Student mental health during Summer 2022 research experiences for undergraduates (REUs): Mentorship, remote engagement, and COVID-19

Abstract

Objective: We examined how mentorship, remote participation, and COVID-19 challenges were associated with the mental health of college students participating in summer research programs. Participants: Participants were students participating in 78 National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) Sites during Summer 2022 (n = 516 students). Methods: We used multivariable generalized estimating equations that account for clustering by REU Site. Results: Students with more competent mentors had reduced depression severity. Students who spent ≥25% of their time doing remote research or ≥25% of their time in remote meetings and workshops had greater depression severity. Remote research was also associated with anxiety severity. Having a COVID-19 challenge that impacted students’ research experience was associated with increases in depression and anxiety severity. Conclusions: Results suggest potential interventions: implement strategies to boost mentor competency and scaffold a support system into summer research programs to enhance student wellbeing. Additional research on remote engagement is needed.

Keywords:

• Anxiety
• COVID-19
• depression
• mentorship
• National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites
• remote research
• summer undergraduate research experiences (SUREs)

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the program directors who partnered with us for Mentor-Relate. They are thankful for the students who took the time to complete the survey. And they recognize Natalie Fortman and Morgan Mercadante at Worcester State University who helped administer the survey.

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States and received approval from the Institutional Review Boards at the University of Utah and Worcester State University.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The Mentor-Relate study was approved by IRB boards at the University of Utah and Worchester State University (#152679; # 2223-0034, respectively).

Data availability statement

Due to the nature of this research, participants of this study did not agree for their data to be shared publicly, so supporting data is not available.

Additional information

Funding

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Science Foundation under the linked Award Numbers 1930558 and 2055379. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Science Foundation.