Anxiety and depression in the Republic of Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic

The impact of rumination on life satisfaction of hotel employees during the COVID-19 pandemic: the mediating role of fear of COVID-19 and the moderating role of sedentary lifestyle

BACKGROUND

It is important to determine the individual factors that cause the differentiation of negative reactions of individuals due to epidemics. The purpose of this study is to investigate the moderating role of a sedentary lifestyle and the mediating role of fear of COVID-19 on the relationship between rumination and life satisfaction. Intense rumination is known to have a negative impact on individuals' life satisfaction levels. Very little is known about variables that may mediate and moderate this relationship.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

The study was conducted with staff members of five-star accommodation establishments in Turkey. Data were collected with a quantitative research method via questionnaires, completed by 386 full-time employees.

RESULTS

The results show that rumination negatively affects life satisfaction, and fear of COVID-19 has a mediating role between rumination and life satisfaction. In addition, the study concluded that a sedentary lifestyle moderated the indirect effect of rumination on life satisfaction through fear of COVID-19. This finding indicates that the negative impact of rumination on life satisfaction, mediated by fear of COVID-19, decreased, as the active lifestyle level of employees increased.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate the importance of active lifestyles in reducing negative impacts of the fear of being infected with a disease during times of crisis such as outbreaks and ruminative thoughts on lifestyle. The findings of this study provide substantial contributions with respect to how outbreak-related negative reactions occur and differ.

Demographic and COVID Experience Predictors of COVID-19 Risk Perception among Chinese Residents in Canada

The current study aimed to identify demographic and COVID experience predictors for COVID-19 risk perception among Chinese residents in Canada. A final sample of 653 participants aged 18 and up completed an online survey in simplified Chinese during the peak of the first wave of COVID-19 (25 April-10 June 2020). After removing those with missing data on demographic covariates, as missing data cannot be imputed, 444 were included in the structural equation model, and COVID-19 risk perception was indexed by three outcome variables: self-infection risk perception (i.e., likelihood of personal infection of COVID-19); threat perception (i.e., whether the pandemic is a real threat); and future infection rate prediction (i.e., a latent variable for community, Ontario, Canada, and World infection rate predictions). Predictors included demographic (i.e., income, gender, education, age, household size, employment status, and life satisfaction) and COVID experience variables (i.e., personal connection with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases, self-isolation experience, perceived anti-Chinese discrimination, and confusion over COVID-19 information). In the structural equation model, we found increased risk perception for the following demographic and COVID experience predictors; women, relatively higher education, living alone, working in a medical field, lower in life satisfaction, having personal connection with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases, with perceived anti-Chinese discrimination, or showing high confusion over COVID-19 information.

Sense of Control and Depression during Public Health Restrictions and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Depression rates have increased significantly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a number of factors implicated in this increase, including stress, fear, social isolation and the psychological impact of public health restrictions. The main purpose of the current cross-sectional survey study was to examine the relationship between the experience of public health restrictions, the sense of control and depression, both during and after restrictions were lifted. A survey methodology was chosen, with data collected in the Republic of Ireland at two time points (January 2022 and May 2022). Time 1 participants (n = 314) were invited to repeat the measures 5 months later, with 172 agreeing to be recontacted, and 47 participants completing all measures at two time points. Findings showed that both the sense of control, in relation to perceived constraints, w = 0.43, and the experience of restrictions, w = 0.14, predicted depression at Time 1. Participants were less likely to be depressed at Time 2 and had a stronger sense of control. The Time 1 sense of control through perceived constraints predicted depression at Time 2, w = 0.45. Overall, these data show that public health restrictions and the sense of control are linked and that the sense of control has a powerful and long-lasting effect on depression status in restricted conditions, even once these have been lifted.

A qualitative examination of the mental health impact of Covid-19 in marginalized communities in Guatemala: The Covid Care Calls survey

BACKGROUND

The mental health impact of Covid-19 from the perspective of individuals experiencing psychological distress during lockdown period in marginalized, high-risk communities remains underinvestigated.

AIMS

This study aims to identify key factors related to psychological distress resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic across highly vulnerable districts in Guatemala.

METHODS

The Covid Care Calls (CCC) survey was administered to households in 11 districts in Guatemala to gather information about medical, mental health, and psychosocial status during the lockdown period; provide referral for care; and disseminate information on evidence-based protective measures to stem the spread of the virus. The 330 individuals participated the survey. Conventional content analysis was used to analyze survey data.

RESULTS

Most commonly reported mental health issues since the start of the pandemic were anxiety (46%), stress (36%), and exacerbation of pre-Covid-19 mental health conditions (19%). Depression and burnout were equally reported by 12% of participants. Only 2% reported issues with safety in the home. Concerns about catching the virus and economic worries were the most commonly reported sources of psychological distress.

CONCLUSION

Results of this study indicate a high prevalence of anxiety, stress, and increased prior mental health symptoms resulting from the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in low-income, high-risk communities across Guatemala. Efforts focused on enhancing coping strategies as well as psychoeducation to address stigma and increase help-seeking for depression are particularly important.

Mining voices from self-expressed messages on social-media: Diagnostics of mental distress during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on mankind, causing physical suffering and deaths across the globe. Even those who have not contracted the virus have experienced its far-reaching impacts, particularly on their mental health. The increased incidences of psychological problems, anxiety associated with the infection, social restrictions, economic downturn, etc., are likely to aggravate with the virus spread and leave a longer impact on humankind. These reasons in aggregation have raised concerns on mental health and created a need to identify novel precursors of depression and suicidal tendencies during COVID-19. Identifying factors affecting mental health and causing suicidal ideation is of paramount importance for timely intervention and suicide prevention. This study, thus, bridges this gap by utilizing computational intelligence and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to unveil the factors underlying mental health issues. We observed that the pandemic and subsequent lockdown anxiety emerged as significant factors leading to poor mental health outcomes after the onset of COVID-19. Consistent with previous works, we found that psychological disorders have remained pre-eminent. Interestingly, financial burden was found to cause suicidal ideation before the pandemic, while it led to higher odds of depressive (non-suicidal) thoughts for individuals who lost their jobs. This study offers significant implications for health policy makers, governments, psychiatric practitioners, and psychologists.

COVID-19-related anxiety and lifestyle changes

This study aimed to identify factors that affect lifestyle changes and focused on coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-related anxiety since the COVID-19 outbreak in South Korea. Data from 213,848 individuals from the 2020 Korean Community Health Survey were analyzed using a complex sampling design. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression analyses were performed. Participants reported a high level of COVID-19-related anxiety, with a score of 19.28 out of 25. The score of healthy behavioral change index was -0.51, indicating negative changes in physical activity, dietary habits, and sleep patterns. A slight positive change was reported for addictive behavioral change index, such as smoking and alcohol consumption, at 0.27 scores, indicating a decrease in these behaviors. COVID-19-related anxiety was an important factor that negatively affected health behavior. The high-risk groups that were vulnerable to anxiety included older adults and those who have little social support or few social encounters. Thus, identifying high-risk groups with the potential for worsened health behavior and providing interventions to reduce the anxiety caused by COVID-19 are necessary.

The impact of mobile Internet use on mental distress among Chinese adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

With the rapid development of digital technology, mobile Internet use is increasing in popularity in China. Previous studies have shown that mobile Internet use has a positive or negative effect on mental distress. Using CFPS2020 data, this paper finds that mobile Internet use significantly alleviates mental distress in Chinese adults. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that mobile Internet use can significantly alleviate mental distress among adults between the ages of 30 and 70, without a bachelor's degree or residing outside the province of Hubei. Furthermore, mobile Internet use significantly reduces mental distress through two mediators: trust and happiness. It also shows that watching short videos or learning online is associated with reduced mental distress, as opposed to online shopping, chatting, or playing games. However, the mental distress of new mobile Internet users in 2020 has not been alleviated. This paper enriches the relevant theoretical research and provides a practical reference for using the mobile Internet to ease mental distress during epidemics.

