Did digital learning during the lockdown impact emotional distress?
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Abstract
Digital learning might have been one helpful strategy for occupational therapy students during the coronavirus pandemic in 2019. This study aimed to assess, before and after the lockdowns, whether digital learning caused any changes or had any impact in terms of the sleep quality, sleep hygiene, and emotional distress experienced by the 1st – 3rd year students during two semesters between 2020 and 2021. The Thai version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Sleep Hygiene Index, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales were assessed in purposive sampling of 42 students. It was found that sleep hygiene and quality were not significantly different, while depression, anxiety, and stress scores increased significantly in 2021. Even though all students were able to maintain grade point averages, they perceived poor sleep quality and moderate sleep hygiene after the 9-month lockdown. This study suggests that coping strategies with resiliency, mental health well-being, and sleep health management might be an integrated topic for digital learning. In conclusion, the lockdown situation has cultivated a significant uptrend in emotional distress without differences in academic success among the participants.
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