Coping with Social Anxiety and Maintaining Resilience in University of Minnesota Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic A Correlational Approach

Abstract

In the year 2020, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has prompted a cascade of tremendous changes, inducing profound fear and unprecedented uncertainty around the world. The majority of University of Minnesota—Twin Cities students have since continued their education virtually, but the transition to online courses has proven more difficult for those that struggle with unfamiliar social contexts. The purpose of this study was to identify whether symptoms of social anxiety disorder have any interaction with student resilience, specifically during the Fall 2020 semester. A designated sample cohort completed a survey that reported personal resilience and social anxiety symptoms; responses were then assigned numerical scores for a quantitative approach. From the correlational analysis conducted, results indicated that there was a significant negative correlation between social anxiety and resilience. These findings suggest that university students with social anxiety may require extra assistance or support while adjusting to virtual instruction.

Keywords: virtual learning, social anxiety, student resilience