Buffering effect of e-learning on Generation Z undergraduate students: A cross-sectional study during the second COVID-19 lockdown in Italy
Background: The massive adoption of e-learning in academic education during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic may be beneficial to digitally skilled individuals, such as Generation Z (Gen Z) members. However, some studies have underscored its negative psychological impact on the mental hea...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Messina
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://cab.unime.it/journals/index.php/MJCP/article/view/3051 |
| _version_ | 1811211014405881856 |
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| author | Jessica Ranieri Federica Guerra Eleonora Cilli Ilaria Caiazza Nicholas Gentili Barbara Ripani Mariantonietta Canzio Eleonora Coletti Arianna Quassoni Sabrina Niutta Lavinia Colicchia Silvia D'Alfonso Dina Di Giacomo |
| author_facet | Jessica Ranieri Federica Guerra Eleonora Cilli Ilaria Caiazza Nicholas Gentili Barbara Ripani Mariantonietta Canzio Eleonora Coletti Arianna Quassoni Sabrina Niutta Lavinia Colicchia Silvia D'Alfonso Dina Di Giacomo |
| author_sort | Jessica Ranieri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The massive adoption of e-learning in academic education during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic may be beneficial to digitally skilled individuals, such as Generation Z (Gen Z) members. However, some studies have underscored its negative psychological impact on the mental health of the young adults. We aimed to examine the psychological impact of prolonged e-learning on emotional adaptation among undergraduate students. A secondary objective was to identify key components for preventive interventions targeted toward the academic community by investigating the buffering effect of e-leaning on the impact of negative life events experienced during the pandemic.
Methods: The participants were 529 Italian undergraduate students aged 18–26 years. We administered measures of personality traits, anxiety symptoms, peritraumatic dissociation, stress, and affinity for e-learning. This study examined emotional adaptation among Gen Z members who were subjected to prolonged academic e-learning during the 2nd COVID-19 lockdown in Italy.
Results: Dysfunctional anxiety was not a major issue among our participants. This is indicative of the adoption of effective anxiety management skills during the pandemic. Nevertheless, the findings also underscored the vulnerability of the Gen Z population. Further, coronavirus anxiety significantly predicted mental health through the mediating effect of personality traits.
Conclusions: Therefore, health care professionals should design and implement interventions and programmes that focus on coronavirus anxiety and psychological distress. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:05:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-332d17f797cc45ab86778bd68663b0fe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2282-1619 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:05:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | University of Messina |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-332d17f797cc45ab86778bd68663b0fe2022-12-22T03:46:53ZengUniversity of MessinaMediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology2282-16192021-08-019210.13129/2282-1619/mjcp-30512514Buffering effect of e-learning on Generation Z undergraduate students: A cross-sectional study during the second COVID-19 lockdown in ItalyJessica Ranieri0Federica Guerra1Eleonora Cilli2Ilaria Caiazza3Nicholas Gentili4Barbara Ripani5Mariantonietta Canzio6Eleonora Coletti7Arianna Quassoni8Sabrina Niutta9Lavinia Colicchia10Silvia D'Alfonso11Dina Di Giacomo12Laboratory of Clinical Psychology and Psychoncology, MESVA Department, University of L’AquilaLaboratory of Clinical Psychology and Psychoncology, MESVA Department, University of L’AquilaClinical Psychology Master, DISCAB Department, Univesity of L’AquilaClinical Psychology Master, DISCAB Department, Univesity of L’AquilaClinical Psychology Master, DISCAB Department, Univesity of L’AquilaClinical Psychology Master, DISCAB Department, Univesity of L’AquilaClinical Psychology Master, DISCAB Department, Univesity of L’AquilaClinical Psychology Master, DISCAB Department, Univesity of L’AquilaClinical Psychology Master, DISCAB Department, Univesity of L’AquilaClinical Psychology Master, DISCAB Department, Univesity of L’AquilaClinical Psychology Master, DISCAB Department, Univesity of L’AquilaClinical Psychology Master, DISCAB Department, Univesity of L’AquilaLife, Public Health and Envornmental Sciences Department Laboratory of Clinical Psychology, University of L'AquilaBackground: The massive adoption of e-learning in academic education during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic may be beneficial to digitally skilled individuals, such as Generation Z (Gen Z) members. However, some studies have underscored its negative psychological impact on the mental health of the young adults. We aimed to examine the psychological impact of prolonged e-learning on emotional adaptation among undergraduate students. A secondary objective was to identify key components for preventive interventions targeted toward the academic community by investigating the buffering effect of e-leaning on the impact of negative life events experienced during the pandemic. Methods: The participants were 529 Italian undergraduate students aged 18–26 years. We administered measures of personality traits, anxiety symptoms, peritraumatic dissociation, stress, and affinity for e-learning. This study examined emotional adaptation among Gen Z members who were subjected to prolonged academic e-learning during the 2nd COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. Results: Dysfunctional anxiety was not a major issue among our participants. This is indicative of the adoption of effective anxiety management skills during the pandemic. Nevertheless, the findings also underscored the vulnerability of the Gen Z population. Further, coronavirus anxiety significantly predicted mental health through the mediating effect of personality traits. Conclusions: Therefore, health care professionals should design and implement interventions and programmes that focus on coronavirus anxiety and psychological distress.https://cab.unime.it/journals/index.php/MJCP/article/view/3051lockdowncovid-19 stressundergraduateisolationpsychological impactbuffer effectcommunity. |
| spellingShingle | Jessica Ranieri Federica Guerra Eleonora Cilli Ilaria Caiazza Nicholas Gentili Barbara Ripani Mariantonietta Canzio Eleonora Coletti Arianna Quassoni Sabrina Niutta Lavinia Colicchia Silvia D'Alfonso Dina Di Giacomo Buffering effect of e-learning on Generation Z undergraduate students: A cross-sectional study during the second COVID-19 lockdown in Italy Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology lockdown covid-19 stress undergraduate isolation psychological impact buffer effect community. |
| title | Buffering effect of e-learning on Generation Z undergraduate students: A cross-sectional study during the second COVID-19 lockdown in Italy |
| title_full | Buffering effect of e-learning on Generation Z undergraduate students: A cross-sectional study during the second COVID-19 lockdown in Italy |
| title_fullStr | Buffering effect of e-learning on Generation Z undergraduate students: A cross-sectional study during the second COVID-19 lockdown in Italy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Buffering effect of e-learning on Generation Z undergraduate students: A cross-sectional study during the second COVID-19 lockdown in Italy |
| title_short | Buffering effect of e-learning on Generation Z undergraduate students: A cross-sectional study during the second COVID-19 lockdown in Italy |
| title_sort | buffering effect of e learning on generation z undergraduate students a cross sectional study during the second covid 19 lockdown in italy |
| topic | lockdown covid-19 stress undergraduate isolation psychological impact buffer effect community. |
| url | https://cab.unime.it/journals/index.php/MJCP/article/view/3051 |
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