Argument and Counterargument (Research Blog 9)

 Argument 

In what ways have college students endured trauma throughout the coronavirus pandemic? Are there indications that this will have a lasting impact?

In what ways have college students endured trauma throughout the coronavirus pandemic? 

Lockdown and isolation; loss of college experience; adjustment to new form of learning when the stakes are high (college is expensive, and society tells us its imperative for success in the future); feeling unsafe, that the world is dangerous, and unstable.

Are there indications that this will have a lasting impact?

Yes! In the form of PTSD and psychological conditions like substance abuse, anxiety, and depression.

Counterargument

It could be debated that my case study isn't applicable to what American college students are enduring. China is a country very different than America, with its own pandemic response protocol. Moreover, the article is discussing mental health and every culture has different values/beliefs about the topic. One might argue that the experiences of students in Wuhan are not comparable to the US. However, I'd ultimately disagree because the pandemic impacted every sector of society - people of all races, ages, socioeconomic backgrounds. We all endured global instability and periods of lockdown, Chinese and American alike. At the end of the day, we are all human and react similarly to traumas that we are faced with.

There is not much data on if the pandemic has been beneficial to mental health - mostly because science says that it is not.

Li, Xueyan et al. “COVID-19 Stress and Mental Health of Students in Locked-Down Colleges.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health vol.18, 2 771. 18 Jan. 2021, doi:10.3390/ijerph18020771