Trauma-Informed Care: A Transcendental Phenomenology of the Experiences of International Faculty during the Delta and Omicron Variant Outbreaks in East China

Abstract

This transcendental phenomenological study explored psychologically traumatic incidents and risk factors among international faculty members (IFMs) who experienced long-term lockdowns during the Delta and Omicron outbreak periods in East China. Based on empirical voices from 18 IFMs in Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Nanjing, this study used trauma-informed care as its primary theoretical lens to examine potential traumatic incidents and risk factors. Findings showed that participants had neuroses about the omen of lockdowns and felt exhausted and frustrated about persistent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. They also experienced or witnessed burnout and dropout due to leisure constraints. Most notably, participants had concerns about families and friends during the series of lockdowns, entailing extreme stress due to separation, illness, loss, and grief. Overall, this study provides practical implications for counseling practices about social and cultural considerations and systemic barriers that impact clients’ well-being.

Cultural traits or social norms? Both responsibilism and norms linked to accepting COVID‐19 vaccine

“…People in China might be more sensitive to injunctive norms than people in individualistic cultures (Chen & Hong, 2015; Gelfand & Harrington, 2015). Our study was also conducted during China's strict zero‐Covid policy, which could have led to even stronger injunctive norms (Nam & English, 2022). The strict enforcement of the policy meant that people who ignored “should” norms could face serious punishment.…”

International students’ collective resilience in crisis: Sense of community reduced anxiety via social contact and social support during lockdown

“…The research is vital to understanding individuals' traumatic experiences after a life-changing event such as the COVID-19 lockdown, especially at the start when very little was known. This public health event might affect not only the current generation exposed to the trauma, but may continue to have an impact on the next generation [ [101] , [102] ].…”

Urban public health emergencies and the COVID-19 pandemic. Part 2: Infrastructures, urban governance and civil society

“…This did not end until December 2022 after protests in multiple cities challenging the policy. There is an emerging body of literature on the negative consequences of citywide lockdowns in China in the later days of the COVID-19 pandemic (Bai et al, 2022; Nam and English, 2022; Nam et al, 2022; Wang et al, 2022) in terms of impact on mental health and subjective well-being. Nonetheless, the three urban China studies in this Special Issue make an important contribution to the international literature on urban governance.…”