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Coping Strategies and Help-Seeking Behaviors of College Students and Postdoctoral Fellows with Disabilities or Pre-Existing Conditions during COVID-19

Author

Listed:
  • Caro Wolfner

    (Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA)

  • Corilyn Ott

    (Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA)

  • Kalani Upshaw

    (School of Health Professions, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA)

  • Angela Stowe

    (Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
    Student Counseling Services, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA)

  • Lisa Schwiebert

    (Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
    The Graduate School, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA)

  • Robin Gaines Lanzi

    (Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a global and multifaceted impact on public health. Marginalized and vulnerable populations, such as college students and postdoctoral fellows with disabilities or pre-existing conditions, are being disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Various barriers contribute to an individual’s intentions to seek mental health help, but with COVID-19’s unprecedented permeability, more research is needed to support this student population. This phenomenological study explored the coping strategies and help-seeking behaviors of college students and postdoctoral fellows with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using semi-structured, in-depth interviews from fall 2020 (n = 36) and spring 2021 (n = 28), a thematic analysis was conducted. The Transactional Model of Stress and Coping was used to triangulate findings, to better understand the relationship between perceived stressors, coping mechanisms, and psychological outcomes. The findings show that (1) college students with disabilities coped in multiple ways (i.e., behavioral, relational, and mental), with some noting improvements in their coping abilities by spring, and (2) stigma prevented college students with disabilities from seeking help when needed. These findings emphasize the need for higher education to address ableism and use factors beneficial to fostering resiliency (i.e., social support, optimism, and self-advocacy) among college students with disabilities.

Suggested Citation

  • Caro Wolfner & Corilyn Ott & Kalani Upshaw & Angela Stowe & Lisa Schwiebert & Robin Gaines Lanzi, 2023. "Coping Strategies and Help-Seeking Behaviors of College Students and Postdoctoral Fellows with Disabilities or Pre-Existing Conditions during COVID-19," Disabilities, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-25, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jdisab:v:3:y:2023:i:1:p:6-86:d:1061490
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gaddis, S. Michael & Ramirez, Daniel & Hernandez, Erik L., 2018. "Contextualizing public stigma: Endorsed mental health treatment stigma on college and university campuses," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 183-191.
    2. Mojtaba Vaismoradi & Hannele Turunen & Terese Bondas, 2013. "Content analysis and thematic analysis: Implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(3), pages 398-405, September.
    3. Mikyong Minsun Kim & Elisabeth Louise Kutscher, 2021. "College Students with Disabilities: Factors Influencing Growth in Academic Ability and Confidence," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 62(3), pages 309-331, May.
    4. Sheela Sundarasen & Karuthan Chinna & Kamilah Kamaludin & Mohammad Nurunnabi & Gul Mohammad Baloch & Heba Bakr Khoshaim & Syed Far Abid Hossain & Areej Sukayt, 2020. "Psychological Impact of COVID-19 and Lockdown among University Students in Malaysia: Implications and Policy Recommendations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-13, August.
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