A Trauma-Informed Approach to Building College Students' Resilience

War-Related Stress among Israeli College Students Following 7 October 2023 Terror Attack in Israel

BACKGROUND

Warfare represents a significant source of stress in contemporary times, with enduring implications beyond the immediate casualties, fostering a pervasive atmosphere of danger and anxiety within affected populations. The Israel-Hamas war, marked by ongoing armed incursions and missile attacks, stands as a recent example of such turmoil, inflicting widespread trauma and disruption.

METHODS

This study, conducted among students at the Ashkelon Academic College in southern Israel, aimed to investigate the stress levels and associated factors amidst the ongoing conflict. Utilizing a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 625 participants between January and February 2024, approximately four months after the commencement of the initial attack. The survey encompassed demographic information, perceived stress levels, sleep quality, and social media usage.

RESULTS

The findings revealed moderate to high stress levels among participants, with significant differences observed based on gender, parental status, and residency in conflict zones. Moreover, poorer sleep quality was reported among students residing in conflict-affected areas. Regression analysis identified several predictors of elevated stress, including gender, parental status, sleep quality, residency in conflict zones, and social media usage.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings underscore the profound impact of ongoing conflict on college students' mental well-being, highlighting the need for tailored interventions and support services within higher education institutions. The limitations include the study's focus on a specific college population and the timing of the data collection relative to the onset of the war. Nonetheless, this research contributes valuable insights concerning the stress dynamics within the unique context faced by Israeli students amidst ongoing warfare.

Freshmen anxiety and COVID-19: Practical implications from an online intervention for supporting students affected by health inequities

OBJECTIVE

This study explored how college freshmen, particularly those affected by health inequities, are affected by COVID-19 and whether they would use a university-created online wellness intervention for help.

PARTICIPANTS

Nine-hundred and eighty-nine freshmen at a large southeastern university.

METHOD

Students responded to an online survey regarding their anxiety, worry, number of life disruptions, perceived resilience and their use of the online intervention during the pandemic (June to mid-September 2020).

RESULTS

During COVID-19, Latinx, Black, women and non-heterosexual students reported significantly greater worry, daily life disruptions than their non-Latinx, white, male and heterosexual counterparts. Women and non-heterosexual students also reported greater anxiety and less resilience. Additionally, Latinx students reported using the university's online intervention for help during COVID-19 more than others. Overall, freshmen, especially Black and women students, reported the online intervention would help them with struggles.

CONCLUSIONS

Universities should identify unique worries faced by students during a health crisis and provide institutional support. Practical implications are discussed.

Trauma Aware and Anti-Oppressive Arts-Health and Community Arts Practice: Guiding Principles for Facilitating Healing, Health and Wellbeing

There is a growing call for arts-health and community arts professionals to work in 'trauma informed ways' to prevent re-traumatisation and promote healing. This paper reports on a scoping review of existing literature that deal with trauma aware and informed practice and its applications in arts-health and community arts. Trauma informed practice does not seek to target or treat trauma but, rather, seeks to provide a safer and more informed space for people who experience post-traumatic stress conditions and symptoms to engage in facilitated arts activities. We particularly examine the extent to which existing literature acknowledges the presence of oppression-related collective trauma - such as racial trauma - and offers appropriate creative, anti-oppressive and trauma aware practice approaches. A total of 19 articles were included following librarian input and team checking. Included articles were written in English, published in peer reviewed academic journals, included a creative arts component, and adopted an intentional trauma informed or aware approach to practice. An additional three sources were included as part of descriptive synthesis to foreground leading First Nations resources for practice. Although no specific guidelines for trauma aware practice in arts-health or community arts were found, findings are consolidated at the end of the paper to offer interim principles, values and activities for trauma aware and informed practice in arts-health and community arts. Findings can also inform general trauma related research and therapy by highlighting the growing role of arts and creativity in responding to diverse experiences of trauma and its effects.

Adverse childhood experiences and risky behaviors in male college students

Objective: The current study examined associations between ACEs and health-risk behaviors in male college students.Participants:795 men who attended a large southern public university.Method:One-way ANOVA was used to explore whether the ACEs of sexual abuse, exposure to interparental violence, household mental illness, and household substance abuse significantly affected male college students' high risk drinking, number of sexual partners, and/or impulsivity.Results:Sexual abuse was significantly associated with all three measured outcomes and had the strongest associations of all assessed ACEs. Exposure to interparental violence was significantly associated only with number of sexual partners. Household substance abuse was significantly associated with high risk drinking and number of sexual partners. A simple linear regression revealed that for each additional ACE, students in the sample increased their risky behaviors.Conclusions:Results confirm a dose-response between ACEs and negative outcomes. Mindfulness training, policy/funding advocacy, and trauma-informed support are discussed as implications.

Web-Based Physical Activity Interventions to Promote Resilience and Mindfulness Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Study

College students faced unique challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Implementing a physical activity intervention can help support the physical and mental health of college students. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an aerobic-strength training exercise intervention (WeActive) and a mindful exercise intervention (WeMindful) in improving resilience and mindfulness among college students. Seventy-two students from a major public university in the Midwest participated in a two-arm experimental study over the course of ten weeks. One week before and after the 8-week interventions, participants completed the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-15), Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), and demographic and background questionnaire via Qualtrics. Both groups also participated in bi-weekly Peer Coaching sessions, which utilized reflective journaling and goal-setting exercises. ANCOVA showed a significant main effect of time for total mindfulness score (F = 5.177, p < 0.05, η² = 0.070), mindfulness Acting with Awareness (F = 7.321, p < 0.05, η² = 0.096), and mindfulness Non-Judging of Inner Experience (F = 5.467, p < 0.05, η² = 0.073). No significant main effect of group and interaction effects of time with group were observed for the total mindfulness and the five facets of mindfulness as well as resilience. In addition, no significant main effect of time for resilience was found. We conclude that aerobic-strength exercises and mindful yoga exercises, together with reflective journaling, may be effective in increasing mindfulness in the college population.

Helping students cope with adversity: the influence of a web-based intervention on students' self-efficacy and intentions to use wellness-related resources

To investigate the effects of an online wellness intervention on college students' self-efficacy, intentions to seek help, general resilience and whether adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) act as a moderating variable. Participants: Three-hundred and eighty-two undergraduate students. Method: Students were assigned to two conditions: treatment or control. The treatment group participated in an online intervention designed to enhance student wellness, the control group did not. Both groups completed an online questionnaire. Results: Students exposed to the intervention reported greater self-efficacy, a higher likelihood to engage in self-help activities and greater intention to use campus resources. Additionally, among students with more ACEs, those who were exposed to the site were more likely to recommend resources. Conclusion: The online intervention presented here may be an effective tool to reduce barriers for students seeking help for mental health and may increase student wellness.