A UNIVERSITY’S COVID-19 POLICIES RESULT IN TRAUMA, INSTITUTIONAL BETRAYAL
A study appearing on October 20, 2021 in PLOS ONE, a journal of the Public Library of Science, reveals a continuing pattern of harm and trauma to students dependent on support and protection provided by their educational institution during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Link to article: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0258294
Authored by Alexis Adams-Clark and Jennifer Freyd of the Center for Institutional Courage, this report examined COVID-19 policies in 2020 and 2021 at a major public university in the Pacific Northwest.
Its two surveys of undergraduate students revealed that more than 30% of students surveyed felt that their university created an environment where COVID-19 transmission and safety violations seemed normal. More than 20% cited an environment where continued university attendance was difficult.
In addition, more than 10% of the students reported that the university punished the students for expressing concerns.
The researchers further found that COVID-19-related institutional betrayal was associated with trauma symptoms (even when controlling for gender, prior trauma history, and COVID-19 infection).
“Our study strongly suggests that students are not satisfied with the university’s response and feel betrayed,” said Adams-Clark. She added, “This betrayal creates an additional threat to students’ well-being during the pandemic.”
The authors call on universities to replace institutional betrayal with actions that center the needs of institutional members, to reduce harm and trauma.
About the Authors
Alexis Adams-Clark is a Ph.D. candidate in Psychology at the University of Oregon and a Research Associate at the Center for Institutional Courage. Dr. Jennifer Freyd is Professor Emerit [Not a typo] in Psychology at the University of Oregon, Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in the School of Medicine and Faculty Fellow at the Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford University, and Founder and President of the Center for Institutional Courage.