College Women’s Establishing of Peer Social-relationships and Communicating about Pandemic-related Political Identities and Topics

Abstract

This mixed-methods study examines two research areas concerning whether U.S.
women college students, compared with men, enrolled in online classes during the
pandemic suffered from stress regarding their ability to socialize and negotiate a
community/national political issue(s) affecting them negatively academically in
terms of their grade point average and course outcomes, as well as whether the
women would experience a sense of belonging and camaraderie with classmates
by discussing topics impacting their identities and circumstances in terms of their
individual and communal, social-relational, health, and financial pandemic
contexts, which might also influence them negatively academically as stressors
linked to their course outcomes and progress. Conducted in a rural, geographically
marginalized area, the study implements survey and short-answer question
instruments and utilizes an exploratory case-study design and a convergent-
parallel strategy assessing 188 women and 188 men participants, including
racial/ethnic minority and low socio-economic status (SES) women, with women’s
median age of 23. of women and men surveyed, the former reported statistically
significantly higher stress levels than men connected to the women’s need to
socialize and tackle pandemic-oriented community and national political issues
affecting their lives and statuses, which subsequently influenced their academic
progress. Overall, the pandemic damaged women, especially racial/ethnic
minorities, more than men, with women having higher stress rates revolving
around their need for socializing (59% versus 33%) and addressing political issues
(54% versus 32%), stressors hampering the women’s academic outcomes and
status, as well as some experiencing additional stress regarding health and
financial concerns. In response to these settings, 21% of women (n = 40) desired
to discuss controversial topics, such as their pandemic stressors and related
experiences in the classroom, including the pandemic’s political consequences for
themselves, to promote self-expression, forge bonds, and seek and provide
assistance in addressing all classmates’ academic, personal, and community needs.