COVID-19 related difficulties and perceived coping among university and college students: the moderating role of media-related exposure and stress
Background: University and college students are not usually identified as a population at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, there is growing evidence of their specific distress associated with facing multiple abrupt changes and the need for rapid adaptation to a variety of academic, social, an...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2021-01-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1929029 |
| _version_ | 1797844536172478464 |
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| author | Ruth Pat-Horenczyk Yoav S. Bergman Miriam Schiff Alon Goldberg Ayala Cohen Becky Leshem Hisham Jubran Wovit Worku- Mengisto Ruth Berkowitz Rami Benbenishty |
| author_facet | Ruth Pat-Horenczyk Yoav S. Bergman Miriam Schiff Alon Goldberg Ayala Cohen Becky Leshem Hisham Jubran Wovit Worku- Mengisto Ruth Berkowitz Rami Benbenishty |
| author_sort | Ruth Pat-Horenczyk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: University and college students are not usually identified as a population at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, there is growing evidence of their specific distress associated with facing multiple abrupt changes and the need for rapid adaptation to a variety of academic, social, and financial challenges. The extent of their exposure to COVID-19 media and the associated media-related stress may further impair students’ perceived coping. Objective: This study assessed COVID-19-related functional difficulties and perceived coping among higher education students in Israel and explored the moderating role played by media coverage of the pandemic in inducing stress and exacerbating COVID-19-related difficulties in perceived coping among students. Method: Data was collected from 7,446 students from seven academic centres in Israel through online questionnaires about four to six weeks after the outbreak of the pandemic in Israel. Results: The findings showed positive associations between COVID-19-related difficulties, media exposure, media-related stress, and decreased levels of perceived coping with the pandemic. Moreover, media-related stress (but not the level of media exposure) moderated the relationship between COVID-19-related difficulties and perceived coping: the associations were significantly stronger for students reporting high media-related stress in comparison to individuals reporting low media-related stress. Conclusions: These results highlight the specific role of media-related stress and the need to distinguish this risk factor from the global impact of exposure to media coverage. The need for self-monitoring of the subjective level of stress associated with media exposure should be part of the psychoeducation efforts provided by public health authorities for promoting self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:24:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8f2ffca40878496db681b0b9a0180852 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:24:05Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj.art-8f2ffca40878496db681b0b9a01808522023-04-18T14:59:10ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662021-01-0112110.1080/20008198.2021.19290291929029COVID-19 related difficulties and perceived coping among university and college students: the moderating role of media-related exposure and stressRuth Pat-Horenczyk0Yoav S. Bergman1Miriam Schiff2Alon Goldberg3Ayala Cohen4Becky Leshem5Hisham Jubran6Wovit Worku- Mengisto7Ruth Berkowitz8Rami Benbenishty9Hebrew University of JerusalemAshkelon Academic CollegeHebrew University of JerusalemTel Hai Academic CollegeTel Hai CollegeAchva Academic CollegeBeit Berl Academic CollegeDavid Yellin Academic College of EducationUniversity of HaifaHebrew University of JerusalemBackground: University and college students are not usually identified as a population at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, there is growing evidence of their specific distress associated with facing multiple abrupt changes and the need for rapid adaptation to a variety of academic, social, and financial challenges. The extent of their exposure to COVID-19 media and the associated media-related stress may further impair students’ perceived coping. Objective: This study assessed COVID-19-related functional difficulties and perceived coping among higher education students in Israel and explored the moderating role played by media coverage of the pandemic in inducing stress and exacerbating COVID-19-related difficulties in perceived coping among students. Method: Data was collected from 7,446 students from seven academic centres in Israel through online questionnaires about four to six weeks after the outbreak of the pandemic in Israel. Results: The findings showed positive associations between COVID-19-related difficulties, media exposure, media-related stress, and decreased levels of perceived coping with the pandemic. Moreover, media-related stress (but not the level of media exposure) moderated the relationship between COVID-19-related difficulties and perceived coping: the associations were significantly stronger for students reporting high media-related stress in comparison to individuals reporting low media-related stress. Conclusions: These results highlight the specific role of media-related stress and the need to distinguish this risk factor from the global impact of exposure to media coverage. The need for self-monitoring of the subjective level of stress associated with media exposure should be part of the psychoeducation efforts provided by public health authorities for promoting self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1929029covid-19media exposurestressperceived copinguniversity students |
| spellingShingle | Ruth Pat-Horenczyk Yoav S. Bergman Miriam Schiff Alon Goldberg Ayala Cohen Becky Leshem Hisham Jubran Wovit Worku- Mengisto Ruth Berkowitz Rami Benbenishty COVID-19 related difficulties and perceived coping among university and college students: the moderating role of media-related exposure and stress European Journal of Psychotraumatology covid-19 media exposure stress perceived coping university students |
| title | COVID-19 related difficulties and perceived coping among university and college students: the moderating role of media-related exposure and stress |
| title_full | COVID-19 related difficulties and perceived coping among university and college students: the moderating role of media-related exposure and stress |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 related difficulties and perceived coping among university and college students: the moderating role of media-related exposure and stress |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 related difficulties and perceived coping among university and college students: the moderating role of media-related exposure and stress |
| title_short | COVID-19 related difficulties and perceived coping among university and college students: the moderating role of media-related exposure and stress |
| title_sort | covid 19 related difficulties and perceived coping among university and college students the moderating role of media related exposure and stress |
| topic | covid-19 media exposure stress perceived coping university students |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1929029 |
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