Cited by 84Psychological Well-being and Life SatisfactionCOVID-19 and Mental HealthStudent Stress and Coping

Satisfaction with life among university students from nine countries: cross-national study during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic

Open access
Rogowska, Aleksandra M., Ochnik, Dominika, Kuśnierz, Cezary, Jakubiak, Monika, Schütz, Astrid, Held, Marco J., Arzenšek, Ana, Benatov, Joy +8 more·2021·BMC Public Health

Abstract

Abstract Background A cross-sectional study was performed to examine life satisfaction differences between university students from nine countries during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-national comparison of the association between life satisfaction and a set of variables was also conducted. Methods Participants in the study were 2349 university students with a mean age of 23 years (M = 23.15, SD = 4.66). There was a predominance of women (69.26%) and individuals studying at the bachelor level (78%). The research was conducted between May and July 2020 in nine countries: Slovenia (n=209), the Czech Republic (Czechia)(n=308), Germany (n=267), Poland (n=301), Ukraine (n=310), Russia (n=285), Turkey (n=310), Israel (n=199), and Colombia (n=153). Participants completed an online survey involving measures of satisfaction with life (SWLS), exposure to COVID-19, perceived negative impact of coronavirus (PNIC) on students' well-being, general self-reported health (GSRH), physical activity (PA), and some demographics (gender, place of residence, level of study). A one-way ANOVA was used to explore cross-national differences in life satisfaction. The χ2 independence test was performed separately in each country to examine associations between life satisfaction and other variables. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify life satisfaction predictors among a set of demographic and health-related variables in each of the nine countries. Results The level of life satisfaction varied between university students from the nine countries. The results for life satisfaction and the other variables differed between countries. Numerous associations were noted between satisfaction with life and several variables, and these showed cross-national differences. Distinct predictors of life satisfaction were observed for each country. However, poor self-rated physical health was a predictor of low life satisfaction independent of the country. Conclusions The association between life satisfaction and subjective assessment of physical health seems to be universal, while the other variables are related to cross-cultural differences. Special public health attention should be focused on psychologically supporting people who do not feel healthy.

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  1. [51]Şimşek E, Koç K, Özsoy D, Karakuş M. Investigation the effect of performing physical activity at home on sleep quality and life satisfaction during coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. Int J Appl Exerc Physiol. 2020;9(7):55–62. doi:10.26655/IJAEP.2020.7.1. · DOI
  2. [69]Rogowska AM, Kuśnierz C, Ochnik D, Schütz A, Kafetsios KP, Aslan I. et al. Wellbeing of undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic: International study. doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/Q5F4E. · DOI

Authors
Rogowska, A. M., Ochnik, D., Kuśnierz, C., Jakubiak, M., Schütz, A., Held, M. J., Arzenšek, A., Benatov, J., Berger, R., Korchagina, E. V., Pavlova, I., Blažková, I., Konečná, Z., Aslan, I., Çınar, O., & Cuero-Acosta, Y. A.
Affiliations
  • University of Opole (PL)
  • Akademia Śląska (PL)
  • Opole University of Technology (PL)
  • Maria Curie-Skłodowska University (PL)
  • University of Bamberg (DE)
  • University of Primorska (SI)
  • University of Haifa (IL)
  • Tel Aviv University (IL)
  • National Research University Higher School of Economics (RU)
  • Mendel University in Brno (CZ)
  • Brno University of Technology (CZ)
  • Atatürk University (TR)
Corresponding author
Held, Marco J.
Venue
BMC Public Health
Published
2021-12
Volume
21
Issue
1
Pages
2262-2262
ISSN
1471-2458 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4200195542
Cited by
84
References
88
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 1
FWCI
14.20
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • BMC Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Repositorio Institucional E-DocUR (Universidad Del Rosario) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Brno University of Technology Digital Library (Brno University of Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Informationszentrum Lebenswissenschaften (ZB MED) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Student Stress and Coping
Keywords
life satisfaction, university students, COVID-19 pandemic, cross-national comparison, self-rated physical health, physical activity, predictors of life satisfaction, cross-cultural comparison, student well-being
MeSH terms
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Adult, Cross-Sectional Studies, Humans, Personal Satisfaction, Universities, Young Adult, Pandemics

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