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Graduate Student Journal of Psychology (GSJP), Volume 18, Special Issue 2022 

Perceptions of Lockdown Measures in Response to 
COVID-19 Among UK University Students: A Qualitative 

Analysis 

Rocio Celeste Mejia Avila 
Department of Psychology, University of Westminster

Alison Fixsen 
Department of Psychology, University of Westminster 

Tom Nadarzynkski 
Department of Psychology, University of Westminster 

Young individuals between 20 and 40 years of age have been reported to drive the spread 
of COVID-19. University students are likely part of this group. Perceptions, in 
comparison to personality traits, account for more variance in compliance to measures 
during the pandemic. Different personal and relational factors influence how individuals 
evaluate information and may shape how they perceive their surroundings. Using 
thematic analysis and saliency analysis, this study aims to understand how students 
perceive and experience lockdown, the management of the pandemic, and the implications 
of lockdown. As a result, data will allow for better comprehension of how these perceptions 
may translate to a health context and personal behaviors. Data drawn from semi-
structured interviews with 17 university students based in London revealed a strong 
disagreement with the government’s actions, questioning of lockdown measures, and 
participants’ reflective processes throughout lockdown. Important implications 
concerning the well-being of the public and policymakers’ efforts to manage the pandemic 
are discussed. 

Keywords: coronavirus, COVID-19, perception, preventive measures, students 

COVID-19 is a disease resulting from a zoonotic coronavirus that was first recognized in 
individuals in Wuhan, China after being exposed to a wet market (Perlman, 2020). Cases 
were first reported in late 2019 (Li et al., 2020). By March 2020, the outbreak was declared 
a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) after its quick progression (Lui et 
al., 2020). On August 18, the WHO announced that young people between 20 and 40 years 
old were driving the spread of the virus, as they may not realize they are infected due to 
experiencing mild or no symptoms (WHO, 2020). As of October 27, the United Kingdom 
(UK) was one of the most impacted regions in Europe, where 894,690 confirmed cases and 
44,998 deaths were attributed to COVID-19 within the UK (European Centre for Disease 
Prevention and Control, 2020).

COVID-19 overwhelmed the entire world and urged the institution of social distancing 
measures (Galea et al., 2020). The spread of COVID-19 was reported to be significantly 
lowered by lockdown (Atalan, 2020), but many factors appear to influence adherence to 
quarantine, such as people’s knowledge about measures and the outbreak, social norms, 
feasibility of quarantine, and perceived advantages and perils of quarantine (Webster et 
al., 2020). It has been suggested that the ideal approach towards specifying 
lockdown 

© 2022, Graduate Student Journal of Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University. ALL 
RIGHTS RESERVED. Graduate Journal of Psychology 18, pp-pp. 



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Graduate Student Journal of Psychology

restrictions is to consider the needs of the community which should fit a particular context 
and location (Nazareth et al., 2020).  

Lockdown measures in the UK, this study’s setting, were not announced until March 23, 
even though 335 lives had already been lost to COVID-19 (Iacobucci, 2020). These 
restrictions mandated that people stay at home unless they required medical care, needed 
to exercise, or were engaging in essential travel and shopping (Davies et al., in press). 
Throughout lockdown, the public was advised to wash their hands frequently, wear a face 
covering when outside, and practice social distancing (Public Health England, 2020). On 
June 1, the public was authorized to meet up outdoors with six other individuals (Prime 
Minister’s Office, 2020). However, COVID-19 cases started soaring late in the summer 
after restrictions were relaxed (Davies et al., in press). Although initially the four 
governments in the UK worked together in their response to the pandemic, each country’s 
government planned a different response to the lifting of lockdown (Institute for 
Government, 2020). 

The imposition of lockdowns has impacted university students around the world and 
may have presented them with novel challenges. Rather than focusing on the 
development of skills with a long-term impact, such as effective coping strategies, 
university students have paid more attention to short-term responses that provide instant 
relief to the issues presented by the pandemic (Charissi et al., 2020). Students who 
revealed a surge in gaming behavior were likely to consider gaming a stress-reliever and 
a coping strategy which may prove maladaptive (Singh Balhara et al., 2020). Female 
students were reported to have increased their snacking frequency and caloric intake, 
while the rates of physical activity decreased in both genders (Gallo et al., 2020). In 
comparison to measures taken prior to the pandemic, mental health trajectories worsened, 
which was related to unfulfilled social and emotional needs as well as worries associated 
with the virus (Elmer et al., 2020). Lockdown measures appear to have tradeoffs, but their 
adoption is essential. Nevertheless, adapting to this novel situation may prove to be 
overwhelming and confusing. 

Influential Factors on COVID-19-Related Perceptions 
Health literacy refers to an individual’s capacity to obtain, comprehend and employ 
health-related information (Batterham et al., 2016), as well as the ability to apply analytical 
and decision-making skills in health contexts (Zhang et al., 2014). The global population 
has experienced firsthand a continuous flow of complicated and conflicting information 
regarding COVID-19 when it comes to detecting, preventing, and treating the virus 
(Abdel-Latif, 2020). Given the significant uncertainty surrounding the body of knowledge 
concerning the virus, it proves troublesome to make an adequate interpretation of 
COVID-19 news and official recommendations (Abel & McQueen, 2020). Health literacy 
is also important as it predicts whether individuals will engage in preventive behaviors 
in the COVID-19 pandemic (Gautam et al., 2020). However, health literacy is influenced 
by personal and relational factors (Batterham et al., 2016). To ensure effective health 
literacy, a better understanding of the factors that might be contributing to people’s 
assessment of the management of the pandemic, lockdown measures themselves, and 
individual responses to the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic is required.  

