Unseen scars: Exploring the mental health challenges of Black college students in the dual contexts of racial violence and the COVID-19 crisis

Abstract

The term “dual pandemics” refers to the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing systemic racism faced by Black Americans, highlighted by police killings during COVID-19. This study aimed to understand how these dual pandemics impacted Black college students’ mental health. Data from 102 participants over 18 years of age was collected via an open-ended qualitative question on Qualtrics and analyzed using thematic analysis. Three themes emerged: 1) Cognitive, emotional, and physiological reactions to the killings, 2) Increased awareness of racial insensitivity and cruelty, and 3) Increased distrust of systems. The findings provide insight into how the dual pandemics exacerbate existing disparities, systemic trauma, and stress for Black college students, underscoring the urgent need for systemic change. We advocate for racial trauma-informed mental health support in response to police violence.

Keywords

Black college students COVID-19 dual pandemics mental health police killings systemic racism

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