Affective Attitudes in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Dynamics of Negative Emotions and a Sense of Threat in Poles in the First Wave of the Pandemic

For millions of people, the COVID-19 pandemic situation and its accompanying restrictions have been a source of threat and confrontation with negative emotions. The pandemic's universal and long-term character, as well as the ensuing drastic limitation of control over one's life, have made it necessary to work out adaptive strategies that would reduce negative experiences and eventually lead to the restoration of well-being. The aim of this research was to identify strategies that people use in response to a long-term threat that restore affective balance and a subjective sense of security. We registered selected manifestations of affective reactions to the pandemic situation. The researchers focused on the dynamics of changes in the areas of (1) experienced negative emotions (asked in an indirect way) and (2) a subjective feeling of threat regarding the pandemic (in three different contexts: Poland, Europe, and worldwide) during the first phase of the pandemic in Poland. It was expected that both the negative emotions and the sense of threat would decrease with time. In addition, it was anticipated that the physical distance would modify the assessment of the situation as threatening depending on the geographical proximity: in Poland, Europe, and worldwide. We used the mixed quasi-experimental design in the series of four studies conducted by Internet in March, May, June, and July 2020. The intensity of negative emotions and the sense of threat caused by the pandemic situation in Poland, Europe, and worldwide were measured. Despite the objective number of confirmed COVID-19 cases during each of the stages of the study, both the intensity of emotions attributed by participants as well as the feeling of threat were found to have decreased. In addition, surprisingly, a reversed effect of the distance was revealed: namely, a sense of threat experienced towards distant locations (Europe and the world) was found to be more acute when compared with the threat experienced in Poland. The obtained results are interpreted as a manifestation of adaptive perception of the threat that lies beyond one's control, which takes the form of unconscious, biased distortions: unrealistic optimism. The decrease in the intensity of negative emotions explains unrealistic absolute optimism, while the perception of the situation in Poland as less threatening than in Europe and around the world is predicted by unrealistic comparative optimism.

Risk Factors and Changes in Depression and Anxiety over Time in New Zealand during COVID-19: A Longitudinal Cohort Study

This longitudinal study investigated changes in and risk factors for anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic in a New Zealand cohort. Online surveys were distributed to 681 participants at three time-points: May 2020 (Time 1), August–September 2020 (Time 2), and March–April 2021 (Time 3). Participants completed measures of anxiety and depression, alongside measures of possible risk/protective factors. A total of 261 participants completed all three surveys and were included in analyses. Depression and anxiety reduced over time; however, levels were still significantly higher than pre-pandemic norms. Being younger, having a prior mental health disorder, experiencing negative life events due to COVID-19, and being a pet owner were risk factors for poorer depression and anxiety, whereas having higher positive mood was protective. This study demonstrates persisting negative effects of the pandemic on anxiety and depression in a context of low transmission and highlights the importance of providing psychological help to those most at risk.

Risk factors for depression and anxiety during COVID-19 in Israel: A two-wave study before and during the pandemic

Research indicates that mental health problems increased across the globe after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is a need for research examining specific risk factors for mental health problems, while accounting for symptoms before the pandemic. This study examined risk factors for depression and anxiety symptoms among Israeli adults following the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, above and beyond depression and anxiety symptoms reported 3 years before the pandemic. We performed a two-wave 3-year longitudinal study (W1 July-September 2017; W2 May-June 2020). The final sample included 578 participants who completed anxiety and depression self-report questionnaires at both waves. The W2 assessment additionally included being considered high-risk for COVID-19, and measures regarding loneliness, perceived stress, and COVID-19 worries. Both anxiety and depression symptoms were significantly higher at W2 during the pandemic. Worries related to COVID-19, perceived stress, loneliness, and prior mental health symptoms predicted depression and anxiety in W2. Additionally, being younger was associated with W2 anxiety. The current study highlights risk factors for psychological distress in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Attention of clinicians and policy makers should be given to the important role of loneliness when screening and treating people during this pandemic.

Longitudinal predictors of depression, anxiety, and alcohol use following COVID-19-related stress

The COVID-19 pandemic imposed profound effects on health and daily life, with widespread stress exposure and increases in psychiatric symptoms. Despite these challenges, pandemic research provides unique insights into individual differences in emotion and cognition that predict responses to stress, with general implications for understanding stress vulnerability. We examined predictors of responses to COVID-19-related stress in an online sample of 450 emerging adults recruited in May 2020 to complete questionnaires assessing baseline stress and psychiatric symptoms, rumination, cognitive reappraisal use and intolerance of uncertainty. Stress and symptoms were re-assessed 3 months later (N = 200). Greater pandemic-related stressful events were associated with increases in symptoms of depression, anxiety and alcohol use severity. Additionally, individual differences in emotional and cognitive styles emerged as longitudinal predictors of stress responses. Specifically, greater rumination predicted increased depression. Reduced cognitive reappraisal use interacted with stress to predict increases in alcohol use. An unexpected pattern emerged for intolerance of uncertainty, such that stress was associated with increases in depression for those high in intolerance of uncertainty but increases in alcohol use at relatively low levels of intolerance of uncertainty. These results highlight unique vulnerabilities that predict specific outcomes following stress exposure and offer potential prevention targets.

Understanding cultural factors in mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: when collectivism meets a tight culture

The long-standing pathogen prevalence hypothesis suggests that collectivism can protect from epidemics and pandemics in terms of psychological well-being. However, studies exploring the protective mechanism induced when collectivism meets cultural tightness (the strength of social norms and tolerance for deviant behavior) are few. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the protective effect of collectivism in detail considering loose and tight cultural contexts. The sample comprised 2001 Chinese participants (M age  = 18.41 ± 2.388 years; 50.2% female). Moderated regression analyses indicated that more perceived risk of COVID-19 predicted severe mental health responses (i.e., depression and anxiety), collectivism moderated this positive relationship but individualism did not. Notably, the protective effect of collectivism is especially evident in tight cultures but ineffective in loose cultures. This study emphasized that the protective effects of collectivism on mental health during a pandemic should be considered within the framework of cultural tightness. This study's findings may advance knowledge about the relationship between cultural type and mental health during epidemics.

Targeting NMDA Receptors in Emotional Disorders: Their Role in Neuroprotection

Excitatory glutamatergic neurotransmission mediated through N-methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptors (NMDARs) is essential for synaptic plasticity and neuronal survival. While under pathological states, abnormal NMDAR activation is involved in the occurrence and development of psychiatric disorders, which suggests a directional modulation of NMDAR activity that contributes to the remission and treatment of psychiatric disorders. This review thus focuses on the involvement of NMDARs in the pathophysiological processes of psychiatric mood disorders and analyzes the neuroprotective mechanisms of NMDARs. Firstly, we introduce NMDAR-mediated neural signaling pathways in brain function and mood regulation as well as the pathophysiological mechanisms of NMDARs in emotion-related mental disorders such as anxiety and depression. Then, we provide an in-depth summary of current NMDAR modulators that have the potential to be developed into clinical drugs and their pharmacological research achievements in the treatment of anxiety and depression. Based on these findings, drug-targeting for NMDARs might open up novel territory for the development of therapeutic agents for refractory anxiety and depression.

