Date of Award
Summer 8-23-2025
Document Type
Doctoral Research Paper
Degree Name
Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology
Organizational Unit
Graduate School of Professional Psychology
First Advisor
Carrie Landin
Second Advisor
Kelly L. Elliott
Third Advisor
Christopher Peavey
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Keywords
International students, COVID-19, Social isolation, Resiliency, Bronfenbrener’s ecological systems model, Autoethnography
Abstract
This autoethnographic study explores the lived experience of an international doctoral student from India who navigated graduate education remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory as a guiding framework, the study examines how academic disruption, social isolation, immigration uncertainty, and cultural dislocation shaped the student’s emotional well-being, identity, and resilience. Challenges such as time zone difference, limited institutional support, and rising xenophobia compounded the psychological toll of studying abroad from a distance. Despite these barriers, the student employed both emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies -including mindfulness, virtual peer support, academic adaptations, and cultural integration - to manage stress and maintain motivation. Resilience emerged as a dynamic process influenced by internal strengths and the presence (or absence) of responsive institutional systems. The findings underscore the importance of culturally competent mental health resources, flexible academic policies, and empathetic faculty engagement in supporting international students during global crises. This study contributes to the growing literature on transnational student experiences and calls for intersectional, inclusive strategies at both university and policy levels to better address the evolving needs of international students.
Copyright Date
6-25-2025
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Devyani Sharma
Provenance
Received from author
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
39 pgs
File Size
870 KB
Recommended Citation
Sharma, Devyani, "From Solitude to Strength: Understanding an International Student’s Social Isolation and Resiliency During the COVID-19 Pandemic" (2025). Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects. 573.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/capstone_masters/573
Included in
Clinical Psychology Commons, Educational Psychology Commons, Multicultural Psychology Commons, Social Psychology Commons