Background: The post-COVID-19 era has intensified concerns regarding the mental health and academic functioning of university students. Trauma exposure and adverse childhood experiences may increase vulnerability to emotional dysregulation, cognitive difficulties, psychological distress, and impaired academic adjustment.
Objective: This narrative review aims to synthesize recent evidence on the relationship between trauma exposure, cognitive-emotional dysregulation, psychological distress, and academic impairment among university students in the post-COVID-19 era.
Methods: A narrative review of literature published between 2021 and 2026 was conducted using PubMed and Scopus. Priority was given to peer-reviewed empirical studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses examining trauma, adverse childhood experiences, emotion regulation, cognitive or executive functioning, psychological distress, and academic outcomes in university student populations.
Results: The literature suggests that trauma exposure is associated with greater emotional dysregulation, executive functioning difficulties, anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, and reduced academic engagement. Emotional dysregulation appears to represent a key pathway linking trauma-related experiences with psychological distress and academic impairment. Protective factors, including resilience, social support, self-compassion, and adaptive coping, may mitigate these negative outcomes.
Conclusions: Trauma-related cognitive-emotional dysregulation may play an important role in explaining psychological and academic difficulties among university students after COVID-19. These findings highlight the need for trauma-informed, cognitively oriented, and institutionally integrated mental health support within higher education.
Keywords: Trauma; Emotional Dysregulation; Executive Functioning; University Students; COVID-19; Psychological Distress; Academic Impairment; Resilience.
Citation: Konstantopoulou, G. et al., (2026). From Trauma to Academic Impairment: Cognitive-Emotional Dysregulation and Psychological Distress among University Students in the Post-Covid-19 Era. J Psychol Neurosci; 8(3):1-6. DOI : https://doi.org/10.47485/2693-2490.1161