Mental health following an initial period of COVID-19 restrictions: findings from a cross-sectional survey in the Republic of Ireland

Background: We assessed the mental health of individuals in the general population, during an initial period of easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the Republic of Ireland (RoI). Methods: Data were collected through a nationally representative cross-sectional telephone survey, during the first period of easing of restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic between May and July 2020. Mental health was examined using the Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety Depression Scale. Poisson regression analyses were conducted to estimate risk ratios with robust variance estimation of the association between selected demographic factors and the risk of having depression and anxiety symptoms. Results: Of the 1,983 participants, 27.7% (n = 549; 95% CI: 0.26 - 0.30) reported depression and anxiety symptoms, while 74 (3.8%; 95% CI: 0.03 - 0.05) disclosed self-harm and/or suicidal thoughts. Females (RR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.37 - 1.87, p < 0.0005), employed individuals who experienced a change in work status (RR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.24 - 1.82, p < 0.0005), participants cocooning due to a health condition (RR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.08 - 1.66, p< 0.01), participants who were self-isolating (RR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.03 - 1.51, p=0.025) and moderate-heavy drinkers (RR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.09 - 1.47, p<0.01) were at increased risk of depression and anxiety. Young people aged 18-29 years and those in the two lowest income categories were most likely to report self-harm and/or suicidal thoughts. Conclusion: As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, with further waves and associated restrictions, the impact on mental health in the population as a whole and in specific subgroups must be considered. Study protocol registration: doi.org/10.12688/hrbopenres.13103.2.

Older adults' prevention and communication to beat anxiety: the diminishing utility of proactive coping actions

This study aims to investigate older adults' psychological reactions when facing changes in daily life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-epidemic measures. Specifically, this study investigated the impacts of communication types (i.e., electronic and face-to-face communication) and frequency during the pandemic and the kinds of proactive coping actions taken by older adults on their anxiety. A total of 43,019 respondents were included in this study by merging two longitudinal databases. One is the seventh wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) conducted in 2017, and the other is the COVID-19 Survey of SHARE, which was conducted between June and August 2020. This study found that one third of older adults reported anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and one fifth reported increased anxiety than before the pandemic. Anxiety symptoms seem somewhat prevalent among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, the more kinds of proactive coping actions taken by older adults, the more likely they felt anxious. As the pandemic continues and develops, taking proactive coping actions might no longer alleviate anxiety in older adults, showing a diminishing utility. In addition, face to face communication was found to decrease the likelihood of anxiety symptoms in older adults, whereas the opposite impact of electronic communication was found. For older adults, contacting others by electronic means may increase their anxiety feeling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emotional-based pedagogy and facilitating EFL learners' perceived flow in online education

Given the fundamental role of emotional intelligence (EI) in learning, especially in virtual learning contexts where individuals experience more stress and anxiety, the need to understand and recognize one's own feelings and the mutual feelings of peers has gained more importance. Flow as the ultimate state in harnessing emotions in the service of performance and learning has been introduced as the main reason for one's willingness to perform activities which are connected to no external motivation. In this regard, the present study was conducted to first introduce a new educational program to enhance the EI level in the English as a foreign language (EFL) online education environment and next to investigate the possibility of raising EFL learners' perceived flow. To achieve these goals, the study recruited a sample of 67 EFL learners who were next divided into experimental (n = 32) and control (n = 35) groups. The experimental group received the EI intervention over 10 weeks and the control group received the ordinary online EFL instruction. Data were collected through EI and flow questionnaires and semi-structured interviews which focused on learners' perception of the EI intervention and signs of enhanced flow. Statistical analysis of the data showed a positive effect of the program on the learners' EI and their perceived flow. The study emphasizes the role of applying positive emotions in making language learners more engaged in online classroom tasks.

Stressors and uplifts of confinement due to covid‐19: A longitudinal study on mental health in a sample of academic and administrative university staff in Spain

The rapid spread of COVID-19 caused many countries to decide to enter full lockdown, a circumstance that impacted all aspects of life, including mental health. The present longitudinal study aimed to analyse how stressors and uplifts of confinement were linked to psychological symptoms at three different time points: during the full lockdown (wave 1), after the gradual lifting of restrictions (wave 2) and after confinement (wave 3). The sample was made up by one hundred and twenty academic and administrative staff from a big University in Spain, they all completed an online survey. Results showed that psychological status did not change over time, but a significant interindividual variability was found throughout. Some stressors were only linked to symptoms at wave 1, but others maintained their associations during waves 2 and 3. Uplifts were, for the most part, inversely (and exclusively) linked to symptoms at wave 1. However, some of them, although enjoyable, were paradoxically linked to worse mental health at wave 1, and even at waves 2 and 3. These findings highlight the importance of providing preventive psychological strategies for mental distress before, during and after confinement.

Mental health of the Slovak population during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Population’s mental health surveillance is essential for knowing the distribution of mental well-being and mental disorders in the society. This allows for the establishment, evaluation, and revision of preventive measures and curative services. The results of such monitoring should serve as a database for evidence-based mental health policy. Mental disorders are among the top ten causes of burden globally and crisis situations such as the pandemic increase the risk of mental health problems, as they cause constant fear of contagion and the implementation of restrictive measures. The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the general population of the Slovak Republic has not yet been studied. The hypothesis was that more than one fifth of the population (women to a greater extent) will have symptoms of anxiety and depression.

AIM

To assess the mental health of the general Slovak population aged 15 years and older in the summer of 2021 by determining the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms.

METHODS

An anonymous cross-sectional survey was implemented in a sample of 1501 respondents in the summer of 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The inclusion criteria were age of 15 years and older and ability to complete the survey questionnaire online or in a face-to-face interview. The survey assessed anxiety symptoms by the seven-item general anxiety disorder and depressive symptoms by the nine-item patient health questionnaire instruments. Recognized cut-off scores of 10 or greater were used for both.

RESULTS

Anxiety symptoms were present in 19.32% and depression in 24.65% of the sample. Symptoms of both disorders were more common in females: 15.00% of males and 24.00% of females experienced anxiety symptoms, and 19.00% of males and 30.00% of females experienced symptoms of depression. Symptoms of both disorders were the most common in the youngest age group (15-25 years old): One fifth of males (20.29%) and one third of females (35.32%) had symptoms of anxiety, and 26.09% males and 43.79% females had symptoms of depression. Mean score for anxiety was 5.44 [standard deviations (SD) = 4.96] for the overall sample, 6.15 (SD = 5.14) for females, and 4.67 (SD = 4.63) for males. The youngest females of the 15-25 years age group had the highest score (7.55, SD = 5.27) among all age groups, for both sexes. Mean score for depression was 6.74 for the overall sample (SD = 5.75), 7.43 for females (SD = 5.87), and 5.99 (SD = 5.52) for males. The highest depression score was observed in the youngest females of the 15-25 years age group (9.34, SD = 6.07). We found a significant association between anxiety or depressive symptoms and younger age [odds ratio (OR): 1.69, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16-2.45 and OR: 1.65, 95%CI: 1.17-2.34, respectively], being female (OR: 1.86, 95%CI: 1.42-2.42 and OR: 1.76, 95%CI: 0.20-0.29, respectively), and having primary education (OR: 1.66, 95%CI: 1.08-2.54 and OR: 1.65, 95%CI: 1.16-2.63, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Results of our study indicate that anxiety and depression are frequent in the Slovak Republic during the COVID-19 pandemic. This important observation should serve as an information basis for the development of effective mental health policies, consisting of preventive programs, and early detection and effective treatment services. The study results provide strong argument for the necessity of mental health reform that is currently being shaped in the Slovak Republic.

A machine learning analysis of COVID-19 mental health data

In late December 2019, the novel coronavirus (Sars-Cov-2) and the resulting disease COVID-19 were first identified in Wuhan China. The disease slipped through containment measures, with the first known case in the United States being identified on January 20th, 2020. In this paper, we utilize survey data from the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research and apply several statistical and machine learning models and techniques such as Decision Trees, Multinomial Logistic Regression, Naive Bayes, k-Nearest Neighbors, Support Vector Machines, Neural Networks, Random Forests, Gradient Tree Boosting, XGBoost, CatBoost, LightGBM, Synthetic Minority Oversampling, and Chi-Squared Test to analyze the impacts the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the mental health of frontline workers in the United States. Through the interpretation of the many models applied to the mental health survey data, we have concluded that the most important factor in predicting the mental health decline of a frontline worker is the healthcare role the individual is in (Nurse, Emergency Room Staff, Surgeon, etc.), followed by the amount of sleep the individual has had in the last week, the amount of COVID-19 related news an individual has consumed on average in a day, the age of the worker, and the usage of alcohol and cannabis.

