Understanding coping and social support among U.S. college students during the pandemic: A 3-year examination of qualitative descriptions and their links to perceived health

Abstract

This exploratory study examined U.S. college students’ (N = 1003) self-reported coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic, perceived impact of the pandemic on social support, and their associations with perceived physical and mental health. Participants were recruited from 146 institutions across the U.S. in years 2020–2023. Both quantitative and write-in data were collected, with the latter inductively coded to identify common coping strategies and experiences of social support. A wide array of coping strategies were found, with social engagement and physical activity consistently being the most popular, while students reported feeling distanced from others and experiencing decreased support from friends due to the pandemic. Physical health was positively linked to such coping strategies as physical activity and work in some years, whereas mental health had limited but positive associations with such coping strategies as social engagement and schoolwork, as well as with perceived increased social support, especially from friends.