How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected students' social and psychological well-being?
Social science researchers at Douglas College have received more than $20,000 to fund research that should help to answer that question.
The project, Learning in Novel Times: Tracing the social impacts of COVID-19 on students, was funded by the iMPACTS Project at McGill University and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
The study is being carried out in partnership with McGill University and is part of the iMPACTS Research Project.
The project explores the social impacts of COVID-19 on students and how the pandemic has affected their emotional, social and psychological health.
Dr. Lisa Smith, sociology professor at Douglas College and one of the directors of the project, said gathering this information is important because it will give institutions an idea of where students need extra supports.
“Voices of students and their experiences need to be heard, especially for marginalized groups during the pandemic who may need additional support and resources to navigate uncertainty and upheaval,” she said.
By surveying hundreds of post-secondary students in the Lower Mainland, the researchers are investigating several areas that intersect with COVID-19, such as online learning, online sexual harassment, cyberbullying, and social and psychological well-being.
Rim Gacimi, lead student research assistant and a bachelor of arts in applied psychology honours student at Douglas College, said she hopes the data will shed light on the kinds of issues students are facing during COVID-19 and allow policymakers and institutions to take preventative measures for future pandemic planning.
“We want to know if students are experiencing specific challenges during the pandemic. Are they reporting higher levels of cyber sexual harassment due to their increased online social interactions? How are students adjusting emotionally and financially? Is general well-being related to harassment? And do these experiences differ based on gender, ethnic background and social class?” said Gacimi.
The data is currently being collected, and the researchers are evaluating the results. The findings are expected to be published in the spring of 2023, and the research team anticipates post-secondary administrators, policymakers, and the public to use the information to help support all post-secondary students.