Increases in Circulating Cortisol during the COVID-19 Pandemic are Associated with Changes in Perceived Positive and Negative Affect among Adolescents

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has spread across the world and resulted in over 5 million deaths to date, as well as countless lockdowns, disruptions to daily life, and extended period of social distancing and isolation. The impacts on youth in particular are astounding, with shifts in learning platforms, limited social outlets, and prolonged uncertainty about the future. Surveys have shown that mental health among youth has severely suffered during the pandemic. However, limited research to date has reported on physiological indices of stress surrounding the pandemic, such as cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that typically increases during stressful situations and can have deleterious effects on mental and physical health when chronically heightened. The present study leveraged hair cortisol concentration measurements, which allowed the retrospectiveinvestigation of circulating cortisol prior to- versus after pandemic-related local lockdowns during the first wave of the pandemic. A final sample of 44 youth ages 10- to 18-years-old provided hair samples and reported on their perceived affective well-being and level of concern regarding pandemic-related stressors between May and June of 2020. We found significant levels of concern and decreases in affective well-being following local lockdowns. Moreover, we saw that cortisol robustly increased following local lockdowns, and those increases were predictive of changes in affect. These findings provide critical insights into the underlying neuroendocrinology of stress during the pandemic and support the need for resources to support youths’ mental health and well-being during this globally significant event.

Hair cortisol as a risk marker for increased depressive symptoms among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

Determining pre-existing biological risk markers of incident depression and other mental health sequelae after exposure to a new stressor would help identify vulnerable individuals and mechanistic pathways. This study investigated primarily whether hair cortisol predicted elevated depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, 6 years later. A secondary aim was to deduce whether any association differed by sex.

METHODS

We studied 1025 adults aged 50 and older (75% female) as part of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing. Hair cortisol samples were collected at 2014 (Wave 3) and depressive symptoms were assessed using the 8-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale in 2014 (Wave 3), 2016 (Wave 4), 2018 (Wave 5) and again in 2020 as part of TILDA's COVID-19 Study. Hierarchical mixed effects logistic regression models were applied to investigate the association between cortisol levels and clinically significant depressive symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

In a full covariate adjusted model there was a significant interaction between cortisol and wave on depressive symptoms (χ2 = 8.5, p = .03). Cortisol was positively and significantly associated with elevated depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 Study (OR =1.3, 95% CI 1.11, 1.56, p = .003), and was associated with an increased likelihood of reporting clinically significant depressive symptoms during first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, when compared with before, OR = 1.4, 95% CI 1.05, 1.9, p = .015. There was no evidence of effect modification by sex.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher hair cortisol, assessed 6 years previously, predicted clinically significant depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults during (but not before) the pandemic. Findings suggest a biological phenotype which denotes increased susceptibility to the negative impact of environmental stress on psychological health.

Links between rational and irrational beliefs, trait anxiety and fear of COVID 19

Introduction

Methodology

Results

Discussion

Predictors of mental health deterioration from pre- to post-COVID-19 outbreak

BACKGROUND

Mental health was only modestly affected in adults during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic on the group level, but interpersonal variation was large.

AIMS

We aim to investigate potential predictors of the differences in changes in mental health.

METHOD

Data were aggregated from three Dutch ongoing prospective cohorts with similar methodology for data collection. We included participants with pre-pandemic data gathered during 2006-2016, and who completed online questionnaires at least once during lockdown in The Netherlands between 1 April and 15 May 2020. Sociodemographic, clinical (number of mental health disorders and personality factors) and COVID-19-related variables were analysed as predictors of relative changes in four mental health outcomes (depressive symptoms, anxiety and worry symptoms, and loneliness), using multivariate linear regression analyses.

RESULTS

We included 1517 participants with (n = 1181) and without (n = 336) mental health disorders. Mean age was 56.1 years (s.d. 13.2), and 64.3% were women. Higher neuroticism predicted increases in all four mental health outcomes, especially for worry (β = 0.172, P = 0.003). Living alone and female gender predicted increases in depressive symptoms and loneliness (β = 0.05-0.08), whereas quarantine and strict adherence with COVID-19 restrictions predicted increases in anxiety and worry symptoms (β = 0.07-0.11).Teleworking predicted a decrease in anxiety symptoms (β = -0.07) and higher age predicted a decrease in anxiety (β = -0.08) and worry symptoms (β = -0.10).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed neuroticism as a robust predictor of adverse changes in mental health, and identified additional sociodemographic and COVID-19-related predictors that explain longitudinal variability in mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emotional Contagion Scale and Mental Health Status during the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic, National Assessment

Background

This great pandemic of COVID-19 has been a unique stressor that affected all communities in 2020. This study aims to examine the prevalence of anxiety and depression due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia and to study the emotional cognition scale in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methodology

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 857 inhabitants randomly selected from the 13 administrative regions of Saudi Arabia, using a validated self-administrated questionnaire comprising six sections. The collected data were summarized and analyzed.

Results

Among the majority of the studied participants, 377 (44.0%) were aged from 35 to less than 50 y. There were 489 (57.1%) females and 368 (42.9%) males, 616 (71.9%) Saudi nationals, 715 (83.4%) university-educated or postgraduate, 619 (72.2%) unmarried and 238 (27.8%) married, and 663 (77.4%) living in areas under partial lockdown. The resultant elevated total depression score was statistically significant (p<0.05) for the following: participants younger than 35y, females, Saudis, those with lower education levels, those who were married, students, those with work suspension during the COVID-19 pandemic, and amongst those who experienced complete lockdown. Among the majority of the studied participants, 355 (41.2%) showed mild depression, and 281(32.6) showed moderate anxiety, and were in the growth zone. In addition, the elevated total anxiety score was statistically significant (p<0.05) amongst the following; younger participants, females, Saudi nationals, those with lower educational levels, those who were unmarried, students, those with telework, and those with no curfew.

Conclusion

The adverse mental health effects were more prevalent among particular groups of the population, such as females, adults under 35 years old, students, those with lower educational attainments, and those suffering from chronic illnesses. Anxiety was significantly correlated with depression. The practice of preventive measures, e.g., wearing masks, and social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, may have had psychological benefits during the pandemic.

Summary

We assessed the mental health status in Saudi Arabia during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mild depression and moderate anxiety were prevalent problems, with many determinants and interrelations. Fear was the most infectious emotion, while happiness was the highest.

Effectiveness of educational intervention-based compassion therapy on emotional regulation and self-control after discharge of patients With COVID-19

BACKGROUND

One of the important causes of anxiety in COVID-19 disease is the inability to regulate emotion and lack of self-control during threatening conditions. The psychotherapy technique has been effective in reducing these symptoms. Therefore, this study attempted to evaluate the effectiveness of compassion-based therapy on emotion regulation and self-control in patients with COVID-19 after discharge.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

It was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study with a control group. The statistical population consisted of 30 men (15 in each group) who were in the quarantine period of COVID-19 disease. Available sampling was used and the participants were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. In the experimental group, compassion-based treatment was performed in 10 sessions of 90 min. Tanji's self-control questionnaire and Garnofsky's Emotion Regulation questionnaires were used. Data analysis were performed using SPSS 21 software and multivariate analysis of covariance.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference between the mean scores of emotion regulation and self-control variables in the experimental and control groups (P < 0.001). The effect of this treatment on increasing the emotion regulation score was 49% and on increasing the self-control score was 37%.

CONCLUSION

Compassion-based therapy can increase cognitive regulation and improve self-control in patients with COVID-19 disease. It is suggested that this intervention can be used in psychological treatment programs.

