The differential impact of COVID-19 across health service psychology students of color: An embedded mixed-methods study.

OBJECTIVES: Communities of color in the United States systematically experience inequities in physical and mental health care compared to individuals who identify as non-Hispanic White. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic exacerbated these structural drivers of inequity to disproportionate and devastating effects for persons of color. In addition to managing the direct effects of COVID-19 risk, persons of color were also navigating increased racial prejudice and discrimination. For mental health professionals and trainees of color, the effects of COVID-19 racial health disparities and the increase in acts of racism may have been compounded by their work responsibilities. The current study used an embedded mixed-methods approach to examine the differential impact of COVID-19 on health service psychology (HSP) students of color as compared to their non-Hispanic White peers. METHOD: Using quantitative and qualitative data from the Epidemic-Pandemic Impacts Inventory, measures of perceived support and of discrimination, and open-ended questions about students' experiences with racism and microaggressions, we examined the extent to which different racial/ethnic HSP student groups experienced COVID-19-related discrimination, the impacts of COVID-19 felt by students of color, and how these experiences differed from those of their non-Hispanic White peers. RESULTS: HSP students of color endorsed greater impacts of the pandemic on both self and others in the home, perceived themselves as less supported by others, and reported more experiences of racial discrimination than non-Hispanic White HSP students. CONCLUSION: Throughout the graduate experience, HSP students of color and their experiences of discrimination need to be addressed. We provided recommendations to HSP training program directors and students both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health service psychology doctoral training during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic: May 1st to June 25th, 2020

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) began its rapid spread around the world in December 2019. By March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. Stay-at-home orders and increases in U.S. infection rates had a profound impact on doctoral-level health service psychology (HSP) training beginning in the earliest stages of the pandemic. The present study examined the impact of COVID-19 on HSP students early in the pandemic using data from an online survey that was distributed to students from 179 doctoral programs affiliated with the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology and distributed by the Council for Chairs of Training Councils to doctoral-level HSP PsyD and PhD programs between May 1st and June 25th, 2020. This study identifies areas of education and training negatively impacted by the pandemic in its first few months, including training and instrumental support, specific training and support in telehealth, safety protections and considerations, and emotional support. Implications of, and recommendations for, addressing the concerns raised by students in these areas are discussed. By implementing these recommendations, training programs can help facilitate HSP students' ability to meet continued training and professional development goals in the later stages of the pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement The present study provides information about the earliest impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on health service psychology doctoral students. Recommendations are provided to help programs address the student needs identified through participants' survey responses. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)