# Partnerships for Prevention: A plan for managing student stress, anxiety, and pain through interactive media.

> **NIH NIH R25** · DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $53,379

## Abstract

The primary SEPA project is focused on pain, anxiety and stress, which are incidental to everyone’s daily life.
For children and teens, learning how to navigate these challenges is critical to a healthy lifestyle, yet little is
done to address this in school, placing students at risk. The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic of 2020/2021
has created new stresses and anxieties. Our recent survey of student stressors carried out pre-pandemic and
during-pandemic asked students about their stress, and also asked parent’s their perception of their children
and teacher’s perception of their student’s. Among other things, students scored their stress about the health
of others 62% higher than what the parents perceived the child’s level of concern to be. Similarly, students
concern about their own health was 66% higher than their parent’s perception. These data indicate that
children have far greater concern about the key health issues associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, not the
least of them being anxiety over vaccination. Aspects of vaccine hesitancy harken back to fraudulent claims
about the MMR vaccine, which continue to fuel anti-vaccination conspiracy theories. Science can be
intimidating for many students and families, leading to mistrust. Limited schooling, misrepresentations in the
media all contribute to the problem. While estimates vary, in some areas of the country 1/3 of the adult
population is reluctant to take any COVID-19 vaccine. This leaves major parts of the US population vulnerable
to dangerous, but preventable diseases. Our hypothesis is that narrative-based educational stories based on
sound, fundamental scientific facts help to inform and inspire healthy behaviors for life. By embedding relevant
facts in the narrative and interactive activities, they become integrated into the whole experience in ways that
improve knowledge, retention of key concepts and shift attitudes. For this Administrative Supplement, we will
increase confidence in the use of vaccines through the development of a tabletop board game, accompanying
classroom curriculum, and student ambassador portfolio. Since the 2008 recession, the popularity of tabletop
board games has been increasing, a further surge in popularity during the pandemic. Games are also well-
established in education, and have a proven positive impact on academic performance. Our game will feature
cooperative gameplay where players take on the role of vaccine scientists who must work together to save
humanity from a global pandemic. Players model the real-life steps of vaccine development from pathogen, to
human trials, manufacturing and distribution. Mirroring the real-life decisions, players must manage both
monetary and time constraints, as well as weigh the pros and cons of various vaccine types, animal models,
and modes of production and distribution to achieve FDA and WHO approval. And then, they will also face
vaccine hesitancy, which will require new actions and solutions. Will players be a...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10398447
- **Project number:** 3R25GM132910-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** JOHN ARCHIE POLLOCK
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $53,379
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-08-01 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10398447

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10398447, Partnerships for Prevention: A plan for managing student stress, anxiety, and pain through interactive media. (3R25GM132910-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10398447. Licensed CC0.

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