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1. Thinking Systemically to Better Serve Engineering Students’ Mental Health Needs: Policy and Process Recommendations

   Beddoes, Kacey; Danowitz, Andrew (June 2023, 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition)

   This paper summarizes the results of our NSF funded longitudinal study on mental health in engineering education. Survey instruments were used to measure the prevalence of several mental health conditions in engineering students at 8 partner institutions as they progressed through their engineering programs. This data collection began in Fall 2019, shortly before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and continued into 2021. Our results, recapitulated here, provide a unique insight into the state of mental health in engineering education during “normal times,” how it changed and worsened during the early stages of the pandemic, and how and to what extent mental health has since recovered to pre-pandemic levels. 

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2. Mental Health in Engineering Education Before, During, and After COVID-19 Related Disruptions

   Danowitz, Andrew; Beddoes, Kacey (June 2023, 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition)

   This paper summarizes the results of our NSF funded longitudinal study on mental health in engineering education. Survey instruments were used to measure the prevalence of several mental health conditions in engineering students at 8 partner institutions as they progressed through their engineering programs. This data collection began in Fall 2019, shortly before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and continued into 2021. Our results, recapitulated here, provide a unique insight into the state of mental health in engineering education during “normal times,” how it changed and worsened during the early stages of the pandemic, and how and to what extent mental health has since recovered to pre-pandemic levels. 

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3. Effects of COVID-19 on Engineering Students’ Baseline Stress

   Danowitz, Andrew; Beddoes, Kacey (December 2020, Proceedings of the AAEE2020 Conference)

   null (Ed.)

   CONTEXT With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting response from universities, engineering students find themselves in an unprecedented situation. In addition to stressors related to the curriculum, residential students across the United States are being asked to relocate away from campus and engage in distance learning. At the same time, social distancing requirements are limiting students’ ability to socialize, procure food and supplies, exercise, and remain employed and financially solvent. Some students will fall ill while others face the prospect of sick family members, and even deaths in the family. Prior research suggests that individuals living through this pandemic are likely to face stress, uncertainty, and fear that affects their mental health and academic performance for years to come. PURPOSE OR GOAL The purpose of this study was to understand the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting engineering students’ mental wellness, specifically stress, and how the effects differ for different groups of students. The research questions addressed are: 1) What effects has the pandemic had on baseline stress levels, and how do those vary by demographic group? 2) What effects has the pandemic had on quality of life, such as sleep habits and financial security, and how do those vary by demographic group? METHODS An online survey was conducted in the United States in May and June of 2020. More than 800 4-year engineering students who represented many engineering disciplines and universities responded. The survey used a modified version of the Holmes-Rahe Social Readjustment Rating Scale, which is a widely used and validated instrument to measure the effects of certain life events on stress. The data was analysed to determine the average increase in stress levels for students resulting from COVID-19, and which demographic groups have seen the most negative impact. We also report on which stress-inducing life-events were experienced most. OUTCOMES Latinx individuals and international students report statistically significantly higher levels of stress than the baseline population. Engineering students from other historically excluded identities, however,are not facing statistically significantly worse stress than their peers from historically over represented identities. Veterans fare better than the majority population on this metric.The data also indicates that different groups are more likely to experience different negative life-events because of COVID. CONCLUSIONS No previous research has examined the impacts of a global pandemic on engineering student stress and mental wellness. Our findings show that stress and mental wellness need to be understood intersectionally and that some underrepresented groups are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Understanding the impacts on students can help universities strategize and allocate limited resources most effectively to support student success. KEYWORDS Mental wellness; COVID-19; stress 

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4. A Snapshot of Mental Health and Wellness of Engineering Students Across the Western United States

   https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE44824.2020.9273885  

   Danowitz, Andrew; Beddoes, Kacey (October 2020, 2020 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE))

   null (Ed.)

   This work in progress research paper characterizes mental wellness in engineering at five institutions across the Western United States to better understand what mental health issues most affect the broader engineering student community. Anecdotal evidence has long suggested that stress and certain mental wellness issues are particularly acute in the field of Engineering, and some recent research has shown elevated rates of mental wellness issues at different institutions around the country. This paper presents the results of a previously validated mental health survey conducted with first- and second-year students at several universities. The results of this work include screening rates for major mental health issues (e.g. DSM diagnosable) and moderate mental health issues as captured by the Kessler 6 screening instrument; screening rates for depressive, anxiety, and eating disorders as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ); and screening rates for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as measured by the Primary-Care Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PC-PTSD) instrument. This work also includes a preliminary analysis of screen rates by demographic groups so that educators and academic facilitators may be better aware of the types of challenges that face a diverse engineering student populace. Overall, we find that 28.4% percent of respondents potentially suffer from a diagnosable mental health condition as measured by Kessler 6. We also find that an additional 55.2% of students screen positive for moderate psychological distress. Breaking measurements down by demographic groups, we find that female respondents, particularly those from historically excluded ethnic groups and races, show elevated rates of Panic and PTSD disorders when compared to the male population. 

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5. A Snapshot of Mental Health and Wellness of Engineering Students Across the Western United States

   Danowitz, Andrew; Beddoes, Kacey (January 2020, Frontiers in Education Annual Conference)

   null (Ed.)

   This work in progress research paper characterizes mental wellness in engineering at five institutions across the Western United States to better understand what mental health issues most affect the broader engineering student community. Anecdotal evidence has long suggested that stress and certain mental wellness issues are particularly acute in the field of Engineering, and some recent research has shown elevated rates of mental wellness issues at different institutions around the country. This paper presents the results of a previously validated mental health survey conducted with first– and second–year students at several universities. The results of this work include screening rates for major mental health issues (e.g. DSM diagnosable) and moderate mental health issues as captured by the Kessler 6 screening instrument; screening rates for depressive, anxiety, and eating disorders as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ); and screening rates for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as measured by the Primary-Care Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PC-PTSD) instrument. This work also includes a preliminary analysis of screen rates by demographic groups so that educators and academic facilitators may be better aware of the types of challenges that face a diverse engineering student populace. Overall, we find that 28.4% percent of respondents potentially suffer from a diagnosable mental health condition as measured by Kessler 6. We also find that an additional 55.2% of students screen positive for moderate psychological distress. Breaking measurements down by demographic groups, we find that female respondents, particularly those from historically excluded ethnic groups and races, show elevated rates of Panic and PTSD disorders when compared to the male population. 

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