Mental health of Filipino university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: the distinct associations of fear of COVID-19 and financial difficulties

Objective: The study examined the role of fear of COVID-19 and of financial difficulties in the family on the positive (flourishing and satisfaction with life) and negative (depression, anxiety, and stress) dimensions of mental health among a Filipino university student sample during the COVID-19 crisis. Method: Using a cross-sectional online survey, data were collected among university undergraduate students (N = 681) from September to October of 2020. The online questionnaire included demographic information, the Fear of COVID-19 scale and measures of positive (SWLS and Flourishing Scale) and negative mental health (DASS-21 Filipino). Results: Results of structural equation modelling revealed that fear of COVID-19 infection predicted all three indicators of negative mental health (depression, anxiety, and stress) but not the positive mental health indicators (satisfaction with life and flourishing). Financial difficulties, in contrast, predicted all indicators of positive mental health and negative mental health, except stress. Conclusions: While fear of COVID-19 is associated with students' negative mental health, their financial concerns have a wider ranging association with positive and negative mental health. Mental health services must address the psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on university students, such as the more basic financial difficulties of some students and their families. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: (1) Fear of COVID-19 infection negatively predicts the mental health of university students in some countries. (2) Past studies typically use negative indicators of mental health such as depression, anxiety, and stress to determine the role of fear of COVID-19. (3) Financial difficulty is associated with development of mental health concerns among individuals and families even outside of the COVID-19 pandemic. What this topic adds: (1) The mental health of Filipino university students is studied using the bidimensional model of mental health that assumes the presence of a negative (symptoms of psychopathology) and a positive (well-being and flourishing) dimension. (2) Fear of COVID-19 infection is associated only with the negative dimension of students' mental health. (3) Perceived financial difficulties due to the pandemic are associated both with negative (more symptoms) and positive (lower well-being) mental health of students.