Trust concerns the willingness to allow others to represent oneself because one believes 
they will make sound decisions while considering one’s best interests (Beshi & Kaur, 
2019). The adoption of preventive behaviors in the UK during the previous H1N1 
influenza pandemic was found to be influenced by trust in government officials (Quinn 
et al., 2013), and not much is currently known about university students’ general 



Perceptions of Lockdown Measures in Response to COVID-19 Among UK University Students 

Graduate Student Journal of Psychology 
 

perceptions of trust. Unfortunately, the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic 
poses a challenge when trying to build public trust, which in turn affects the perceived 
severity of the virus and how it is transmitted, willingness to seek information, and the 
likelihood of adopting social distancing (Balog-Way & McComas, 2020). As decision-
making shifts among authorities managing the pandemic crisis, the potential to affect 
public trust increases because the public perceives health and the economy as 
contradictory (Bekker et al., 2020). Additionally, the backtracking and withdrawal of 
scientific findings have the potential to impact science-based policies and can result in the 
politicization of these policies as well (Kreps & Kriner, 2020). Although essential to 
manage the pandemic, building trust in the government might prove to be an arduous 
task for these reasons. 
 
Health beliefs play an important role when fighting the pandemic as well. The British and 
American public hold major misconceptions about COVID-19 (Geldsetzer, 2020). 
Misinformation about COVID-19’s transmission and exposure can be found online, which 
increases confusion, virus transmission, and progression of the virus (Mian & Khan, 2020). 
Conspiracy theories are rampant, and those who support them have been suggested to be 
more likely to disregard the cautionary advice of public health experts concerning the 
gravity of the pandemic (Miller, 2020). University students have been reported to have 
increased rates of beliefs in conspiracy theories (Patsali et al., 2020). A considerable 
endorsement of COVID-19 conspiracy thinking was identified in England, and such 
thinking is linked to reduced compliance to government guidelines and reluctance to get 
tested or vaccinated (Freeman et al., 2020). Current health beliefs may shape how students 
perceive lockdown measures. 
 
The experiences of university students during lockdown might shape their views on the 
implications of the pandemic and lockdown. This experience may prove to be an 
opportunity to foster altruism, especially towards the more disadvantaged. Altruistic 
behaviors in university students have been previously linked with social adaptation and 
happiness (Feng et al., 2020). Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has been suggested 
to worsen health inequalities, and disruption to emergency care services will prove 
detrimental to marginalized groups (Coronini-Cronberg et al., 2020). Mutual aid groups 
have become more prevalent as a result of the pandemic (Van Bavel et al., 2020). However, 
higher education appears to be a barrier to the teaching of health inequalities (Muntaner, 
1999), and individuals with better socioeconomic status in England and Scotland were 
found to be less aware of health inequalities and their repercussions (Davidson et al., 
2006). 
 
Similarly, mental health awareness must be assessed, as lockdown may be isolating. 
COVID-19 psychological morbidity has been linked to university students and those 
under 50 years of age, whereas compliance to measures is more likely in individuals over 
30 and participants scoring low in depression (Solomou & Constantinidou, 2020). Mental 
health awareness in British students has previously been reported to be poor, reflecting 
low levels of mental health literacy (Pinfold et al., 2005). Nevertheless, positive effects 
arising from hardship are possible, which is why fostering resilience may help buffer the 
pandemic’s repercussions (Kalaitzaki et al., 2020). 
 
In situations where behaviors are prompted by fixed guidelines, such as the COVID-19 
pandemic, perceptions account for more variance in compliance than do personality traits 
(Zajenkowski et al., 2020). Given their novelty and intensity, the COVID-19 pandemic, 
lockdown, and quarantine were perceived as disorienting by Greek university students 
(Charissi et al., 2020). Risk perceptions appear to be influenced by multiple factors, 



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Graduate Student Journal of Psychology

including the trust individuals have in science and government officials, degree of 
knowledge about governmental strategy, coming across virus-related information from 
relatives and friends, and firsthand experience with the virus (Dryhurst et al., 2020). In 
certain circumstances, the public’s opinions concerning social distancing as well as social 
isolation prove to be contradictory, as these measures are tied to unfavorable economic 
and social consequences and stigma (Williams et al., 2020). Increased public collaboration 
with restrictions may result from studying how individuals perceive governmental 
responses to COVID-19 (Lazarus et al., 2020)—in this case, lockdown restrictions. At the 
time of this study, research exploring the unique perceptions of university students 
towards lockdown measures, particularly in the UK, is meager. 

Thus, this study aims to explore the perceptions of lockdown measures in university 
students in England by answering three research questions:  

1. What do university students think about lockdown measures being put in place in
England as a response to the pandemic?

2. What is students’ appraisal of lockdown measures?
3. What has been the experience of students throughout lockdown after witnessing

the consequences of the pandemic?

As a result, this study offers insight about the factors influencing university students’ 
perceptions and how these perceptions might translate to a health-related context and 
their behaviors. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in England exploring 
perceptions of lockdown measures among university students.  

Methods 
Design 
A qualitative analysis was chosen, as qualitative research is appropriate for the 
development of strategies to deliver health messages to specific cohorts as well as to 
address the reasoning or motive behind a matter (Coyne et al., 1993). Ethical approval was 
granted for this study by the University of Westminster.  

Participants and Recruitment 
Participants were selected according to specified inclusion criteria: English-speaking male 
and female university students over 18 years of age based in England. Recruitment was 
achieved via purposive and snowball sampling. Initially, recruitment proved difficult 
despite social media usage as is expected in a pandemic. This may have resulted from a 
lack of incentive or reciprocity. Although several students expressed their interest in 
participating in this study, many were working on their dissertations or studying for 
exams when the study was conducted. Students expressed that completing an interview 
would possibly disrupt their schedules. Students also refused to participate due to the 
sensitive nature of the topic, as the virus has had numerous biopsychosocial 
repercussions. Snowballing proved to be a suitable sampling approach, as it made 
recruitment attainable and cost-effective. Recruitment stopped after new participants 
failed to come forward. 

Potential participants were approached in student accommodation facilities in London, 
which house students from different universities, and provided with an overview of the 
study. London was chosen as a recruitment location due to its high rates of COVID-19 
infection and easy access to the diverse student population. Students who showed interest 
were asked to provide their email addresses. After participants participated in semi 
structured interviews, they were asked to share details of the study with their friends, 



Perceptions of Lockdown Measures in Response to COVID-19 Among UK University Students 

Graduate Student Journal of Psychology 
 

along with contact information. Recruitment and data collection took place between May 
31 and June 11, 2020.  
 
