Psychological research and interventions—and the application of that work to real-world challenges—have never been more critical than now as we face today’s complex constellation of crises and the behaviors that underlie them. The COVID-19 pandemic starkly illuminates how much work our nation needs to do to provide better care for its citizens, not only in reducing the spread of the coronavirus, but in easing the extreme stress, trauma and grief that accompany it. Our country must collectively recognize the insidious social and systemic issues that undermine our health, from racist and biased behaviors, to the widening gap between haves and have-nots, to rising rates of stress and much more.
APA’s Stress in America poll offers us a glimpse of the anxiety and fear people are experiencing around COVID-19 and the resulting uncertainty in our economy and politics. More than 80% of Americans report the nation’s future as a significant source of stress.
In the face of these challenges, psychology offers hope: As experts in human behavior, psychologists have the skills and expertise to address these issues. Guided by the tenets of our strategic plan, APA is harnessing this psychological knowledge, sharing it and applying it in many ways. Examples include:
- Helping public officials address collective trauma in their communitiesopens in new window through an understanding of additive stress, empathic leadership and clear communication.
- Addressing racism in new and systematic ways, including using science on bias, equity, diversity and inclusion to help others make meaningful change and address processes within APA and the field that perpetuate racism.
- Assisting students and teachers with virtual learning, with free use of APA learning and teaching resources, access to psychology lesson plans, and information on defending a dissertation virtually.
- Ensuring access to psychological services for vulnerable populations through efforts to expand eligibility for telehealth and how it can be provided—during the pandemic and into the future.
- Tapping into and sharing the expertise and resources of our international colleagues to address COVID-19’s ramifications, including cognitive deficits, increased domestic violence and anxiety.
APA has also developed many other COVID-19 resources for psychologists and the public, many in consultation with other organizations and our member experts.
It has never been more important for psychology to share, translate and apply its expertise, and more heartening to see so many psychologists stepping up to this challenge. In taking on the broad range of issues before us, we have an opportunity for impact at a whole new level.
