Cognitive Vulnerability and Depressive Symptoms among Emirati College Students Before and After the Enactment of COVID-19 Curfew and Home-learning Measures

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy

Publication Date

3-1-2021

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that college students in many nations, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) included, have had to switch to home-learning. Additionally, infection control measures in the UAE have also led to the enactment of population-wide curfews. The present study represents an exploration of cognitive vulnerability to depression and depressive symptomatology, both before and after the UAE enacted measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. The study relied upon a quasi-experimental design, where two groups of college students from the same population completed measures of depressive symptoms and cognitive vulnerabilities before (N= 34) and after (N= 85) the UAE implemented home learning and curfew measures. The posited cognitive vulnerability’s (ruminative response styles and dysfunctional attitudes) were both retained as predictors of depressive symptoms. Furthermore, depressive symptom scores were significantly higher after the enactment of the UAE’s curfew and home learning measures. It may be particularly important to provide mental health support for college students during extended periods of enforced home learning and curfew.

ISSN

1577-7057

Publisher

Universidad de Almeria

Volume

21

Issue

1

First Page

75

Last Page

79

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Keywords

COVID-19, depression, rumination, university students

Scopus ID

85109140101

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

yes

Open Access Type

Bronze: This publication is openly available on the publisher’s website but without an open license

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