Cognitive vulnerability and depressive symptoms among Emirati college students before and after the enactment of COVID-19 curfew and home-learning measures

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. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)