Factors associated with anxiety during the post-covid-19 period in Moroccan students

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess anxiety among university students and to explore the factors influencing anxiety levels in the post-COVID-19 period.To assess anxiety levels, we used the State Anxiety Inventory (SAI). The methodology also included response rate analysis, internal consistency assessment using Cronbach's alpha, exploratory factor analysis, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure and Bartlett's test for dimensional validation.The internal consistency assessment showed a very satisfactory Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α = 0.944), reflecting the reliability of the scale measures. Exploratory factor analysis highlighted two distinct factors: "anxiety present" and "anxiety absent", explaining 31% and 29% of the total variance respectively. On the other hand, the analyses show that students present moderate levels of anxiety (18.6%) and severe levels (58.3%).All in all, this study highlighted the very high prevalences of anxiety among Moroccan students, and indicates the need to adopt new strategies to better ensure student well-being.