Association of compliance with COVID-19 public health measures with depression

Although previous studies have demonstrated increased depression related to COVID-19, the reasons for this are not well-understood. We investigated the association of compliance with COVID-19 public health measures with depression. Data from the 2020 Korea Community Health Survey were analyzed. The main independent variable was compliance with rules based on three performance variables (social distancing, wearing a mask in indoor facilities, and outdoors). Depression was assessed using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores. Of 195,243 participants, 5,101 participants had depression. Bad and moderate performance scores for compliance were associated with depression (Bad score, men: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.29-3.87; women: aOR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.42-4.13; moderate score, men: aOR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.02-1.68; women: aOR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.07-1.53). In the subgroup analysis, among the quarantine rules, not wearing a mask indoors was the most prominently associated with depression. In participants with a high level of education, non-compliance with quarantine rules was significantly associated with depression. People who do not comply with public health measures are more likely to be depressed. The preparation and observance of scientific quarantine rules can help mental health in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and another infectious disease pandemic that may come.

Gambling and gaming during COVID-19: The role of mental health and social motives in gambling and gaming problems

BACKGROUND

The uncertain and stressful global situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to cause anxiety and impact people's mental health. Simultaneously, social distancing policies have isolated people from their normal social interactions. These societal changes have inevitably influenced gambling and gaming practices, and many people may have turned to betting or gaming as a means of social exchange. This study examined the influence of COVID-19 anxiety on increased mental health problems and their relationship to gambling and gaming problems. The mediating role of social motives for gambling and gaming was also investigated.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Finnish adults (N = 1530; Mage = 46.67; 50.33% male) were recruited from a volunteer participant panel to participate in a survey study. COVID-19 anxiety was assessed using a scale adapted from the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Mental health problems were evaluated with the five-item Mental Health Inventory. Gambling problems were measured using the Problem Gambling Severity Index, and gaming problems were measured with the Internet Gaming Disorder Test. Social motives for gaming were evaluated using a single-item measure. Analyses used generalised structural equation modelling.

RESULTS

COVID-19 anxiety predicted increased mental health problems, which were associated with heightened gambling and gaming problems. Social motives for gambling and gaming were a significant mediator, suggesting that gambling and gaming problems are emphasized markedly among those who are socially motivated by and involved in such games.

CONCLUSIONS

Mental health problems experienced during the pandemic and the social properties of games might accentuate gambling and gaming problems.

Were anxiety, depression and psychological distress associated with local mortality rates during COVID-19 outbreak in Italy? Findings from the COMET study

BACKGROUND

The mental health of the Italian population declined at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, nationwide population prevalence estimates may not effectively reproduce the heterogeneity in distress responses to the pandemic. In particular, contextual determinants specific to COVID-19 pandemic need to be considered. We thus aimed to explore the association between local COVID-19 mortality rates and mental health response among the general population.

METHODS

We capitalised on data (N = 17,628) from a large, cross-sectional, national survey, the COMET study, run between March and May 2020. While psychological distress was measured by General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21) was used to assess relevant domains. In addition, a Covid-19 mortality ratio was built to compare single regional mortality rates to the national estimate and official statistics were used to control for other area-level determinants.

RESULTS

Adjusted ordered regression analyses showed an association between mortality ratio and moderate (OR = 1.10, 95%CI 1.03-1.18) and severe (OR = 1.11, 95%CI 1.03-1.21) DASS-21 anxiety levels. No effects of mortality ratio on GHQ-12 scores and DASS-21 depression and stress levels, uniformly high across the country, were estimated.

CONCLUSIONS

Although we could not find any association between regional COVID-19 mortality ratio and depression or psychological distress, anxiety levels were significantly increased among subjects from areas with the highest mortality rates. Local mortality rate seems a meaningful driver for anxiety among the general population. Considering the potentially long-lasting scenario, local public health authorities should provide neighbouring communities with preventive interventions reducing psychological isolation and anxiety levels.

Difference between Impacts of COVID-19 on Women and Men's Psychological, Social, Vulnerable Work Situations, and Economic Well-Being

The SARS-CoV-2 virus changed social reality worldwide, affecting people's health and work life, particularly their anxiety levels. The purpose of this study is to verify the situation of women in terms of anxiety and social determinants in Spain during the pandemic. The sample consisted of 4686 people (3500 women and 1186 men). The tools used were the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and an ad hoc questionnaire to assess the work and mental situation of the participants. The results indicate a higher rate of anxiety among women than among men and reveal a relationship between higher levels of anxiety and more vulnerable work situations in terms of higher unemployment rates, contract changes, etc. Furthermore, there was a higher percentage of women than men in the sectors where the health crisis has had a greater impact and presence, with repercussions on the physical, mental, and social health of the entire population and especially on women. It is necessary to take into account the social determinants of health, not only at the structural level, in terms of the socio-economic and political contexts, to avoid and limit the axes of inequality such as gender.

Disruption to well-being activities and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediational role of social connectedness and rumination

BACKGROUND

Disruption to everyday routine during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in considerable implications for global mental health. The inter- and intra-personal mechanisms by which disrupted routine can contribute to elevated depressive symptoms has not been well-explored. The present study aimed to examine how feelings of social (dis)connectedness and rumination, as a maladaptive coping strategy, could explain the association between disrupted well-being activities and depressive symptoms.

METHODS

Participants (N = 496) ranging in age from 18 to 73 years (M = 28.73, SD = 10.93) completed an online survey within the first 3 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, which included measures of disruption to usual psychological and physical well-being activities, social connectedness, rumination, and depressive symptoms. Social connectedness and rumination were investigated as serial mediators of the association between disrupted well-being activities and depression using Hayes' PROCESS macro.

RESULTS

39.5% of the sample reported clinically significant levels of depression. Disruption to well-being activities predicted higher depressive symptoms, and this was partially explained by feelings of social disconnectedness and subsequent rumination. Rumination, alone, was not a significant mediator between disrupted routine and depressive symptoms.

LIMITATIONS

The cross-sectional survey design does not preclude the possibility of bidirectional effects.

CONCLUSION

The social distancing public health measures to combat COVID-19 have contributed to widespread disrupted routine, and in turn, elevated symptoms of depression. Social disconnectedness plays a particularly important role in this association. Intervention strategies should consider social factors as a 'social cure' for mass, positive mental health promotion during COVID-19.

School wellbeing and psychological characteristics of online learning in families of children with and without hearing loss during the Covid-19 pandemic

This study investigated the psychological characteristics of online learning on Italian students with and without hearing loss (HL) and on their parents, who were forced into isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic. An online survey collected information on socio-demographic data and opinions concerning online learning from 61 children (mean age 11; 25 males, 36 females), including 43 with HL and also from their parents; additionally, school wellbeing and anxiety were assessed. The results showed that, in both the student and parent groups, no significant effect of HL on school wellbeing and anxiety was found. Additionally, in parents, State Anxiety was significantly higher than Trait Anxiety, suggesting one possible impact of lockdown on psychological wellbeing. Differences due to HL were observed and discussed in correlation analyses. The Authors believe that this study is the first contribution to the psychological evaluation of the impact of online learning on families with hearing-impaired children, from the perspective of a successful, inclusive didactic.

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on depression in older adults: A panel data analysis

Background

This paper investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on depression in the older population, an especially vulnerable group for which to date there is limited empirical research.

Methods

We employ a panel data consisting of seven waves of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (2010–2020). The breadth and depth of the data considered enabled us to control for individual fixed effects, to adjust for pre-pandemic trends in depression levels and to perform a heterogeneity analysis, depending on the intensity of the lockdown measures implemented and relevant socioeconomic characteristics.

Results

We find that, following the COVID-19 pandemic, study participants reported a statistically significant increase in the depressive symptoms by around 0.7 over 8 points as measured by the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) index. The estimated coefficients were larger in November than in July, for individuals who lost their job, retired and women. Interestingly, we observed that mental health has worsened substantially relative to the pre-pandemic period across all income groups of the older population, suggesting a limited role of income as a protective mechanism for mental health.

