Protective and Risk Factors of University Students’ Psychological Distress in Different Phases of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multigroup Latent Class Analysis

This study investigated Italian students’ psychological distress (PD) in three phases of COVID-19 pandemic, second lockdown (T1), re-opening (T2), end of the pandemic (T3), in relation to reflective functioning (RF), academic engagement (AE), drop-out intention and academic gender congruence (AGC). 1,177 students (N T1 = 462; N T2 = 360; N T3 = 355) participated in the study. A multigroup latent class analysis (MG-LCA) was performed. Results showed that 55% of the sample and over 90% in T2 presented severe PD. The MG-LCA yielded three classes: “grasping” (no severe PD, high AE, no drop-out intention, AGC) prevalent in T1 and T3; “at risk” (severe PD, medium AE, drop-out intention, no AGC) least prevalent in T1 and T2; and “resisting” (severe PD, high AE, no drop-out intention, AGC) prevalent in T2. Classes with severe PD were prevalent in T2 and T3, more than T1. Findings highlighted AGC and AE protective role in students’ PD and academic persistence.