. "Effects of Cooperative-Learning Interventions on Physical Education Students’ Intrinsic Motivation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-10, June.
    5. Dong, Chuanmei & Cao, Simin & Li, Hui, 2020. "Young children’s online learning during COVID-19 pandemic: Chinese parents’ beliefs and attitudes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    6. Mikolai, Julia & Keenan, Katherine & Kulu, Hill, 2020. "Household level health and socio-economic vulnerabilities and the COVID-19 crisis: An analysis from the UK," SocArXiv 4wtz8, Center for Open Science.
    7. Marko Sarstedt & Erik Mooi, 2014. "A Concise Guide to Market Research," Springer Texts in Business and Economics, Springer, edition 2, number 978-3-642-53965-7, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Adam Malešević & Dušan Barać & Dragan Soleša & Ema Aleksić & Marijana Despotović-Zrakić, 2021. "Adopting xRM in Higher Education: E-Services Outside the Classroom," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-20, July.
    2. Costa Synodinos, 2019. "Environmental purchase behaviour concerns of African Generation Y students in South Africa," Proceedings of International Academic Conferences 9912363, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences.
    3. Marzanna Witek-Hajduk & Tomasz Marcin Napiórkowski, 2017. "Manufacturers’ Benefits from Their Cooperation with Key Retailers in the Context of Business Models: A Cluster Analysis," International Journal of Management, Knowledge and Learning, International School for Social and Business Studies, Celje, Slovenia, vol. 6(1), pages 97-114.
    4. Riffat Ara Zannat Tama & Md Mahmudul Hoque & Ying Liu & Mohammad Jahangir Alam & Mark Yu, 2023. "An Application of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to Examining Farmers’ Behavioral Attitude and Intention towards Conservation Agriculture in Bangladesh," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-22, February.
    5. Ng, Wei Keat Benny & Appel-Meulenbroek, Rianne & Cloodt, Myriam & Arentze, Theo, 2019. "Towards a segmentation of science parks: A typology study on science parks in Europe," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(3), pages 719-732.
    6. Xieyang Chen & Xingmin Shi, 2021. "Support or against coal mining? Host community perceptions of coal mining: a cluster analysis," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 6819-6837, May.
    7. Elena Mieszajkina, 2021. "The Impact of Managers' Competences upon the Performance of Small Enterprises," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special 2), pages 730-740.
    8. Ming Yang & Jinglu Jiang & Melody Kiang & Fangyun Yuan, 2022. "Re-Examining the Impact of Multidimensional Trust on Patients’ Online Medical Consultation Service Continuance Decision," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 983-1007, June.
    9. Meldrick Arjay A. Magsino & Reynold S. Beredo & Arex A. Anza, 2014. "The Motivational Effects of LPU Awards of Excellence: Basis for Improvement," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 4(12), pages 371-397, December.
    10. Joyce Wanjiku Nderitu & Esther Waiganjo & George O. Orwa, 2021. "Evaluating effect of organizational culture on strategy implementation in private chartered universities in Kenya," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 10(2), pages 123-133, March.
    11. Kuppelwieser, Volker G. & Sarstedt, Marko & Tuzovic, Sven, 2014. "The role of context and motivation variables in mobile commerce usage — A further perspective on Chong (2013)," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 156-161.
    12. Supanutt Sasiwuttiwat & Somkiat Tangkitvanich, 2019. "Is There an “East Asian Education Model†? A Study on Varieties of Education Regimes," Asian Economic Papers, MIT Press, vol. 18(1), pages 123-146, Winter/Sp.
    13. Marc Dressler & Ivan Paunovic, 2021. "Not All Wine Businesses Are the Same: Examining the Impact of Winery Business Model Extensions on the Size of Its Core Business," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-16, September.
    14. Laura-Gabriela CONSTANTIN, 2014. "Catastrophe Bonds. From Structure to Strategy – A Cluster Analysis at European Level," Economia. Seria Management, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 17(2), pages 304-317, December.
    15. Schlägel, Christopher & Sarstedt, Marko, 2016. "Assessing the measurement invariance of the four-dimensional cultural intelligence scale across countries: A composite model approach," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 633-649.
    16. Gwen Weeldenburg & Lars B Borghouts & Menno Slingerland & Steven Vos, 2020. "Similar but different: Profiling secondary school students based on their perceived motivational climate and psychological need-based experiences in physical education," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(2), pages 1-17, February.
    17. Tae Kyung Yoon & SoEun Ahn, 2020. "Clustering Koreans’ Environmental Awareness and Attitudes into Seven Groups: Environmentalists, Dissatisfieds, Inactivators, Bystanders, Honeybees, Optimists, and Moderates," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-18, October.
    18. Cheng, John W. & Mitomo, Hitoshi, 2016. "Effects of ICT and media information on collective resilience after disasters – from a virtual crowd to a psychological crowd – Part 1 - ICT and media information and collective resilience in an emerg," 27th European Regional ITS Conference, Cambridge (UK) 2016 148663, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    19. Ivan Paunović & Marc Dressler & Tatjana Mamula Nikolić & Sanja Popović Pantić, 2020. "Developing a Competitive and Sustainable Destination of the Future: Clusters and Predictors of Successful National-Level Destination Governance across Destination Life-Cycle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-15, May.
    20. Wei Keat Benny Ng & Robin Junker & Rianne Appel-Meulenbroek & Myriam Cloodt & Theo Arentze, 2020. "Perceived benefits of science park attributes among park tenants in the Netherlands," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(4), pages 1196-1227, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:7:p:5255-:d:1106814. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.