Conclusions

Our findings provide compelling evidence that depression levels amongst older adults have worsened considerably following the COVID-19 pandemic, and that factors other than income, such as social interactions, may be highly relevant for well-being in later life.

Association between Dining with Companions and Depression among Korean Adults

We investigated whether dining with companions is correlated with the alleviation of depression and differs by sex among Korean adults. We used 4-year data from the 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We surveyed 11,055 participants (4699 men, 6356 women) using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 to measure their depression scores. We evaluated participants’ meal companionship status by asking whether they had usually dined with companions for breakfast, lunch, or dinner during the past year. Statistical analysis was performed using chi-square tests and multivariate/multinomial logistic regression. We found depression to be less prevalent among participants who dined with companions at least once a day (adjusted OR: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.15–0.45, men; adjusted OR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.34–0.74, women). In the moderate depression subgroup, participants who dined with companions at least once a day showed lower OR (adjusted OR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.16–0.50, men; adjusted OR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.32–0.76, women). Among participants who dined together, men’s severe depression dramatically decreased (adjusted OR: 0.05, 95% CI: 0.01–0.31). Thus, we found an association between dining with companions and the prevalence of depression among Korean adults. Dining with companions compared with dining alone signified a lower depression rate, especially among men. This study can provide an initiative to further analyze psychological and physiological effects of dining together and be applied to practical fields as education and societal campaigns.

Affective States During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Progression of Intensity and Relation With Public Health Compliance Behavior

The COVID-19 pandemic was expected to cause intense affective reactions. This situation provided a unique opportunity to examine the characteristics and correlates of emotions in a real-world context with great significance. Our study aimed to describe the progression of positive and negative affective states during the pandemic, and to investigate which affective states predicted compliance with public health measures. We undertook a survey of affective states in the province of Quebec at the beginning, the peak, and the aftermath of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. We recruited 530 responders; 154 responded to all three surveys. We used self-report scales to measure affective states and compliance with public health measures. We then computed separate linear regressions for the three phases of our study, with compliance with health measures as the dependent variable. Affective states were generally most intense at the beginning of the pandemic. Fear-related pandemic-related affective states reliably predicted compliance with public health measures in the three phases of our study. Positively valenced affective states related to the societal response also contributed predictive value, but only at the peak of the first wave.

Mental health, financial, and social outcomes among older adults with probable COVID-19 infection: A longitudinal cohort study

We investigated the immediate and longer-term impact (over 4-6 months) of probable COVID-19 infection on mental health, wellbeing, financial hardship, and social interactions among older people living in England. Data were analysed from 5146 older adults participating in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing who provided data before the pandemic (2018-19) and at two COVID-19 assessments in 2020 (June-July and November-December). The associations of probable COVID-19 infection (first COVID-19 assessment) with depression, anxiety, poor quality of life (QoL), loneliness, financial hardship, and social contact with family/friends at the first and second COVID-19 assessments were tested using linear/logistic regression and were adjusted for pre-pandemic outcome measures. Participants with probable infection had higher levels of depression and anxiety, poorer QoL, and greater loneliness scores compared with those without probable infection at both the first (ORdepression = 1.62, P-value = 0.005; ORanxiety = 1.59, P-value = 0.049; bpoorQoL = 1.34, P < 0.001; bloneliness = 0.49, P < 0.001) and second (ORdepression = 1.56, P-value = 0.003; ORanxiety = 1.55, P-value = 0.041; bpoorQoL = 1.38, P-value < 0.001; bloneliness = 0.31, P-value = 0.024) COVID-19 assessments. Participants with probable infection also experienced greater financial difficulties than those without infection at the first assessment (OR = 1.50, P-value = 0.011). Probable COVID-19 infection is associated with longer-term deterioration of mental health and wellbeing and short-term increases in financial hardship among older adults. It is important to monitor the mental health of older people affected by COVID-19 and provide additional support to those in need.

Depression among Peri- and Post-Menopausal Women during COVID-19 Pandemic in Chandigarh, North India: A Study from Community

Background

Peri- and post-menopausal women are vulnerable to suffer from mental health problems including depression, anxiety, and stress, which might have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective

To estimate the prevalence of depression and associated factors among peri- and post-menopausal women during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chandigarh.

Materials and Methods

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 urban peri- and post-menopausal women of age 40-60 years in Chandigarh, from May to June 2021. Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7, and EuroQol-5D validated tools were used to screen depression, anxiety, and quality of life (QOL). Fear of COVID-19 scale was developed as part of this study was used to assess the fear related to COVID-19 infection. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 26.0. Binary multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify the predictors.

Results

The prevalence of depression was 39% and anxiety 29.5% among peri-and post-menopausal women. The fear of COVID-19 infection (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 8.43, confidence interval [CI]: 1.99-35.64; aOR 10.54, CI: 2.76-40.24) and sleeplessness (aOR 13.29, CI: 3.22-54.82) were the significant (P < 0.005) predictors of depression and anxiety, respectively. Fearful peri- and post-menopausal women (aOR 5.94, CI: 2.68-13.13) and widow status (aOR 7.08, CI: 1.10-45.28) were the significant (P < 0.005) predictors of poor QOL.

Conclusions

The prevalence of depression was high among peri- and post-menopausal women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fear of getting COVID-19 infection was significantly associated with depression, anxiety, and poor QOL.

The Multi-Sites Trial on the Effects of Therapeutic Gardening on Mental Health and Well-Being

Although many people affected by COVID-19 suffer from some form of psychological distress, access to proper treatment or psychosocial interventions has been limited. This study aimed to examine the feasibility and preliminary effects of a therapeutic gardening program conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program consisted of 30 sessions and was conducted at 10 nationwide sites in Korea from June to November 2021. Mental health and well-being were assessed using the Mental Health Screening Tool for Depressive Disorders, Mental Health Screening Tool for Anxiety Disorders, Engagement in Daily Activity Scale, brief version of World Health Organization Quality of Life, and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. Cohen’s d value was calculated for the effect size, and a multilevel analysis was used to determine the longitudinal effects of therapeutic gardening. The effect sizes for depression, anxiety, daily activities, quality of life, and mindfulness were 0.84, 0.72, 0.61, 0.64, and 0.40, respectively. Multilevel analyses showed that all five mental health variables improved significantly over time as the therapeutic gardening program progressed. Therapeutic gardening is promising and applicable as a nature-based intervention to improve the mental health of individuals experiencing psychological distress especially in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Role of positive mental health in reducing fears related to COVID-19 and general anxiety disorder in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Background

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has posed multiple challenges to healthcare systems. Evidence suggests that mental well-being is badly affected due to compliance with preventative measures in containing the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to explore the role of positive mental health (subjective sense of wellbeing) to cope with fears related to COVID-19 and general anxiety disorder in the Pashtun community in Pakistan.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 501 respondents from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa participating in an online-based study. We performed correlational analysis, hierarchical linear regression and structural equational modeling (SEM) to analyze the role of mental health in reducing fears and general anxiety disorder.

Results

The results of the SEM show that positive mental health has direct effects in reducing the fear related to COVID-19 (β = − 0.244, p < 0.001) and general anxiety (β = − 0.210, p < 0.001). Fears of COVID-19 has a direct effect on increasing general anxiety (β = 0.480). In addition, positive mental health also has an indirect effect (β = − 0.117, p < 0.001) on general anxiety (R² = 0.32, p < 0.001) through reducing fear of coronavirus.

Conclusion

Based on these findings, there is a need to develop community health policies emphasizing on promotive and preventive mental health strategies for people practicing social/physical distancing.

Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Argentinian Population: Vaccination Is Associated With a Decrease in Depressive Symptoms

Background

Since the irruption of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) the planet has submerged in a time of concern and uncertainty, with a direct impact on people's mental health. Moreover, the recurrent outbreaks that periodically harry different regions of the world constantly refocus people's concerns to the pandemic. Yet, each new wave heats the diverse countries in different situations, including the advances in their vaccination campaigns. In this research, we studied the levels of the general anxiety disorder (GAD) and depression in the Argentine population across the first and second waves of infections that occurred in our country.

