Hopelessness during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic lockdown among Chinese college students: A longitudinal network analysis
Year: 2022
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: INTRODUCTION: In China, recurrent pandemics require frequent city-wide lockdowns and quarantine actions to contain the impact of COVID-19, exposing college students to psychological problems, including hopelessness. Hence, the purpose of helping problematic college students alleviate hopelessness symptoms motivates us to carry out the present study to explore their interrelationship. METHODS: = 18.34 ± 0.92) who were recruited during and after the COVID-19 lockdown using the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS). RESULTS: Applying the novel approach (i.e., symptom network analysis), the results indicated that the edge of #BHS1 (i.e., [NOT] hope-enthusiasm)-#BHS15 (i.e., [NOT] faith-in-the-future) showed the strongest association both in Wave 1 and Wave 2. Similarly, #BHS20 (i.e., not-trying) had the highest node expectedinfluence (centrality) in the hopelessness symptoms network both among Wave 1 and Wave 2. The Network Comparison Test indicated that the global network strength significantly differed between the two time points. As expected, college students' hopelessness will gradually dissipate with the end of segregation control. The stability and accuracy indicated that the network analysis results were trustworthy. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings provide evidence that central nodes and edges connecting symptoms should be addressed. Further interventions and treatments that may target these symptoms are essential to effectively alleviate the overall hopelessness level among college students. Theoretical and clinical potential consequences were discussed in detail.
Source: Journal of Clinical Psychology
DOI: 10.1002/jclp.23439
Language: English
Topic: COVID-19 and Mental Health
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4293493164