Impact of Perceived Severity of COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) on Mental Health of University Students of Pakistan: The Mediating Role of Muslim Religiosity
Background: Perceived severity of COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) is known to be associated with mental health of people in general and health professionals in particular in Western societies. However, its association with the mental health of students in Pakistan, which is predominantly a Muslim society, rem...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.560059/full |
| _version_ | 1818910641195319296 |
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| author | Muhammad Saleem Abou Bakar Areeha Khan Durrani Zubair Manzoor |
| author_facet | Muhammad Saleem Abou Bakar Areeha Khan Durrani Zubair Manzoor |
| author_sort | Muhammad Saleem |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Perceived severity of COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) is known to be associated with mental health of people in general and health professionals in particular in Western societies. However, its association with the mental health of students in Pakistan, which is predominantly a Muslim society, remains unclear so far. Moreover, the role of Muslim religiosity for such an association has not yet been investigated. We aimed to examine the association and report findings on the impact of perceived severity on mental health with a sample of students from all five provinces of Pakistan.Methods: We did a cross-sectional online survey from 1,525 Pakistani students in March 2020 using standardized measurement tools. We then determined the prevalence of perceived severity among students and its impact on their mental health. The strength of associations between these variables was estimated using generalized linear models, with appropriate distribution and link functions. Structural equation modeling through SmartPLS (3.0) software was utilized to analyze the results.Findings: The perceived severity of COVID-19 is significantly associated with mental health of Pakistani students, whereas Muslim religiosity is a strong mediator between perceived severity and mental health of Pakistani students.Conclusions: Though the perceived severity of COVID-19 is associated with mental health, this relationship can be better explained by the role of Muslim religiosity. When tested individually, the perceived severity accounted for only 18% variance in mental health that increased up to 57% by the mediating role of Muslim religiosity. This difference clearly indicates the mediating role of Muslim religiosity in the association between perceived severity and mental health for Pakistani students. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T22:46:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7f107a39205d4f30be068f0f5c7afd94 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T22:46:02Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-7f107a39205d4f30be068f0f5c7afd942022-12-21T20:02:56ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402021-08-011210.3389/fpsyt.2021.560059560059Impact of Perceived Severity of COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) on Mental Health of University Students of Pakistan: The Mediating Role of Muslim ReligiosityMuhammad Saleem0Abou Bakar1Areeha Khan Durrani2Zubair Manzoor3Department of Applied Psychology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, PakistanDepartment of Management Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, PakistanDepartment of Applied Psychology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, PakistanDepartment of Applied Psychology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, PakistanBackground: Perceived severity of COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) is known to be associated with mental health of people in general and health professionals in particular in Western societies. However, its association with the mental health of students in Pakistan, which is predominantly a Muslim society, remains unclear so far. Moreover, the role of Muslim religiosity for such an association has not yet been investigated. We aimed to examine the association and report findings on the impact of perceived severity on mental health with a sample of students from all five provinces of Pakistan.Methods: We did a cross-sectional online survey from 1,525 Pakistani students in March 2020 using standardized measurement tools. We then determined the prevalence of perceived severity among students and its impact on their mental health. The strength of associations between these variables was estimated using generalized linear models, with appropriate distribution and link functions. Structural equation modeling through SmartPLS (3.0) software was utilized to analyze the results.Findings: The perceived severity of COVID-19 is significantly associated with mental health of Pakistani students, whereas Muslim religiosity is a strong mediator between perceived severity and mental health of Pakistani students.Conclusions: Though the perceived severity of COVID-19 is associated with mental health, this relationship can be better explained by the role of Muslim religiosity. When tested individually, the perceived severity accounted for only 18% variance in mental health that increased up to 57% by the mediating role of Muslim religiosity. This difference clearly indicates the mediating role of Muslim religiosity in the association between perceived severity and mental health for Pakistani students.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.560059/fullCOVID-19perceived severitymental healthmuslim religiosityPakistani students |
| spellingShingle | Muhammad Saleem Abou Bakar Areeha Khan Durrani Zubair Manzoor Impact of Perceived Severity of COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) on Mental Health of University Students of Pakistan: The Mediating Role of Muslim Religiosity Frontiers in Psychiatry COVID-19 perceived severity mental health muslim religiosity Pakistani students |
| title | Impact of Perceived Severity of COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) on Mental Health of University Students of Pakistan: The Mediating Role of Muslim Religiosity |
| title_full | Impact of Perceived Severity of COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) on Mental Health of University Students of Pakistan: The Mediating Role of Muslim Religiosity |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Perceived Severity of COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) on Mental Health of University Students of Pakistan: The Mediating Role of Muslim Religiosity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Perceived Severity of COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) on Mental Health of University Students of Pakistan: The Mediating Role of Muslim Religiosity |
| title_short | Impact of Perceived Severity of COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) on Mental Health of University Students of Pakistan: The Mediating Role of Muslim Religiosity |
| title_sort | impact of perceived severity of covid 19 sars cov 2 on mental health of university students of pakistan the mediating role of muslim religiosity |
| topic | COVID-19 perceived severity mental health muslim religiosity Pakistani students |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.560059/full |
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