Methods

We conducted an on-line survey, within each peak of the pandemic. People were asked to self-report GAD and depression symptoms using the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 questioners, inform their vaccination status, the frequency they performed physical activity as well as working condition and modality. Here, we identified the more vulnerable groups and evaluated factors that could mitigate the rise of these mental disorders, focusing on vaccination.

Results

Our data shows that reported GAD and depression levels were higher during the second wave than during the first one. More importantly, vaccinated people were less depressed than non-vaccinated people, while GAD levels remained equivalent in both groups. Other factors directly associated with lower GAD and depression levels were performing frequent physical activity and being employed, regardless of the employment modality. These observations were replicated in different age ranges and genders.

Conclusion

This work evidences GAD and depression in different pandemic waves in Argentina, as well the factors that may contribute to reducing the magnitude of these disorders, including vaccination.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Hyperhidrosis Patients in the Mental Health and Quality of Life: A Web-Based Surveillance Study

Background: We aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the degree of depression among hyperhidrosis patients and their quality of life. Methods: 222 patients were contacted through an online questionnaire. Patients reported quality of life (QoL), including treatment and changes in symptoms during the pandemic, and also responded to the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to evaluate the severity of depression. Those were compared with the result from the general population. Spearman correlation and multiple linear regression were performed to identify the factors related to the PHQ-9 score. Results: Half of the patients were female. The mean PHQ-9 score (5.25) of hyperhidrosis patients was higher than the general population, and female patients displayed significantly higher PHQ-9 scores than males (p = 0.002). QoL was impaired more in females. About 10% of patients experienced worsening symptoms, and 30% had difficulties getting appropriate management. Significant negative correlations were found between the PHQ-9 and age or disease duration. Predictive factors for the PHQ-9 were female (p = 0.006) and facial hyperhidrosis (p = 0.024). Conclusions: The level of depression among hyperhidrosis patients was higher than the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic; female and facial hyperhidrosis patients need much more psychiatric attention. Though hyperhidrosis is classified as benign and often neglected by clinicians, we need to give more awareness to the mental burden imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The effect of the Baduanjin exercise on COVID-19-related anxiety, psychological well-being and lower back pain of college students during the pandemic

Background

This study aimed to examine the effect of Baduanjin exercise on COVID-19-related anxiety, psychological well-being, and the lower back pain of college students during the coronavirus pandemic in China.

Setting

The study was carried out in a temporary experimental center of four universities in Wenzhou city in Zhejiang Province, China.

Population

387 participants who were college students were allocated to two groups: the Baduanjin exercise group(BEG, n = 195); and the Control group(CG,n = 192).

Methods

In this randomized controlled trial,387 participants who were college students were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to 12-week Baduanjin exercise group (BEG, n = 195)and 12-week Control group(CG,n = 192).CAS(Coronavirus Anxiety Scale), PWBS(Psychological Well-being Scale),NMQ( Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire), was used to assess COVID-19-related anxiety, psychological well-being, and lower back pain at second times ( before and after the intervention). The paired t-test and an independent t-test (with a 95% confidence interval) was used to compare the outcome variables of the two groups.

Results

Within-group comparison, there was no significant difference in the control group before and after the intervention. In contrast, the Baduanjin group had a significant improvement before and after the intervention. Between-group comparison, the Baduanjin group had a significant difference from the control group. The intervention effect on the Baduanjin exercise group was remarkably better than that of the control group (p < 0.05). Participants in the Baduanjin group significantly improved the corvid-19-related anxiety score decreased from ( 5.22 ± 0.45 to 5.07 ± 0.27, p < 0.05). The total psychological well-being score increased from (70.11 ± 8.65 to 84.12 ± 7.38,p < 0.05) and the prevalence of low back pain decreased from (22.45 ± 1.67 to 18.35 ± 1.05, p < 0.05) among college students.

Conclusion

During the pandemic, the Baduanjin exercise contributes to the reduction of the perceived anxiety related to COVID-19, decreases the prevalence of the lower back pain, and improves the psychological well-being of college students.

Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04432038. Registered on June 16, 2020.

Depression among COVID-19 survivors in Colombia

The COVID-19 survivors are at high risk of meeting the criteria for depression. However, few studies have explored its prevalence and associated factors. The study aimed to know the frequency and variables associated with depression among COVID-19 survivors in Santa Marta, Colombia. A sample of COVID-19 survivors was included. Depression was quantified with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9, α = 0.85). Three hundred and thirty survivors participated in the research. They were aged between 18 and 89 years, 61.5% were women, and 49.7% of participants scored above the cut-off point for depression. Depression was associated with female gender, younger age, COVID moderate or severe, and having presented symptoms for more than three weeks. In conclusion, depression occurs in half of the COVID-19 survivors and is higher in younger, women and who report more severe symptoms. Longitudinal studies can provide further information on the long-term impact on the mental health of COVID-19 survivors.

A qualitative analysis of literature reporting and linking psychosis to COVID-19 infection. Findings from a postgraduate journal club

Acute exacerbations of psychosis have been reported with COVID-19 infection and medications used for its treatment. Terms "psychosis", "psychotic", "COVID-19″ and "coronavirus" were searched on "PubMed" and "GOOGLE SCHOLAR", yielding 84 articles. 14 case reports were selected based on pre-defined criteria and analyzed. Among selected articles,10 attributed psychosis to COVID-19 infection. In 3 articles, psychosis was diagnosed despite concurrent delirium. In 8 and 3 articles respectively, a clear temporal demarcation of psychosis and COVID-19 infection and steroid use was not described. Psychosis can occur secondary to GMC, or exposure to medication. Due process should be followed to ascertain the same.

INTRODUCTION

Neurotropic coronavirus infection is associated with numerous neurological and neuropsychiatric manifestations. Such presentations before, during and after the infection have been reported. Among these presentations, acute exacerbations of psychosis have been reportedly linked with COVID-19 infection and medications used for its treatment.

METHODOLOGY

Search engines "PubMed" AND "GOOGLE SCHOLAR" were searched using specific search terms during June 2021. Out of 84 articles that came up, we selected 14 articles based on pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Selected articles were analysed and discussed in the departmental journal club.

RESULTS

In 10 articles, diagnosis of psychosis was attributed to COVID-19 infection. In 3 of those articles, despite reporting concurrent delirium like presentation, diagnosis was still reported as psychosis. In 8 articles, the temporal correlation between onset of psychosis, onset of COVID-19 was not clearly demarcated. In 3 articles, clear demarcation between psychosis associated with steroid use and with a general medical condition (COVID-19) was not clearly presented. Only 2 articles did mention using a structured diagnostic system. In patients (3/17) with prior history of psychiatric illness, diagnosis was reported as relapse of psychosis (2/17), without specifying the criteria used for diagnosing a relapse.

CONCLUSION

Acute exacerbation of psychosis can occur secondary to a general medical condition (GMC), or after exposure to a medication. However, due process should be followed to ascertain that the psychosis is indeed secondary to a GMC, or a medication, and not a de-novo presentation, or delirium.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: A Preliminary Examination of the (Event-Related) Potential for Modifying Threat-Related Attentional Bias in Anxiety

Objectives

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) can reduce anxiety and depression symptoms in adults with anxiety disorders, and changes in threat-related attentional bias may be a key mechanism driving the intervention's effects on anxiety symptoms. Event-related potentials (ERPs) can illuminate the physiological mechanism through which MBCT targets threat bias and reduces symptoms of anxiety. This preliminary study examined whether P1 ERP threat-related attentional bias markers in anxious adults change from pre- to post-MBCT delivered in-person or virtually (via Zoom) and investigated the relationship between P1 threat-related attentional bias markers and treatment response.