Students residing in student halls were recruited by snowball sampling. These were not 
friends of the researcher. This recruitment method was the most appropriate when 
researching lockdown measures and observing social distancing. It is also not the aim of 
qualitative research methods to provide generalizable sampling, but rather to generate 
novel ideas and knowledge that could be translated into a quantitative study. We believe 
that our analysis offers important new findings in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic 
measures and their impact on health and well-being in the student population. 
 
Data Collection  
A participant information sheet and a consent form were sent and returned via email. A 
debrief form with contact information of mental health charities was provided after 
interviews had finished. Consent forms were stored separately from interview transcripts.  
 
Semi-structured interviews were conducted in this qualitative study. The interview 
schedule was developed after reviewing the literature for factors that appeared to play a 
role in the management and impact of previous outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics. 
Questions were kept broad for future contrast and comparison with different cohorts 
while maintaining the lens of this study’s sample. Interviews were conducted via a 
password-protected phone. Consent and interviews were audio-recorded with a 
password-protected recorder. Technical difficulties were often experienced due to 
network congestion as a result of social distancing. Interviews lasted an average of 30 
minutes. The complete interview schedule was covered with each participant.  
 
Interviews were transcribed verbatim in a password-protected computer making use of 
Express Scribe (Version 10.08) transcription software’s variable speed playback feature. 
Completed transcripts were reviewed with the corresponding audio files to ensure 
accuracy. Potentially identifiable information in transcripts was anonymized, and 
participants were given pseudonyms. A separate record was kept noting observations of 
the data throughout the transcription process. This ensured familiarization with the data 
prior to data analysis. 
 
Data Analysis 
Thematic analysis within an experiential framework was utilized to explore participants’ 
viewpoints in relation to their assessment and experience of their surroundings (Clarke & 
Braun, 2013)—in this case, lockdown measures. Thematic analysis was chosen due to its 
ability to explore differing views, produce unforeseen realizations, and emphasize 
likeness and contrasts (Nowell et al., 2017) as well as provide a thorough and nuanced 
report (Vaismoradi et al., 2013). Saliency analysis was employed to examine codes that are 
relevant but not necessarily recurrent in the data to enhance thematic analysis; this proves 
useful when findings are novel, improve comprehension of a topic, and have a real-world 
application (Buetow, 2010). The aforementioned allowed the identification and 
exploration of patterns in students’ perceptions that arose from their experiences of the 
pandemic. 
 
As described by Maguire and Delahunt (2017), a high standard thematic analysis allows 
the identification of themes beyond summarizing the data only. This study looked at the 
latent level of themes by exploring the beliefs and ideas that were considered to shape the 
surface meanings of the data collected. The focal point of the analysis lay in an in-depth 
interpretation of the data (Maguire & Delahunt, 2017). Coding and analysis consisted of 



Avila, Fixsen & Nadarzynski 

Graduate Student Journal of Psychology

seven stages: transcription, familiarization with the data, complete coding, generating 
themes, reviewing themes, establishing and naming themes, and completing the analysis 
and the write-up (Clarke & Braun, 2013). Codes and themes were revisited to ensure they 
reflected the content in the data. Buetow’s (2010) saliency analysis enabled the evaluation 
of both the recurrence and the relevance of coded excerpts. The coded excerpts were 
examined in consideration of these two attributes to decide whether codes should be 
merged and incorporated into existing themes. Consequently, the interrelationships of 
codes were disclosed, codes were not lost, and themes were not overstretched (Buetow, 
2010). See Table 1 for themes and codes used in data analysis. Google Docs was used to 
analyze and organize the data. Data extracts were modified to improve readability, but 
the content remained the same. 

The analysis of data was discussed between co-authors to ensure reliability. The generated 
themes and subthemes were validated through discussion until agreement was reached, 
reflecting the transparency of the analytical method and clarity of the findings. All authors 
were involved in the data analysis stage. The first author coded the transcripts 
independently to generate ideas. These were then discussed with the co-authors to reach 
agreement on the final set of themes.  

Saturation, which specifies that data collection is no longer necessary based on current 
data collection (Saunders et al., 2018), was not reached. As per Nelson (2017), the concept 
of saturation can be problematic in many qualitative studies as there is no consensus about 
its meaning or application. We tested the process of our concept formation in order to 
reach agreement on whether the inductive process of thematic analysis was capable of 
producing novel concepts informing themes and subthemes. In many published research 
studies, 17 participants is justified as an optimal sample size when the depth and range of 
ideas have been sufficiently explored. Using the criteria set out by Guest et al. (2020), we 
believe we reached a new information threshold that allowed us to formulate the findings 
we presented. 

Positionality Statement from the First Author 
The interview process proved somewhat challenging, as sometimes it proved difficult to 
hear that some participants were not complying with lockdown measures or obtaining 
reliable information about the virus. As a health psychology researcher who strictly 
follows social distancing measures due to her belief in their effectiveness, I found some 
participants’ perceptions and beliefs shocking. Nevertheless, participants were always 
encouraged to share their honest opinions. Listening to completely different opinions than 
mine proved to be a learning experience, as I separated my feelings from my research. 
Also, as an introspective individual, it sprung to my attention that despite their struggles, 
participants made sense of their experiences and acknowledged how they had changed 
after experiencing lockdown. Although I had originally thought that all participants 
would share similar views, as they were all in higher education, conducting research on 
this topic helped me understand the complexity of individual perceptions. It was 
fascinating to learn about participants’ perceptions that had not occurred to me before.  

Results 
A total of 17 interviews were analyzed to understand students’ perceptions of lockdown 
measures (see Table 2 for demographic information). All participants were based in 
London. Ages ranged between 18 and 42. Seven participants identified as female and ten 
as male. Participants had different ethnic backgrounds: Asian, Black, Latino, White, and 
Arab. Students were studying at both the undergraduate and postgraduate (master’s and 



Perceptions of Lockdown Measures in Response to COVID-19 Among UK University Students

Graduate Student Journal of Psychology 

Ph.D.) levels and belonged to different schools: social sciences, life sciences, business and 
management, arts, humanities, computer science and engineering, and health sciences.  
Thematic analysis generated three themes: (a) dissatisfaction with the government, (b) views
on the effectiveness of lockdown measures, and (c) lockdown-encouraged reflection. 

