A Qualitative Inquiry into Generation Z College Student’s Social Emotional Wellbeing and Academic success throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Event Website
https://source2022.sched.com/
Start Date
19-5-2022
End Date
19-5-2022
Keywords
Mental Health, COVID-19 Pandemic, Academic Success, Generation Z
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically impacted individuals’ lives in a variety of ways. Early in the pandemic, federal and state mandates required individuals to stay home and distance unless they met specific criteria. For college students, the pandemic meant the closure of campuses and the shift to online learning. This similarly impacted students with most shifting their socialization to technology to stay connected. Even prior to the pandemic, research suggested that there is a negative correlational relationship between social-emotional wellbeing and academic success. Throughout the pandemic, researchers have shown that there has been a general rise in the rate of mental health disorders globally. However, there is a general dearth of research examining college students' personal experiences as it relates to their social-emotional wellbeing during the pandemic and how this may have impacted their academic success. For this reason, this qualitative study examined generation Z college students’ perspectives on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their social-emotional wellbeing and academic success. In this study, 11 undergraduate students aged 18-23 were given a semi-structured interview with questions focusing on their social well-being, emotional well-being, and their academic success. Results suggest that students experienced reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and a general lack of motivation when it came to academics. The findings also suggest that students coped with the pandemic by utilizing exercise, mindfulness activity, or participation in a hobby. Attendees of this presentation can expect to learn about the methodology and results of this study as well as about the potential implications for university personnel.
The James and Katie Gaudino 2022 Scholar of the Year Awards (Research) award winner.
Recommended Citation
Sanchez, Bianca, "A Qualitative Inquiry into Generation Z College Student’s Social Emotional Wellbeing and Academic success throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic" (2022). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 92.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2022/COTS/92
Department/Program
Psychology
Additional Mentoring Department
Psychology
Additional Mentoring Department
McNair Scholars Program
A Qualitative Inquiry into Generation Z College Student’s Social Emotional Wellbeing and Academic success throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically impacted individuals’ lives in a variety of ways. Early in the pandemic, federal and state mandates required individuals to stay home and distance unless they met specific criteria. For college students, the pandemic meant the closure of campuses and the shift to online learning. This similarly impacted students with most shifting their socialization to technology to stay connected. Even prior to the pandemic, research suggested that there is a negative correlational relationship between social-emotional wellbeing and academic success. Throughout the pandemic, researchers have shown that there has been a general rise in the rate of mental health disorders globally. However, there is a general dearth of research examining college students' personal experiences as it relates to their social-emotional wellbeing during the pandemic and how this may have impacted their academic success. For this reason, this qualitative study examined generation Z college students’ perspectives on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their social-emotional wellbeing and academic success. In this study, 11 undergraduate students aged 18-23 were given a semi-structured interview with questions focusing on their social well-being, emotional well-being, and their academic success. Results suggest that students experienced reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and a general lack of motivation when it came to academics. The findings also suggest that students coped with the pandemic by utilizing exercise, mindfulness activity, or participation in a hobby. Attendees of this presentation can expect to learn about the methodology and results of this study as well as about the potential implications for university personnel.
The James and Katie Gaudino 2022 Scholar of the Year Awards (Research) award winner.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2022/COTS/92
Faculty Mentor(s)
Olivia Holter