Paula Nurius, associate dean for transdisciplinary scholarship and the Grace Beals-Ferguson Scholar at the School of Social Work, will lead a research team selected to receive a UW Population Health Initiative grant to study mental health among college students.
For many students, going to college is an exciting and fulfilling time; for others, it is a stressful experience that might include academic difficulties, financial hardship, discrimination, even assault. A 2017 study found that nearly one-third of college students in Washington state had experienced depression; more than 10 percent had considered suicide.
In addition to the School of Social Work, the research team includes co-investigators from the UW College of Engineering and the iSchool. This transdisciplinary team will look at student cumulative stress levels and their effects on psychological, social and academic wellbeing. In order to produce results that can be translated into effective real-world applications, the researchers will regularly engage with student health service leaders.
The one-year project, which begins May 1, received $50,000 from the Population Health Initiative along with matching funds that bring the award total to $81,380.
Nurius, named one of social work’s top 25 female scholars on the basis of her scholarship impact, brings extensive experience to teaching and collaborating within interdisciplinary frameworks. A mental health specialist, she studies the processes and effects of stress and trauma on vulnerable and socially disadvantaged populations as well as preventive interventions and resilience-building. She is an elected Fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare and the Society for Social Work & Research, and was the first to receive the GADE National Leadership in Doctoral Education Award.