Dissatisfaction with the Government 
Dissatisfaction with the government captures the implicit disagreement with the 
government’s efforts to contain the virus, its actions throughout lockdown, and the 
influence of politics over health matters. First, many participants criticized the late 
response to enact lockdown and how lockdown appeared to be relaxed and lenient in 
comparison to other countries, which might have resulted in a high number of deaths. 
Maddie further explained that “Things should not be taken lightly. . . . They didn’t quite 
understand the extent of how hard this could go and even though they were advised by 
people in the WHO, I think they took their advice casually.” Maddie appeared frustrated 
with what seems like an unresponsive decision by the government. Measures in England 
had been advised rather than enforced. Participants noted that guidelines in England are 
more indulgent than those in other countries, which might play a role in the virus’s impact 
in England. As Alexander commented: 

For example, France and Spain or other countries, you have to have a written 
permit, like you have to have a certificate that explains why you’re going outside, 
it’s like there are police, like, everywhere so you kinda get stopped, like you’re 
gonna be questioned of why you’re outside, and does that happen here? No. 

Although Timothy commented that fines were not initially enforced “because [the 
government] has the trust with the public,” Jennifer expressed uneasiness about trusting 
others to “only meet six people at a time or two, three people at a time outside their 
household and not meet, you know, their extended families that they haven’t seen for 
months.” Feelings of ambivalence resulted from the public not being monitored after 
lockdown was relaxed, given that the public’s social needs had been disrupted, which 
may instill the desire to break social distancing.  

Personal behaviors and perceptions also appeared to be influenced by what was identified 
as faults within governmental leadership. The motive behind the support to the NHS was 
questioned as “maybe it was only publicity,” as there seemed to be a lack of evidence to 
demonstrate the tangible support given to them. Further, Arthur remarked, “This whole 
Dominic Cummings thing. . . didn’t help at all. People were saying if he’s not going to be 
punished then what’s the point of us doing this, it’s not one rule for one and one rule for 
another.” In this case, Dominic Cummings, senior aide to the British Prime Minister, broke 
lockdown rules to visit family when his wife had COVID-19 symptoms and lockdown 
measures were strict. Growing frustration was identified given that relevant 
governmental figures were not adhering to the guidelines they provided or being 
punished for their behaviors, which comes across as a double standard. When assessing 
the lifting of lockdown, although several participants agreed that it will prevent the 
downward spiral of the economy, others questioned what this might mean for the public’s 
health. Victoria expressed that “It has stopped being about COVID-19, but rather its 
impact…Now everybody is pushed or asked to probably go out there again to live their 
lives, but we still haven’t dealt with COVID-19…The uncertainties have not been 
answered.” This comment reflects the belief that health is perceived by the government 
as a secondary problem rather than a priority.  

Participants considered that the virus had been politicized, as governmental influences 
had permeated vital information related to COVID-19. As Mason explained, “It seems to 
be so political and point-scoring… There doesn’t seem to be that much evidence, like, 



Avila, Fixsen & Nadarzynski 
 

 Graduate Student Journal of Psychology 
 

based on anything… It seems to be also a political sort of blame in the natural stuff.” 
Participants observed that rather than making sound leadership decisions and addressing 
the virus containment, governmental figures seem to focus on blaming others. This 
constant “blame” in the political realm over the origin of the virus has encouraged the 
spreading of conspiracy theories. For example, Noah, like Sarah, believed that the virus 
“had to be man-made…Somebody did something in China, a certain lab or 
something…Either the Chinese or the U.S.A., somebody has to answer for it… It’s not just 
a natural phenomenon.” Given the extent of the virus’s impact, individuals believe that it 
originated as a bioweapon by a powerful nation. Politicization of the virus was also 
identified by several participants in what they perceived as biased news coverage. Arthur 
commented, “There’s gonna be some influence on what they can and can’t report, 
especially in regards to this conservative government. I don’t think it’s quite overtly, I 
think it’s quite subtle.” Participants stated that the government appears to be pushing 
political agendas by manipulating what is reported to the public. In return, news sources 
are lacking neutrality. 
 
Views on the Effectiveness of Lockdown Measures 
This theme captures how, even when participants were aware of what self-isolation and 
social distancing measures involved, the measures’ clarity, feasibility, and efficacy were 
often put into question. Participants’ health beliefs also appeared to be influential when 
weighing whether the measures were worth adhering to.  
 
Participants frequently described self-isolation as a state of confinement and the limiting 
of social contact with people outside their place of residence. Nevertheless, only a few 
participants mentioned that self-isolation must be practiced when individuals believe 
they have been exposed to COVID-19 or might have the virus themselves, suggesting a 
lack of clarity to the term. For example, Harry stated that “Self-isolation is when you 
voluntarily go and cut every physical connection, you know, because of what was 
happening, with the outside world.” The word “voluntarily” might prove problematic, as 
self-isolation is no longer about containing the spread of the virus. Rather than being the 
corresponding course of action for this given scenario, self-isolation is perceived as a 
choice. Interestingly, self-isolation also appears to have an emotional facet that disrupts 
humans as social beings and might even affect mental health after not being able to engage 
in face-to-face social interaction. Sarah commented: 

I think that self-isolation is a good way to prevent the spread of the virus but it 
hugely affects mental health because, in this situation, patients are in need of 
support, talking to people, even if they can talk over the phone, but support is 
personally more effective. It means nightmare to me because I can’t imagine 
myself self-isolated. 

Tradeoffs were identified wherein one must choose between preserving physical and 
mental health. Well-being appears to be compromised in both scenarios, which might 
make a person feel that no course of action is beneficial. Self-isolation also seems to induce 
dread. Concerning its feasibility, Sophie wondered “if it’s realistic to be practiced by 
everybody…It’s almost impossible to have no contact at all with anybody, just 
considering what you need to do to, like, serve yourself and care for yourself.” The 
feasibility and convenience of self-isolation are questioned, as it would prove disruptive 
to be completely isolated when one does not have anybody providing for their needs.  
 
