The Silver Lining of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Undergraduate Research Experiences, Mentorship, and Posttraumatic Growth

Although previous research has documented benefits of undergraduate research experiences (UREs), posttraumatic growth from COVID-19 has never been examined. Based on data collected from 891 students from 114 US universities in July 2020, this study shows that among undergraduates who conducted research during COVID-19, underrepresented minorities (URMs) reported greater posttraumatic growth than non-URMs. URMs who had more competent mentors or more URM/women mentors experienced more growth than URMs who had less competent mentors or less URM/women mentors. Women reported greater posttraumatic growth than men, but same-gender mentor-mentee relationships did not foster more growth in them. LGBQ + students experienced less posttraumatic growth than non-LGBQ + students. UREs have the potential to provide a safety net for many students during a major crisis.