Depression, Anxiety and Stress Level among University Students of Class Reentry Post Covid-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT

Since the breakdown of the COVID-19, tertiary education in Malaysia is still using online classes. Returning to normal study routines might have some positive effects or opposite and causes anxiety for other students as with class reentry. Therefore, this study is evaluating the depression, anxiety, and stress in reentry classes of university students post covid-19 from all over Malaysia. Observational study was conducted using online questionnaire that was developed by adapting the Patient Health questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), and Perceived stress scale (PSS). The results show higher levels of anxiety and perceived stress among Malaysian university students towards class reentry which causes moderate depression. The findings revealed a significant correlation between depression, anxiety, and perceived stress. Thus, policies should be implemented by educational institutions and instructors to help understand the students' mental strain and deal with future pandemic to overcome students' anxiety and emotional distress.