The Mental Health Crisis of Pandemic Proportions: How College Students Are Living with COVID-19
Dr. Leilani Madrigal, Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) and Kinesiology Professor, is currently recruiting students to participate in a study about how COVID-19 is impacting their mental health. In the study, “The Mental Health Crisis of Pandemic Proportions: How College Students Are Living with COVID-19", Dr. Madrigal is interested in understanding how the pandemic has shaped student psychological well-being, coping mechanisms, and their overall feelings and experiences.
“It’s important to be aware of the mental health crisis that is associated with this pandemic. The cumulative impact of isolation, fear, uncertainty, and economic turmoil due to COVID-19 has really created a sense of psychological distress,” Dr. Madrigal said.
Dr. Madrigal is also interested in examining the intersectionality of mental health and race. It is impossible to assess student mental health during the pandemic, without recognizing how white privilege and the Black Lives Matter movement have shaken the world.
“During this time, COVID-19 experiences are connected with social justice movements like Black Lives Matter, so we are also assessing how white privilege has impacted students and what they need from the university,” Dr. Madrigal said.
Also, a subcomponent of the survey will focus on student-athletes. Anastasia Blevins, a recent graduate of the Master of Science in Kinesiology- Sport and Exercise Psychology option, is interested in how student-athletes are adjusting during the pandemic and what they need during the next academic year and season.
“Student-athletes, like many college students, are undergoing this mental health crisis,” Blevins said. She continued, “Not only have they been uprooted from their structured lives, but they might also experience many losses such as their athletic identity, support systems, and financial stability. Understanding their unique challenges will help us better the systems needed to be in place for the future.”
The hope is that the information gleaned from the survey about mental health, racial inequality, and student-athletes can help guide future programs and workshops at CSULB and other universities. If we can better understand the experiences of students during the pandemic, we can more directly assist their needs.
How to Participate
If you are 18 years or older and currently enrolled at a community college or university, you qualify to take this survey.
The survey takes about 12 minutes to complete and is anonymous. There will also be a follow-up survey that will also last about 12 minutes.
Enter to Win a Raffle Ticket
After completing this survey and the follow-up survey, you will have the opportunity to enter a raffle to win a gift card.
Plus, if you elect to include your email in the follow-up survey, you may be selected for a one-hour follow-up interview and be compensated with an additional gift card.