When it came to social distancing, most participants agreed that, unlike self-isolation, it 
allows you to interact with others face-to-face as long as you maintain a distance from 
others. However, a few participants attributed a degree of vagueness to the term. Gerald 
stated, “Let’s say if you’re in a bus, there’s no way you can maintain two meters of 



Perceptions of Lockdown Measures in Response to COVID-19 Among UK University Students 

Graduate Student Journal of Psychology 
 

distance, it’s not possible so, in such situations, I think the definition has to change.” Social 
distancing can only be practiced “wherever possible,” regardless of participants’ desire to 
follow the measures, because the term is not fitting to every situation. Thus, this ambiguity 
must be addressed. 
 
While other participants described social distancing as strictly physical, some perceived 
it as disruptive in personal aspects. Rather than a preventive measure, it appeared to be 
seen as a political statement by a few participants. Sarah explained that “Social distancing 
means that my freedom is restricted because I think it’s my right to be close to any person 
and I have the right to decide if I want to be close to any people or not.” The belief that 
the government or others are trying to “oppress” them appears to overpower the need to 
protect oneself and others from the virus. These participants would prefer to decide for 
themselves whether they want to engage in social distancing rather than it being an 
official guideline. As he considered safety, Arthur encouraged socially distant 
interactions. He commented: 

I mean, visiting is fine. . . as long as, you know, you do the whole standard stand-
two-meters-away-from-their-house-and-chat-through-the-window or something 
like that… What’s the point of having this social distancing…To a point it’s going 
to ruin your life if you feel lonely. 

Rather than avoiding social interaction altogether, the ideal social distancing approach 
includes following preventive measures and addressing humans’ social nature. To fulfill 
their social needs, some participants mentioned technology usage. Josh said that the virus 
“doesn’t transfer through phone calls or Zoom calls so that’s why we can resort to those 
kinda technological channels, otherwise it’s sad but you have to distance yourself.” This 
signals an active approach to lockdown measures as individuals adapt to the new 
difficulties posed by the pandemic while remaining safe and attributing the lockdown 
measures with their corresponding importance.  
 
Lockdown measures mentioned by participants, who agreed on their validity, included 
handwashing, sanitizing, wearing masks, social distancing, outdoor exercise once a day, 
and avoidance of gatherings. Nonetheless, participants mentioned reasons why they 
might struggle to adhere to them. As Alexander commented, “In the city, you’re gonna 
feel claustrophobic in quarantine even if you’re just, like, out on the street because things 
are so close together so you kinda have this desire to just go out into open spaces and 
live.” The lack of immediate, available space proves to be overwhelming and anxiety-
inducing, especially when having to remain inside for a long period. When residing in 
student accommodation with others who participants were not necessarily roommates 
with, struggles with social distancing were present. Gerald stated, “I make it a point to 
follow whenever I can… I consider these people to be my family…If one of us catches the 
virus it’s gonna spread to all of us because we share communal facilities.” Two aspects 
are highlighted in this comment. Social distancing has an emotional component, wherein 
participants might overrule its necessity as it might come off as callous. Second, a sense 
of helplessness is implicitly expressed. Similarly, Victoria indicated that “With time. . . I 
knew exactly that social distancing would not help me anyway…That didn’t really mean 
that I will not get the virus, because standing two meters away from someone doesn’t 
make you safe.” Social distancing cannot guarantee full protection from the virus, which 
makes one question its purpose.  
 
The virus’s potential impact was not always fully acknowledged. In practice, the measures 
were not perceived by participants as useful or convenient. For instance, Ava stated: 

I haven’t seen evidence that being super aseptic, like, you know, um, religiously 
sanitizing my hands every two minutes works. That doesn’t work. It reduces your 



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 Graduate Student Journal of Psychology 
 

immunity, makes you more susceptible ’cause there is such a thing as being too 
clean.  

 
Health beliefs are used to question and disagree with the soundness of measures, despite 
those measures being issued by an official authority. Additionally, Ed found masks 
troublesome, commenting, “Wearing a mask all the time causes practical difficulties for 
me… My breath just gets onto my glasses and… fogs it… I don’t prefer wearing a mask.” 
The inconvenience of wearing a mask is emphasized and renders the mask an inefficient 
measure. 
 
Lockdown-Encouraged Reflection 
Lockdown encouraged reflection indicates that although the pandemic has had serious 
repercussions that will possibly remain and prevent a complete return to pre-pandemic 
conditions, participants came to favorable realizations after witnessing the aftermath of 
lockdown, which raised awareness to relevant issues concerning individuals and society. 
The prominence of inequalities in society was identified. Those without financial security 
were frequently cited to be one of the most affected groups, which appeared to shock 
many, including Christina: 

I don’t have to worry about being able to afford basic things like food and water 
and things like that, but it’s come to my attention that some people, when out of a 
job, have to worry about that, like to a great extent and that can be very scary. 

The pandemic allowed participants to break the distance with this persisting issue as the 
existence of poverty and its accompanying struggles were revealed and acknowledged by 
participants. Luke emphasized that poverty prevents access to a COVID-19 vaccine and 
health care, which must be made “accessible to everyone… You can’t solve problems like 
that, much less a global problem like that… Basic needs should be accessible to everyone.” 
This comment explains the complexity of fighting any global crisis, where the less 
privileged are often forgotten or overlooked, which could potentially perpetuate the crisis, 
especially if a vaccine is not made available to everyone. Gerald commented that 
“Lockdowns have their dignity until and only if people follow it… They’re fed up, people 
are like, ‘If we’re gonna die, we’re gonna die anyway, we don’t wanna die of hunger.’” 
Participants observed that some individuals found themselves in the difficult position of 
choosing whether they want to remain healthy or starve to death due to how impractical 
remaining at home is for some. In turn, people might not follow the measures due to these 
reasons. Noah highlighted the intricacy of lockdown by saying that “Those who would 
depend on, like, hand-to-mouth. . . cannot get any sustenance checks ’cause they’re not 
on any jobs that qualify for that, but. . . they still need to be in lockdown and just survive 
until the end of all this.” Adhering to lockdown measures may add tremendous pressure 
for some individuals, as lockdown measures prevent them from fulfilling their most basic 
needs. 
 
The importance of mental health, another valuable need, and the desire to treasure it was 
often mentioned by participants and reflected upon in these difficult times. As a result of 
his struggles throughout lockdown, Ed now believes in mental health: 

I always thought of mental health as something that, for example, when people 
used to complain of panic attacks at night, I used to think they are just being 
overdramatic. . . until I went through that. I realized how important mental health 
is… I think that has been one thing that I will definitely take for a lifetime. 

