What is it about?

We studied the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among Dutch and German university students and staff, just when it started in April 2020. Negative experiences of study and work during the pandemic affect various dimensions of mental health, but meaningfulness and trust prove to act as resources.

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Why is it important?

The corona pandemic has drastically affected the lives of university students. Our research pinpoints the factors that influence the experinece of this pandemic and may help in taking care for long-lasting effects. It points out that sense of meaning and belonging may be positive factors in dealing with these effects, that are easily overlooked in university care policies.

Perspectives

An international team of scholars has worked enthousiastically on this project. What motivated me is that meaning of life is an often under-researched concept in studies of wellbeing. We demonstrated that it is a factor of importance that requires attention in dealing with crises like the corona pandemic.

Hans Schilderman
Radboud Universiteit

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: COVID-19, Meaning and Mental Health in Higher Education: An International Comparison, Journal of Empirical Theology, July 2023, Brill,
DOI: 10.1163/15709256-20231143.
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