COVID-19 affects mental health of NSTU students: Study

The psychological condition of two-third students of Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU) are getting worse and their mental health is highly affected during COVID-19 pandemic, a research finds.

The research published in Asian Journal of University Education (AJUA) confirmed the news yesterday.

NSTU Research Cell provided the fund for this study and the study was conducted by Dr Roknuzzaman Siddiky, Chairman and Associate Professor of the university’s Sociology Department and Mohammad Muniruzzaman, Assistant Professor of the same department.

According to the study, a total of 157 students from 18 departments participated in the research. Among them, 38.2 percent (60 students) were male and rest 61.8 percent (97 students) were female.

The researchers use 6 indicators (anxiety, depression, tension, restlessness, boredom and fear) to find the change of psychological conditions where two-thirds of students voted for highly affected on these indicators and rest one-third of students voted for  less affected.

87.9 percent (138 students) voted for highly inattentive and rest 12.1 percent (19 students) voted for less inattentive their studies, the findings added.

The students’ psychological conditions have adverse affect in their mental health which results students in highly inattentive to study during this global pandemic. The researchers suggest for taking steps to set up counselling in all universities including NSTU so that the students’ psychological conditions and mental health become improved and the students become attentive to study.