After experiencing psychological difficulties as a result of lockdown measures, views 
shifted as the importance of mental health was acknowledged. These experiences appear 
to have fostered empathy towards those struggling with mental health and taught a 
valuable lesson to preserve mental well-being even after lockdown. Sarah stated that 



Perceptions of Lockdown Measures in Response to COVID-19 Among UK University Students 

Graduate Student Journal of Psychology 
 

mental health issues “had started before the lockdown, not because of the lockdown, so 
we have to take care of our mental health and normalize it in lockdown.” This comment 
highlights how preexisting mental health problems were exacerbated by lockdown and 
should be considered a relevant problem to target during lockdown. Detrimental effects 
on mental well-being caused by an overload of information were also mentioned by some 
participants. Noah commented, “In recent times, I haven’t been too in-depth because I’m 
trying to maintain my peace and too much news at a time just brings anxiety.” The 
constant flow of news reporting the repercussions from the pandemic negatively impacts 
the well-being of participants, which prevents them from accessing news channels 
altogether. Likewise, Victoria stated, “It’s more of what information do I need to have in 
my mind or store in my mind.” Although staying informed is beneficial, well-being was 
prioritized, and its importance acknowledged. 
  
Besides valuing mental health, participants discussed a newfound appreciation of life and 
demonstrated personal growth. Lockdown provided more leisure and encouraged them 
to reflect on their lives. Harry commented, “Many things are not necessary at all and 
actually your life can be even better because you can focus on other stuff that are actually 
important, like personal ruin, like building relationships… ” Being materialistic is deemed 
worthless, whereas building emotional connection and personal growth are priceless and 
more fulfilling at a spiritual level. Gerald stated, “My parents have some sort of 
underlying health conditions… This lockdown has made me realize their importance in 
my life even more so now I value the time we spend together.” Given the health risk that 
the virus poses for some families, some realized that their time together is finite, and this 
made them more mindful about cherishing each other’s company. Perceptions appear to 
have evolved after lockdown. 
 
Discussion 
Participants expressed a sense of discontent with how the government has managed the 
pandemic, questioned the effectiveness of the lockdown measures, and voiced the 
realizations they attained as a product of their lockdown experience.  
 
A strong disagreement towards governmental decisions, lockdown measures, and 
political figures was expressed, resulting in feelings of distrust, uncertainty, and 
frustration as well as painting a picture of an unresponsive government. When lockdown 
was first announced, confidence in the government rose, but after the government 
announced on May 10 that the country would reopen again, confidence levels have 
remained low (Fancourt et al., 2020). After Dominic Cummings, senior aide to the prime 
minster, broke lockdown rules, experts stated that the UK mismanagement of this event 
damaged public health messaging, efforts to build trust with the public, and the public’s 
adherence to measures (Mahase, 2020). This might suggest that participants may feel 
conflicted on whether the government has their best interests in mind, as they disagree 
with the management of the pandemic. It may prove useful to improve confidence among 
the public to focus on what really is important during the pandemic, alleviating its 
consequences and following advised guidelines. In former pandemics, trust in the 
government has been linked to adherence to advised health measures (Sibley et al., 2020). 
Interestingly, in contrast to prior research, UK individuals with low trust in the 
government and who considered themselves low risk followed the advised COVID-19 
measures to a great extent (Williams et al., 2020). Given that the COVID-19 pandemic 
proves to be a situation unlike others, more research is needed in this area.  
 
Although they held the government accountable for the repercussions of the pandemic, 
participants were aware of the purpose of the advised measures but still questioned their 



Avila, Fixsen & Nadarzynski 
 

 Graduate Student Journal of Psychology 
 

effectiveness, feasibility, and clarity, which might have an impact on participants’ 
engagement in appropriate health behaviors. Although it is possible that they held these 
beliefs due to misinformation, perceiving COVID-19 measures as effective did not 
influence compliance in the UK; however, evidence from Hong Kong has demonstrated 
that perceived effectiveness relates to the adoption of measures (Atchison et al., 2021). 
This may be explained by attitudes towards morality and justice. The advocacy for social 
distancing measures demonstrated by some individuals may showcase their willingness 
to self-sacrifice for the collective good, including the protection of healthcare services 
(Gollwitzer et al., 2020). It is possible that cultural background may play a role in these 
perceptions. Additionally, perceived barriers decrease adherence rates to preventive 
measures (Shahnazi et al., 2020). Previously, participants had reported that social 
distancing information in the UK was ambiguous (Williams et al., 2020), which was also 
expressed in the current study. Perceived barriers can also concern inconvenience and 
emotional upset (Jose et al., 2020), as described in this study. Kim and Kim (2020) found 
that the commonalities surrounding varied responses to measures included that measures 
were not official recommendations, were hard to engage in, and were demanding. 
Therefore, they suggest that behavioral habits and efforts to adopt preventive measures 
must be considered when promoting strategies to the public.  
 
After participants witnessed the consequences of the pandemic and lockdown, they 
shared the impact these experiences have had on them. Participants acknowledged 
inequalities as a result of the economic impact of lockdown. This has significant 
implications, as the awareness and positions of the general public contribute to and 
influence political will (Shankardass et al., 2012), which may lead to a development in the 
health equity agenda, and in turn, reaffirm the public’s perception of the government’s 
responsiveness and trust. Participants also reported a newfound appreciation for mental 
health and deep introspection about their relationships and materialism. The mental 
health of UK university students has been reported to be impaired throughout lockdown 
(Savage et al., 2020). However, a positive impression on mental health under similar 
circumstances has previously been reported after the SARS epidemic and was suggested 
to act as a “cushion” against its repercussions (Lau et al., 200). This suggests protective 
effects to individuals’ well-being during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, 
the lasting impact of the pandemic on students’ well-being remains unknown and 
requires more research. Altogether, in support of Batterham and colleagues (2016), 
participants’ ability to use and apply health-related information appeared to be strongly 
influenced by personal beliefs, emotions, and experiences that shaped how they perceived 
lockdown. 
 
