AUTHOR=Mamani-Benito Oscar , Carranza Esteban Renzo Felipe , Castillo-Blanco Ronald , Lingán-Huamán Susana K. , Gálvez-Díaz Norma del Carmen , Huancahuire-Vega Salomón , Corrales-Reyes Ibraín Enrique 

TITLE=Worry effect for COVID-19 transmission over depression, anxiety, and satisfaction with studies in Peruvian university students

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Education

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education/articles/10.3389/feduc.2023.1149765

DOI=10.3389/feduc.2023.1149765

ISSN=2504-284X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Concern about contracting COVID-19 has had repercussions on university students. The aim of this study was to determine its effect on depression, anxiety, and satisfaction with studies.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>Using an explanatory cross-sectional design, 1,260 medical, nursing, and dentistry students from both public and private universities in Peru participated in this study. They were assessed using a scale for concern about contracting COVID-19, the <italic>Patient Health Questionnaire-2</italic>, the <italic>Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2</italic> (GAD-2), and a brief scale for satisfaction with their studies.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>After analyzing the data using structural equation modeling, it was found that the explanatory model had an adequate fit. It showed that concern about COVID-19 had a direct and significant effect on anxiety (β = 0.46, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001) and depression (β = 0.38, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001). However, the same effect was not evident on satisfaction with studies (β = −0.06, <italic>p</italic> = 0.068).</p></sec><sec><title>Discussion</title><p>The uncertainty about contracting COVID-19 triggered symptoms of anxiety and depression among Peruvian university students. Still, it did not affect the satisfaction students felt when their academic expectations were met.</p></sec>