Vietnam during COVID-19 pandemic: The relationship with university students’ mental health and the mediating role of perceived social support

The COVID-19 pandemic has broken out as a catastrophic global health challenge for all ages in various ways. University students suffered from mental disorders caused by the urge of social distancing and online learning. Under the context of Vietnam, this study examined the relationship between perception of COVID-19 and mental health, with the mediating role of perceived social support. A survey was conducted among 476 Vietnamese undergraduates, and the data was analyzed using SmartPLS SEM. The result showed that perceived social support mediates the relationship between perception of COVID-19 and mental health. Perceived severity, perceived controllability and knowledge of COVID-19 were directly and positively associated with perceived social support while only knowledge of the disease was found to directly associate with mental health. This study recommended some implications to support undergraduates during pandemic mental stresses and future similar scenarios.