Strengths and Weaknesses 
Overall, the findings from this study prove useful to educationists in understanding the 
impact of the pandemic in university students and what a return to academic facilities 
might involve regarding their health behaviors and beliefs. Findings are also helpful for 
policymakers, as insight is provided about the factors that must be considered to improve 
efforts to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and future outbreaks as well as to cater to the 
public’s needs. This is the first study to date that explores the perceptions of lockdown 
measures in England from the perspective of university students. The study shares a 
detailed and real-time account of the perceptions of students when they were 
experiencing lockdown, rather than after the pandemic had ended, which would 
potentially have influenced the memory of their experiences. Given that information on 
COVID-19 is constantly changing, the views and perceptions of individuals might change 
accordingly, so the context of the study is essential when interpreting the findings.  
 



Perceptions of Lockdown Measures in Response to COVID-19 Among UK University Students

Graduate Student Journal of Psychology 

Additionally, the sample included international students, meaning that participants have 
different cultural backgrounds, which may influence their perceptions. Previous research 
has demonstrated that the relationship between negative affect and health varies among 
cultures (Curhan et al., 2014). Similarly, individualistic and collectivistic logic influence 
individual behavior and decision-making (Airhihenbuwa et al., 2020), and these factors 
were not considered in the study. Nevertheless, the inclusion of international students 
was deemed suitable, as this study focused on conducting an in-depth exploration of 
participants’ perceptions of a shared, distinct phenomenon at a time where all participants 
were students and resident in London. Testing whether cultural factors may influence 
pandemic-related perceptions is out of the scope of the current study, and a quantitative 
study may be more fitting to isolate these variables and ensure the representativeness of 
findings. London is also a relatively liberal area where residents might feel more inclined 
to question the government’s actions, in comparison to more conservative regions in 
England prone to agree with the government’s decisions. Lastly, the length of interviews 
varied, as some students were busy with their schoolwork.  

Saturation was not reached. This may be attributed to different reasons. A few 
participants were unforthcoming, which may have been a result of the sensitive nature of 
the topic. Therefore, participants may have held back their opinions. The small sample 
size may explain the inability to reach saturation, and more participants were most likely 
needed. Difficulties were also experienced in recruitment efforts (as described in 
Methods). This study’s sampling method (snowball sampling) enabled the recruitment of 
participants in a timely manner. Building rapport with participants was easy, as they had 
a desire to share their experiences. However, the disadvantages of snowball sampling 
must be discussed. Snowball sampling employs a nonrandom participant selection that is 
based on the subjective assessments of other participants, whose reasons for referring 
others may not be readily available to the researcher (Johnson, 2005). There may be a 
potential sampling bias that could influence the results. Individuals who did not 
volunteer to participate may have held different perceptions than those reported. These 
limitations must be considered when interpreting this study’s conclusions.  

Future Research 
Future research should explore the perceptions and experiences of cohorts that were 
immediately affected by the virus, such as those who experienced financial struggles or 
were above 65 years of age, as their perceptions might differ. A few students mentioned 
their struggle to adapt to an online educational environment. It might be worth exploring 
the impact of the pandemic on educational endeavors. Also, the experience of lockdown 
was speculated to be different in the city than in the countryside by a participant. A future 
study might explore the relationship between well-being and the availability of 
immediate space when having to remain at home for long periods as a result of a health 
crisis.  

Conclusion 
Altogether, participants’ perceptions of the lockdown measures were found to be 
influenced by their personal beliefs, experiences, and emotions resulting from the 
lockdown. It appears that participants were not satisfied with government efforts to 
manage the pandemic, which may have diminished their confidence in the government 
as an institution. More research in this area is required, as the literature is divided on the 
effects of low trust in the government on compliance (Sibley et al., 2020; Williams et al., 
2020). The feasibility, effectiveness, and clarity of lockdown measures were questioned, 
which may be attributed to attitudes towards justice and morality, as well as participants’ 
perceived barriers. These factors may impact adherence to measures. A heightened 



Graduate Student Journal of Psychology 

Avila, Fixsen & Nadarzynski 

awareness of relevant matters was also displayed by participants, which has the potential 
to foster well-being and change in themselves and the community. Finally, this study 
provided insight into university students’ perceptions, which educationists and 
policymakers might find useful to improve efforts to manage the current pandemic and 
its repercussions. 

Acknowledgements  
The authors declare no conflict of interest associated with the publication, and no 
significant financial support for this work that could have influenced its outcome.   

Correspondence to this article should be addressed to Tom Nadarzynski, Department of 
Psychology, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish St, London, W1W 6UW, 
England. Email: T.Nadarzynski@westminster.ac.uk 

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Appendix 

Table 1 
Themes and Codes Used in Data Analysis 
Theme: 
Dissatisfaction with 
the government 

Describes participants’ lack of approval for the government’s 
decision in the pandemic and lockdown & their influence over 
health-related matters 

Codes Description of content Example 

Disagreement with 
government’s actions 

Reference to the implicit 
disagreement expressed 
with the government’s 
efforts and actions in the 
pandemic 

“They could've been a bit serious 
about this and they could've 
applied these lockdown measures 
maybe two or three weeks earlier 
than they did”[c1] 

Late response from 
the government 

Reference to how late the 
government was to put 
lockdown measures into 
place in comparison to 
other countries  

“UK was so late in applying or 
enforcing the lockdown and now, 
they are late as well in easing 
down the lockdown, erh, because 
erh europe countries have started 
to already open shops” 

Relaxed lockdown 
measures 

Reference to how 
permissive lockdown 
measures are in England 
and the negative impact it 
has led to 

“It could've been more restricted, 
like more strict, um, earlier on 
because it's been a bit lax, like 
more lax than other countries so 
obviously there have been more 
deaths” 

Government’s 
enforcement of 
measures 

Reference to how lenient 
the government appears 

“Especially compared to my home 
country, it's a lot more relaxed so I 
don't know if it was necessarily 



Perceptions of Lockdown Measures in Response to COVID-19 Among UK University Students

Graduate Student Journal of Psychology 

with the enforcement of 
measures, or lack thereof 

responding to the scale of the 
pandemic” 

Importance of 
effective 
governmental 
leadership 

Reference to 
governmental figures not 
acting accordingly to the 
best interest of the public 

“Had it not been the prime 
minister himself eventually got 
affected by the virus, certain 
things might have never been put 
in place” 

