Mental Well-Being, Academic Experience, and Dropout Intention among Counseling Students Affected by the Shift to Online Instruction during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors

Yusen Zhai, University of Alabama at BirminghamFollow
Mahmood Almaawali, Sultan Qaboos UniversityFollow
Lindsey Bannish, the Pennsylvania State UniversityFollow

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated challenges for many counseling students due to the threat of COVID-19 and the rapid shift to online learning, possibly resulting in increased mental health problems and dropout rates. This convergent mixed-methods study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19-related experiences and shift to online learning on (a) counseling students’ mental well-being, (b) academic experience, and (c) dropout intentions among a sample of 405 counseling students across 45 states. Path analysis results showed an excellent model fit (χ² = 5.612, p = .47, CFI = 1.000, SRMR = .025, RMSEA = .000, 90% CI [.000, .063]) and revealed that non-classroom student-faculty interactions positively predicted program commitment (β = .32, p < .001) and that mental well-being positively predicted program commitment (β = .22, p < .001). Program commitment in turn negatively predicted dropout intentions (β = –.22, p < .001). Findings suggest that counselor educators/programs must heed and address students’ pressing mental health and learning needs by improving student-faculty communication and developing pedagogies that fit with online/hybrid instruction during this pandemic and beyond.

Recommended Citation

Zhai, Yusen; Almaawali, Mahmood; and Bannish, Lindsey (2023) "Mental Well-Being, Academic Experience, and Dropout Intention among Counseling Students Affected by the Shift to Online Instruction during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision: Vol. 3: Iss. 2, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.61888/2692-4129.1054
Available at: https://digital.sandiego.edu/tces/vol3/iss2/5