Abstract
The current research aims to investigate the relationship between stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic and mental health outcomes. The Need-Threat Model of social exclusion is implemented to explore the impact of COVID19 as a social exclusion event. Furthermore, social support, social identity, and ethnic identity are explored as mediating variables. A series of Bayesian structural equation models (BSEM) are implemented to explore three hypotheses in a U.S. and Danish college-aged sample. The results of the BSEMs suggest that COVID stress is a significant predictor of lower belongingness, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. These findings are especially impactful for clinicians and university administrators as they address mental health on campus during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.