The Relationship Between Perceived Stress and Disordered Eating in Undergraduate Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors

Caroline G. Martin, Franklin and Marshall CollegeFollow

Primary Discipline

Social Sciences

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected and imposed challenges on nearly everyone, including college students. Despite their already stressful situations, previous research has demonstrated increased stress levels among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, research has also shown an increase in disordered eating for college students during the pandemic. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between both perceived stress and disordered eating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the present study used a correlational design to investigate a potential association between perceived stress and disordered eating among undergraduate college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. By administering the EAT-26, the CSSEC, the PSS-10, and the PSS-10-C to 58 liberal arts students, the findings supported my hypothesis, indicating a significant relationship between disordered eating and perceived stress levels among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results provide insight into some of the challenges that college students face. They can also serve as a platform for school administrators and faculty to recognize how stress impacts eating habits, furthering the importance that campus counseling centers should be able to handle student needs specific to eating issues, such as providing nutritional counseling. Additionally, this study offers suggestions for furthering our knowledge of COVID-19’s impacts on college students.

Recommended Citation

Martin, Caroline G. (2022) "The Relationship Between Perceived Stress and Disordered Eating in Undergraduate Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic," Gettysburg College Headquarters: Vol. 1, Article 6.
Available at: https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/gchq/vol1/iss1/6