“Trauma and Self-Care for Students During COVID-19” Emily Barnum (she/her/hers), Ph.D., Tzu-An Hu (he/him/his), Ph.D., and Patricia Ricketts (she/her/hers), Ph.D. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Since COVID-19 began to impact college campuses in the United States in early 2020, students have been undergoing a wide variety of experiences. According to a study done by Active Minds in April 2020, 80% of students reported a negative impact to their mental health and a disruption to their basic self-care and daily routines. Over 90% of these students noted an increase in stress and anxiety levels. Many of our students live with various levels of uncertainty, which can manifest in varying levels of symptoms; including symptoms associated with trauma. In addition to COVID-19, the current administration has discussed potential regulations that threatened to limit international student participation in on-campus study. The impact of these discussions left many international students with various levels of uncertainty about their academic future and left some in fear of leaving the United States to return to their home countries during the summer break. In addition, our international students are experiencing additional traumas related to xenophobia, microaggressions, financial concerns and adjusting to leaving their home countries and arriving to campus for the first time or returning for the Fall 2020 semester. Since the main reason for most international
students to study abroad is the pursuit of higher education, being a student is often one of the most significant identities for them. Hence, any obstacles or setback to their academic progress may be considered a serious threat to their identity as a student, and may lead to stress, anxiety, and even symptoms of trauma. The goal of the current round table is to engage in a discussion of the impact both domestic and international students are having during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants will leave the discussion with an understanding of these traumas and tips of ways to support their students through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zoom ID: 972 4862 8786
Password: DHM20