Virtual Place
Date
Partners
Koç University , University of Zagreb , University of Deusto
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the lives of young adults, including students. Accumulating evidence shows that the quality of life and mental health of many students was and remains to be strongly affected by the pandemic. Typically, young adults experience an active and often exciting phase of life during their studies. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, this experience is replaced by restrictions and social isolation. Additionally, students may have lost their jobs or may have been forced to leave their accommodations due to financial reasons. All of this may increase insecurities and worries about health and the future, and may decrease the general quality of life and mental well-being of students. One-and-half years after the start of the pandemic, students may have developed different ways to cope with the current situation.
180 including: students, PhD students, academic staff and administrative staff
On 9th of December students, scholars and staff members came together to learn and discuss how the pandemic has affected the mental health situation of students at different UNIC universities. The seminar was moderated and facilitated by Kathrin Schopf and Silvia Schneider, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ruhr University Bochum.
In the first part of the seminar, researchers from four UNIC universities presented their current research results, all related with mental health situations of young adults. Even if many aspects in their works; mainly from the fields of Psychology and Social Work; were similar, each of them offered a different perspective on the topic, contributing to an overall picture of the situation of students in the pandemic. Besides their research insights, all inputs included practical recommendations how to improve students’ mental health on an individual and collective way.
Ekin Çakır, Koc University, reported from the situation of students in Istanbul and confirmed the observation that future-related worries are often the main stressor of young people. This can be also related to economical worries as many students have lost their jobs during the crisis. Additionally, the collective character of the crisis might worsen the individual situation. Then when everybody is stressed, our personal resources to support each other might be more limited than in normal times.
UNIC CityLabs
Health & Wellbeing
Panel discussion
English