Methods

Pre- and post-MBCT, participants with moderate to high levels of anxiety (N = 50) completed a dot-probe task with simultaneous EEG recording. Analyses focused on pre- and post-MBCT P1 amplitudes elicited by angry-neutral and happy-neutral face pair cues, probes, and reaction times in the dot-probe task and anxiety and depression symptoms.

Results

Pre- to post-MBCT, there was a significant reduction in P1-Probe amplitudes (d = .23), anxiety (d = .41) and depression (d = .80) symptoms, and reaction times (d = .10). Larger P1-Angry Cue amplitudes, indexing hypervigilance to angry faces, were associated with higher levels of anxiety both pre- and post-MBCT (d = .20). Post-MBCT, anxiety symptoms were lower in the in-person versus virtual group (d = .80).

Conclusions

MBCT may increase processing efficiency and decreases anxiety and depression symptoms in anxious adults. However, changes in threat bias specifically were generally not supported. Replication with a comparison group is needed to clarify whether changes were MBCT-specific.

Clinical Trials Registration

NCT03571386, June 18, 2018.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12671-022-01910-x.

Depression symptoms and the perception of public health restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia: The protective effect of sense of control

The psychological impact of public health restrictions may play a role in the increased depression levels reported since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Data further suggest that people’s sense of personal control has been reduced during the pandemic also producing psychological distress. This study aimed to test whether perceptions of public health restrictions predict depression under pandemic conditions and if the sense of control can serve as a protective factor. For this cross-sectional study, 641 residents in Saudi Arabia over the age of 17 years were recruited between November and December of 2020 to complete an online survey. The survey assessed depression levels (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI), the sense of control and perceptions of public health restrictions. Demographic information was also collected. Depression levels were higher compared to previous samples (d = 0.12). The number of restrictions perceived as distressing strongly predicted the probability of high BDI scores, β=0.92, with higher sense of control predicting lower levels of depression (constraints, β=-0.50, mastery, β=-0.71). A strong sense of control significantly reduced the impact of the perception of restrictions on depression. These results suggest that the perception of public health restrictions is part of the reason for increased levels of depression during the pandemic. A strong sense control reduced the impact of restrictions on depression. It is therefore possible that simple interventions enhancing the sense of control, such as the availability of choice, could support mental health in restricted situations.

The kids are alright: adolescents’ experiences during COVID-19 disruption

Purpose

This study aimed to understand adolescents’ experiences, negative feelings and coping mechanisms associated with the major disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to develop a baseline for understanding adolescents and their environment to assist future developments of technological and other solutions to mitigate adolescents’ loneliness, improve their wellbeing and strengthen their resilience.

Design/methodology/approach

The data about adolescents’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic was collected through virtual interviews conducted via Zoom. A total of 39 adolescents (aged 12 through 18 years) primarily from the North East of the USA participated in the study. The transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Findings

This study found evidence of negative disruptions to adolescents’ social, learning and emotional routines. This study also found that in dealing with the effects of COVID-19 disruption, most of the participants exhibited five key attributes of individual resilience, including social competence, problem-solving, critical consciousness, autonomy and a sense of purpose. External factors supporting resilience were also mentioned, including technology resources, family, school and broader community.

Originality/value

This study relied on first-hand adolescents’ reports of their experiences, feelings and coping strategies during the pandemic. This study applied a resilience framework to interpret the findings and translate them into recommendations for further development of support systems for adolescents.

Anxiety and depression in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder during the first COVID-19 lockdown: Report from the ELENA cohort

BACKGROUND

The Covid-19 pandemic had a strong impact on mental health in the general population. This study conducted during the first lockdown in France considered parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) prospectively followed in the ELENA Cohort.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to (1) compare the Anxiety and Depression (AaD) levels during the lockdown between mothers and fathers, (2) compare the parent's AaD between the lockdown and the last ELENA follow-up visit, and (3) identify risk factors for parental AaD during lockdown among socio-demographic and children's clinical characteristics.

METHODS

The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to assess AaD in 134 parent's pairs. Parents also completed the Questionnaire about their living conditions during COVID-19, their child's interventions and perceived changes about their child's behaviors and sleep. Child's ASD severity, intellectual and socio-adaptive skills and parent's socio-demographic characteristics were collected from ELENA follow-up.

RESULTS

The parents' AaD levels were lower during the lockdown compared to the last ELENA visit that coincided in 96% with the child's ASD diagnosis. The AaD levels were more pronounced in mothers and significantly associated with the child's challenging behaviors, parents' teleworking and perceived knowledge about COVID-19. The perception of an insufficient knowledge was the only risk factor for mothers' AaD.

CONCLUSION

Our findings highlighted the pertinence for an assessment of the mental health of main caregivers of children with ASD, consideration of their gender characteristics, and the importance of providing relevant information during pandemic. Future studies examining the pandemic long-term effects are needed.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02625116.

Testing alternative models and predictive utility of the Death Anxiety Inventory-Revised: A COVID-19 related longitudinal population based study

The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic had a profound effect on all aspects of daily life and triggered a swell of anxiety across the world. Some suggest this emotional response to the pandemic can be explained through death anxiety (DA), a transdiagnostic dimension associated with numerous psychological disorders. However, it remains unclear as to whether DA is a unidimensional or multidimensional construct. The primary aim of this study was to examine the underlying structure of the Death Anxiety Inventory-Revised (DAI-R; Tomás-Sábado et al., 2005) and assess its associations with mental health and demographic variables during the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve these aims, we utilized data from Waves 1 (N = 2205: collected between March 23 and March 28, 2020) and 2 (N = 1406: collected between April 22 and May 1, 2020) of the COVID-19 Psychological Research Consortium (C19PRC), a multi-wave nationally representative study. Results showed that a 4-factor model provided the best fit to the data compared to a unidimensional and 4-factor second-order model. Further analyses showed that DA at Wave 1 was positively associated with somatic symptoms, paranoia, depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress symptoms at Wave 2, supporting previous research that suggests that the fear of death is predictive of psychopathology. Significantly, the factor labelled 'Thoughts about Death' at Wave 1 was the strongest predictor of the five main psychological variables at Wave 2, after statistically controlling for the other latent variables. These findings highlight the transdiagnostic nature of DA and support this important diagnostic construct becoming a measure of mental health more generally within the population. It is hoped that this research will shine a light on those suffering from DA and become a catalyst for increased therapeutic intervention, funding, and research in this area.

Impact of Long COVID on health and quality of life

Background: The aim of this study was to measure the impact of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) on quality of life, mental health, ability to work and return to baseline health in an Irish cohort.

Methods: We invited individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 lasting more than 14 days to participate in an anonymous online questionnaire. Basic demographic data and self-reported symptoms were recorded. Internationally validated instruments including the patient health questionnaire somatic, anxiety and depressive symptom scales (PHQ-SADS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) and Chadler fatigue scale (CFQ) were used.

Results: We analysed responses from 988 participants with self-reported confirmed (diagnostic/antibody positive; 81%) or suspected (diagnostic/antibody negative or untested; 9%) COVID-19. The majority of respondents were female (88%), white (98%), with a median age of 43.0 (range 15 – 88 years old) and a median BMI of 26.0 (range 16 – 60). At the time of completing this survey, 89% of respondents reported that they have not returned to their pre-COVID-19 level of health. The median number of symptoms reported was 8 (range 0 to 33 symptoms), with a median duration of 12 months (range 1 to 20 months) since time of acute infection. A high proportion of PASC patients reported that they have a moderate or severe limitation in their ability to carry out their usual activities, 38% report their ability to work is severely limited and 33% report a moderate, or higher, level of anxiety or depression.

Conclusion: The results of this survey of an Irish cohort with PASC are in line with reports from other settings, and we confirm that patients with PASC reported prolonged, multi-system symptoms which can significantly impact quality of life, affect ability to work and cause significant disability. Dedicated multidisciplinary, cross specialty supports are required to improve outcomes of this patient group.