A Fuzzy Logic Based Novel Tool to Assess the Impact of Online Learning on Mental Health of Students During Covid-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a global shift in education as schools and universities moved from traditional in-person learning to online platforms. Although online education allowed for academic continuity, it also introduced new stressors, which significantly impacted the mental health of students. Isolation, excessive screen time, altered routines, and a lack of physical interaction have contributed to increased anxiety, disrupted sleep, and various behavioural challenges among students. To tackle these challenges, this paper proposes a fuzzy logic-based tool to assess the mental health of students during the pandemic. In this work, data collected from the students of three different universities in Northern India were used as the model’s input. The primary prioritized inputs based on academic, psychological, and behavioural responses of the students under stress are determined through a comprehensive survey. These inputs include changes in academic performance, behavioural changes, changes in concentration level, covidphobia, and sleep–wake disorder. Using these inputs, this tool presents the mental health status of the students in output classes viz., no stress, mild, moderate, and severe stress. It has further been validated by a psychiatrist through a test group of 50 students. This graphical user interface-driven real-time model may also assist medical professionals, parents, and teachers from non-technical backgrounds in analyzing the mental health status of the students.