Psychosocial Impacts of COVID-19 and Racial Injustice on Undergraduate Research Trainees

Undergraduate research programs (URPs) play an important role in preparing the next cohort of professionals in the health research workforce. URPs also provide continuity and structure during times of stress and uncertainty, like the COVID-19 pandemic and racial reckoning of 2020. This mixed-methods study describes the relationships between student stressors and educational experiences while examining program factors that might have mitigated negative consequences. Participants of an NIH-funded URP, BUILD (Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity), aimed to increase the number of students from underrepresented backgrounds in biomedical and behavioral sciences Ph.D. programs and research careers (N = 45), were surveyed in September 2020 and again in May 2021 to understand their personal, programmatic, and educational-related concerns during the twin pandemic of COVID-19 and racial injustice. Concurrent and longitudinal correlational relationships as well as qualitative data were examined to describe trainee experiences and inform best practices in supporting academic pursuits and well-being. In fall 2020, students reported high levels of mental health and academic concerns. Additionally, there was a wide spectrum of personal needs concerns, and of emotional impacts of anti-Black racism on students. High levels of these concerns and impacts of racial injustice were related to poorer personal resource management and programmatic working relationships, as well as educational and graduation impacts after students completed a virtual academic year. Students continued to feel emotionally and academically impacted by both anti-Asian and anti-Black racism, and a majority also indicated heightened awareness and engagement with racial injustice topics. Finally, results showed that negative early experiences were related to poorer end-of-the-year educational experiences, and in some cases, these relationships were significant only for students with a weaker sense of belonging, resource management skills, or working relationships. Results supported the URPs' importance of developing belongingness, strong working relationships, and personal management skills, which improved students' research and academic success, particularly for those with personal, mental health, and/or academic needs or concerns. Building a network of support and these skill sets as undergraduates may have long-reaching effects to help trainees endure and flourish when faced with future challenges.