Stress, Burnout and Study-Related Behavior in University Students: A Cross-Sectional Cohort Analysis Before, During, and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background/Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic intensified stress among students, though its impact on burnout symptoms remains mixed. Previous research emphasized examining both study-related behavior such as academic engagement and burnout for a fuller understanding of students' well-being in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In this cross-sectional study we examined stress, burnout, study-related behavior, and typical coping patterns among three cohorts of university students before (2016), at the start of (2020), and after (2024) the pandemic, with 1016 students participating. Results: Perceived stress was significantly higher during the pandemic but returned to pre-COVID-19 levels afterward. Depression scores remained stable across cohorts. Burnout symptoms, particularly cynicism and academic efficacy, were significantly lower in the COVID-19 cohort. Study commitment, including subjective importance of studying, academic goals/ambition, willingness to exert oneself, and striving for perfection were lower during and after the pandemic than before. Emotional distancing peaked in 2020, suggesting disengagement as a coping strategy. Pre-COVID-19 students exhibited higher active coping scores than the COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 cohorts, while satisfaction with studies was highest post-pandemic, likely due to the return of in-person academic and social experiences. Conclusions: These findings reveal fluctuations in students' stress, burnout, and study-related behavior over time. While stress-levels have normalized, study commitment and typical coping patterns such as active coping remain altered, indicating the pandemic's lasting impact on students' academic behavior and mental health.

Verena Dresen, Siegmund Staggl, Laura Fischer-Jbali, Markus Canazei, Elisabeth Weiss