Background:The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak significantly impacted those across the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a mental health strain particularly among college students.Objective:This article examines the mental health of college students and the challenges they experience surrounding COVID-19.Methods:This literature reviews the on-campus infrastructure, resources, and support during the pandemic.Findings:The common theme in the findings throughout the literature is the increase and prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression among college students, with worsening results for students of color.Conclusion:The implications for practice, policy, and research are discussed to set future direction. Recommendations are provided to support the mental health of college students during future pandemics. Colleges and universities need to look to the schools of social work and social work educators for leadership and guidance in improving future outcomes.

Background:Racially minoritized individuals make up the majority of the incarcerated population. The incarceration of a family member has lasting effects on family dynamics, particularly impacting the lives of adolescents. There is a need to understand how these experiences affect adolescent self-esteem and the role of family boundaries.Objective:To examine the impact of familial incarceration on adolescent self-reported self-esteem and the moderating role of boundaries between adolescents and their fathers, using structural family therapy as a guiding framework.Methods:The study utilized data from the 2016 wave of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-Children and Young Adults (NLSY-CYA), with a sample size of 341 adolescents. Simple linear and hierarchical regressions were conducted to assess the relationships between familial incarceration, perceived parental closeness, and adolescent self-esteem.Findings:Regression analysis revealed that having an incarcerated family member and lower perceived parental closeness were significantly associated with reduced self-esteem in adolescents. Additionally, closeness to fathers did not act as a protective factor in mitigating the negative impact of familial incarceration on adolescent self-esteem.Conclusions:The findings indicate that while familial incarceration and perceived parental closeness negatively impact adolescent self-esteem, closeness to fathers does not serve as a buffer. These results suggest that practitioners should explore alternative protective factors to support adolescents' self-esteem following familial incarceration.

African American PhD students are severely underrepresented in the attainment of PhDs compared with their White counterparts and, therefore, underrepresented as PhD professors. Key factors contributing to the lack of African American students seeking doctoral education include financial hardship, racial discrimination, and a lack of mentorship. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate the experiences and meaning of African American social work students enrolled in a PhD qualitative research methods course at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Results from this study will shed light on Black scholars’ experiences in obtaining a doctoral education, identify challenges and barriers in completing a doctoral program, and contribute to ideas on how to increase the number of Black scholars in HBCU PhD.

BackgroundBlack youth are disproportionately disadvantaged in nearly every indicator of academic performance.ObjectiveThis analysis seeks to understand the role of racism in the genesis of educational disparities affecting Black youth.MethodsDrawing from structural functionalism, modern capitalism, and critical race theory, we provide a meta-theoretical framework to explore the underpinnings of racial disparities that disadvantage Black youth in U.S. public schools.FindingsThis meta-theoretical framework suggests a critical need to examine the history of racism as well as the social, political, and economic structure of the U.S. to understand the educational disparities affecting Black youth.ConclusionSocial work professionals can use this meta-theoretical framework to inform research, policy, and practice addressing educational disparities and ultimately create more equitable, fair, and just school environments.

Using semi-structured interviews, 15 African American men were interviewed with the goal of understanding factors that hinder African American males from completing a graduate social work degree (MSW). Afrocentricity theory, which gives authority to Black ideals and values, was used in this qualitative, exploratory study as a framework of organization. Important results fell under three major categories of isolation, racism, and social work curriculum. Statements from men such as “It's hard because people look at you as if you are speaking for everybody but you are speaking from your experience” describe isolation. The men also described racism in many scenarios, one in particular: “I was asked by one of my peers was I awarded advance standing because I was a minority.” In viewing the social work curriculum, some of the men thought, “The curriculum assumed I was female or white male.” Another obstacle shared by the men was financial hardships. Strengths emphasized in the men's statements were the need for support and mentorship. Implications of these findings coming from the respondents' comments suggest additional research and a more inclusive teaching as practice for the social work profession are needed.