The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Resilience of University Students in the United Arab Emirates: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The outbreak of the novel Coronavirus pandemic resulted in a sudden change to the daily activities of individuals, including the academic institutions. University-level students are vulnerable to psychological health issues when faced with a large-scale crisis such as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic; they need resilience to help them successfully manage and cope with changes. AIM: The aim of this study was to examine the resilience and associated predictors among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates. METHODS: This study employed a cross-sectional descriptive design to examine the levels of resilience and associated predictors of university students. No sampling criterion was set up and all active students from all programs were eligible to participate. A convenience sampling technique was employed for its practical feasibility and efficiency. The data were collected between February 2021 and May 2021. RESULTS: A total of 2,085 students completed the study questionnaires. The mean score of total resilience among the students was 65.01 (±14.697), while the mean score for personal resilience and caregiver resilience was 38.08 (±8.675) and 26.92 (±6.694), respectively. Comparing total resilience, personal resilience, and caregiver resilience with students’ Cumulative Grade Point Average level revealed a significant difference. The predictors of resilience include academic level and number of courses the students enrolled in. CONCLUSION: Academic institutions need to support the establishment of resilience training programs to prepare students for any challenging time, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.