Factors contributing to the presence of depression in an online distance learner: a systematic review

Studies show that online learners are depressed when committing themselves to online learning. However, little data are available about the factors that contribute to the presence of depression. This study aims to reveal the factors by conducting a systematic literature review on six online databases. Based on the review, this study has found that the factors could be categorised into poor perception of online learning mode, infrastructure, resources and support issues, personal weakness and problem, and the COVID-19 phenomenon. Given the findings, the COVID-19 phenomenon interestingly seemed to be the main factor and should be further investigated in the future.