Freshmen anxiety and COVID-19: Practical implications from an online intervention for supporting students affected by health inequities

Objective: This study explored how college freshmen, particularly those affected by health inequities, are affected by COVID-19 and whether they would use a university-created online wellness intervention for help. Participants: Nine-hundred and eighty-nine freshmen at a large southeastern university. Method: Students responded to an online survey regarding their anxiety, worry, number of life disruptions, perceived resilience and their use of the online intervention during the pandemic (June to mid-September 2020). Results: During COVID-19, Latinx, Black, women and non-heterosexual students reported significantly greater worry, daily life disruptions than their non-Latinx, white, male and heterosexual counterparts. Women and non-heterosexual students also reported greater anxiety and less resilience. Additionally, Latinx students reported using the university’s online intervention for help during COVID-19 more than others. Overall, freshmen, especially Black and women students, reported the online intervention would help them with struggles. Conclusions: Universities should identify unique worries faced by students during a health crisis and provide institutional support. Practical implications are discussed.