Dis/Abled Student Campusmaking: Sites of New Possibility

Scholars have attempted to reveal the structural barriers that dis/abled students cope with and navigate during college, but it remains unclear how these students interpret their experiences on campus and what strategies they employ to manage and respond to unsupportive and hostile campus climates. In this paper, we describe freedom movements that sought to secure equal access to opportunities and rights for people with dis/abilities, and we highlight and explain forms of resistance among d/Deaf and dis/abled postsecondary students. To do so, we draw on dis/ability critical race theory and also advance the concept of campusmaking, which refers to the ways that students navigate complex campus spaces and create sites of togetherness and resistance. We discuss broader structural and climate issues facing college students with dis/abilities, particularly those who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color. In so doing, we gain insight into dis/abled student campusmaking amid and in spite of ableist and racist postsecondary contexts. We conclude with a discussion of the gaps in existing research and the questions that warrant further study.

Examining Relationship-Level Predictors of Individual-Level Health in Long Distance Relationships

Long distance relationships (LDR) are increasingly common, particularly among postsecondary students. The geographic separation inherent in LDR, and related relationship factors, may have implications for the health of individuals in LDR. However, little current work examines these potential associations. The current study examined associations between relationship-level predictors (satisfaction, stress, maintenance) and individual-level health (e.g., anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, fatigue) and health behaviors (e.g., alcohol and cigarette use, sex) in LDR. Participants ( N = 100) were postsecondary students and romantic partners of postsecondary students, recruited from October 2018–June 2019, who completed an online survey on relationships and health. Here, we report sample characteristics; correlations between key study variables; and, results of stepwise hierarchical regressions testing whether relationship-level variables predicted individual-level health. Results indicated that relationship satisfaction and relationship stress predicted self-reported health in multiple domains, in the expected directions; but, neither relationship satisfaction nor relationship stress predicted health behaviors. Relationship maintenance predicted neither self-reported health nor health behaviors. Overall, some, but not all, relationship-level variables influenced some, but not all, individual-level health variables among postsecondary students and partners of postsecondary students in LDR. Future work can clarify relationship-level predictors of individual-level health behaviors in postsecondary students, among whom LDR are prevalent.

The Impact of Transitions, a Mental Health Literacy Intervention With Embedded Life Skills for Postsecondary Students: Preliminary Findings From a Naturalistic Cohort Study

Objective Mental illness is a common medical condition to onset during adolescence. Young people who leave for postsecondary life are at an especially challenging period of lifetime when many will leave home and familiar environments for prolonged periods of time. These new circumstances may put young people at risk of developing mental health problems or disorders or exacerbate existing mental disorders. Alternatively, some young people may misinterpret the normal negative emotional states occurring as a result of these new challenges as a mental disorder requiring professional intervention. We conducted a quasiexperimental cohort study to investigate the effectiveness of a mental health literacy intervention Transitions with blended life skills to address these challenges for first-year postsecondary students. Methods Students ( n = 2,397) from five Canadian postsecondary institutions were assigned to the intervention or the control group and were administered a survey at baseline, postintervention, and at 2-month follow-up (September 2017 to February 2018). We applied generalized linear mixed effects (PROC Mixed procedure) to test the between-group difference in the post—pre/follow-up—pre and to determine the predicted least-square mean values. Results The findings showed that students who were exposed to the Transitions intervention significantly improved their mental health knowledge, decreased stigma against mental illness, improved help-seeking attitudes and behaviours, and decreased perceived stress when compared to students who had not been exposed to the intervention. However, we did not identify significant changes in general health. This may be due to the relatively short follow-up time (2 months) to determine participants’ general health status. Conclusions Transitions delivered to first-year postsecondary students may be a beneficial intervention to help young people adjust to their new postsecondary life and improve their mental health.

Staying Home, Staying Alive: Campus Food Pantry Student Clients’ Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In response to students’ food insecurity, a number of colleges and universities have taken action and established campus food pantries as part of their intervention plans. However, many of these pantries ceased operation due to COVID-19 campus shutdowns. The purpose of this study is to illustrate the short-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on postsecondary students, who use a university-provided food pantry. Drawing from semi-structured interviews with 12 participants, the thematic analysis explored the initial coping strategies these students used to endure the pandemic. Findings revealed that many students experienced the immediate effects of the pandemic in the form of income loss, self-isolation, anxiety, and appetite change. Although the pandemic interrupted these students’ journeys to continue their studies and become independent in various ways, the affected students implemented various coping strategies, including seeking help from family or friends, using available resources, cooking at home, and even trying to save money. However, considering that the targeted population in this study was already at risk because of their basic needs insecurity, these postsecondary students require extra attention from their higher education institutions in the case of emergencies, such as a global pandemic. In addition to its timely and relevant findings, this study provides important avenues for future research and intervention efforts.