Misinformed 
decisions from the 
government 

Reference to how the 
government did not give 
the pandemic enough 
importance as they should 
have done 

“It was their inefficiency, they 
could've done so many things 
beforehand but didn't do it” 

Politicization of the 
virus 

Reference to the virus 
being used to push a 
certain political agenda 

“A lot of the political leaders sort 
of mainly between America and 
China trying to blame, 
particularly America trying to 
blame China for the virus and 
also sort of criticizing the World 
Health Organization”  

Acknowledgment of 
bias in news 

Reference to participant’s 
awareness of the lack of 
neutrality in the news 
which is influenced by 
politics 

“It's quite difficult but um you 
wanna try and get the most 
neutral so that you can transform 
your own ideas in something 
that's not sort of clouded by such 
nationalistic sentiment or so much 
propaganda”  

Theme: Views on the 
effectiveness of 
lockdown measures 

Describes participant’s criticisms towards the efficacy and 
practicality of preventive measures as well as the measures’ 
lack of clarity 

Codes Description of Content Example 

Facets of self-
isolation  

Reference to participant’s 
interpretations of self-
isolation which included 
perceptions outside of the 
standard definition  

“It means you are isolating 
yourself from other people but 
emotionally, nobody wants to do 
that, that's against our human 
nature.We as humans were made 
to be in community” 

Facets of social 
distancing 

Reference to participants’ 
interpretations of social 
distancing which included 

“That goes broader than just 
being physically separated, in my 
case it's more like, also, 
emotionally separated” 



Avila, Fixsen & Nadarzynski 
 

 Graduate Student Journal of Psychology 
 

perceptions outside of the 
standard definition 

Humans as social 
beings 

Reference to the 
disruption that lockdown 
measures have imposed in 
people’s social lives 

“You have to be so mindful, if you 
are going to social distance. In a 
way, it's such, again, an unnatural 
thing, like who talks to someone 
two meters away?” 

Compliance to an 
extent 

Reference to participant’s 
admissions that they 
would not always follow 
lockdown measures and 
their justifications for 
doing so due to different 
factors  

“I felt like if I needed to wear [a 
face mask] around them that I 
was going to be wearing it 
anywhere except for inside my 
room but I just felt like it was 
more because it was a burden” 
  

‘Guideline’ provides 
choice 

Reference to participants’ 
statements where they 
only followed the 
measures in certain 
scenarios after making 
their personal assessments 

“I haven't seen evidence that 
supports myself as an 
asymptomatic and an infected 
person using a mask so I haven't 
used a face mask” 

Misunderstanding of 
the virus  

Reference to the lack of 
awareness of the extent of 
impact of the virus 

“Ah social distancing, I think if 
we wear a face mask, it doesn't 
matter if we are in social distance 
or not” 

 
Theme: Lockdown 
encouraged 
reflection 

 
Describes how participants experienced advantageous 
realizations that may potentially benefit them and society as a 
whole  

Codes Description of Content Example 

Awareness of 
inequality  

Reference to how 
apparent inequalities have 
become as a product of 
lockdown 

“The people that are most affected 
are gonna be those who are most 
marginalized, the lowest income, 
people from groups who already 
have the most limited access to 
healthcare” 

Impact dependent on 
unemployment and 
finances 

Reference to how the 
impact of the virus does 
not only concern health 
but also finances 

“Getting people back to work I 
think was quite good because a 
lot of people also lost their jobs” 

No financial support 
for the poverty 
stricken 

Reference to the lack of 
support to those who are 
disadvantaged in our 
society 

“Because of lack of shelter and 
because it makes [those who are 
homeless] more prone to 
acquiring the virus so being out in 
the open just makes them more 



Perceptions of Lockdown Measures in Response to COVID-19 Among UK University Students 

Graduate Student Journal of Psychology 
 

vulnerable to catching the 
disease” 

Awareness of mental 
health importance 

Reference to participants’ 
beneficial discussion of 
mental health and its 
significance 

“Like I said, trying to use 
technology as much as possible to 
make sure that I am still in contact 
with other people which is very 
important for my mental health” 

Lockdown 
encouraged 
introspection 

Reference to how 
participants reflected 
upon their lives and 
values throughout 
lockdown  

“For me in a personal level, I've 
had a lot of time to spend on 
myself which I never used to do 
earlier and I've had lot of time to 
introspect my own life, introspect 
what I'm doing” 

Newfound 
appreciation of 
connection 

Reference to the 
realization of how 
meaningful and important 
relationships are 

“I think people are gonna be more 
considerate of each other. I think 
people are gonna enjoy hugs more 
often, people are going to really 
value each other and not take for 
granted physical touch” 

Newfound 
appreciation of life 

Reference to participants’ 
acknowledgment of 
having prioritized 
unimportant, materialistic 
things 

“They might find that there's 
generally more to life than full 
shelves of clothing” 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Avila, Fixsen & Nadarzynski 

Graduate Student Journal of Psychology

Table 2
Demographic Information of University Students Participating in the Study 
Name Age Gender Ethnicity Course type School of 

Alexander 18-26 Male White Postgraduate Arts

Arthur 27-35 Male White Postgraduate Social Sciences

Ava 36-42 Female Black Postgraduate Health Sciences

Christina 18-26 Female Asian Undergraduate Social Sciences

Ed 27-35 Male Asian Postgraduate Health Sciences

Gerald 27-35 Male Asian Postgraduate Computer Science &
Engineering 

Harry 18-26 Male Latino Undergraduate Arts

Jennifer 27-35 Female Black Postgraduate Social Sciences

Josh 18-26 Male Asian Postgraduate Business & Management

Luke 18-26 Male Asian Undergraduate Computer Science &
Engineering 

Maddie 18-26 Female Asian Undergraduate Social Sciences

Mason 18-26 Male White Postgraduate Social Sciences

Noah 18-26 Male Black Postgraduate Computer Science &
Engineering 

Sarah 27-35 Female Arab Postgraduate Life Sciences

Sophie 18-26 Female Arab Postgraduate Humanities

Timothy 27-35 Male Arab Postgraduate Computer Science &
Engineering 

Victoria 27-35 Female Black Postgraduate Life Sciences




