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Goodman SH, Boden-Albala B, Drum E, Ryan N, Gibbs B, Gutierrez D, Runnerstrom MG, Wing JJ. A rapid assessment of depressive and anxious symptoms among university students during the COVID-19 public health emergency: A repeated cross-sectional analysis. JOURNAL OF AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH : J OF ACH 2024:1-10. [PMID: 39303079 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2024.2400114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/25/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To identify potential associations between student characteristics and mental health symptoms during the early parts of the pandemic. PARTICIPANTS 3,883 students at a large public university on the West Coast of the United States. METHODS We conducted a repeated cross-sectional survey to assess health-protective behaviors, mental health, social support, and stigma resistance. The survey was administered in April 2020 and again in November/December 2020. Odds of mental health symptoms were estimated using multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS 39% of respondents reported anxious symptoms, 9% reported depressive symptoms, and 27% reported both anxious and depressive symptoms. AAPI had lower odds of reporting both anxious/depressive symptoms compared to whites (OR = 0.59; 95% CI:0.43-0.81). CONCLUSION Students reported elevated levels of psychological stress during the pandemic, yet our results may underestimate the actual odds due to stress brought on by COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara H Goodman
- Department of Pediatrics - Infectious Diseases, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Bernadette Boden-Albala
- Program in Public Health, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
- Department of Health, Society, and Behavior, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Program in Public Health, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Emily Drum
- Department of Health, Society, and Behavior, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Nessa Ryan
- Department of Health, Society, and Behavior, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Brooke Gibbs
- Department of Health, Society, and Behavior, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Desiree Gutierrez
- Department of Health, Society, and Behavior, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Miryha Gould Runnerstrom
- School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Washington Bothell, Bothell, Washington, USA
| | - Jeffrey J Wing
- College of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Ala S, Ramos-Campos F, Relva IC. Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress and Mental Health in a Sample of University Students: The Mediating Role of Resilience and Psychological Well-Being. Eur J Investig Health Psychol Educ 2024; 14:2262-2281. [PMID: 39194945 DOI: 10.3390/ejihpe14080151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the most stressful events in recent times across the world. The long-term effect of these experiences raises several concerns, including the development of post-traumatic stress symptomatology. However, little is known about the psychological processes that mediate this association. The aim of this study was to explore the association of emotional exhaustion and anxiety in post-traumatic stress symptomatology, and the mediating role of resilience and psychological well-being in university students. A total of 526 university students of both sexes participated in this study, and they were aged between 17 and 62 years old. Symptoms of anxiety and emotional exhaustion were significantly higher in females, in contrast, males showed on average more resilience and psychological well-being. Additionally, participants with COVID-19 infection had higher levels of emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and PTSD. The results indicated that the variables were correlated with each other (p < 0.001). A conceptual model was confirmed that describes anxiety and emotional exhaustion as predictors, post-traumatic stress symptomatology as an outcome variable, and resilience and psychological well-being as mediators. Resilience and psychological well-being can be important protective factors for adaptive responses in stressful situations. The findings obtained in this study will provide a theoretical basis for designing targeted interventions to improve psychological health, whether for crisis intervention, the process of adapting to higher education, or for recovery plans from psychological trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sílvia Ala
- Department of Social Sciences, Life and Public Health Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, School of Health, 5300-121 Bragança, Portugal
- Research Group on Neuroscience and Psychiatric Illnesses in Instituto de Investigation Sanitaria Galicia Sur, 36213 Vigo, Spain
- Department of Personality, Assessment and Psychological Treatments, Faculty of Psychology, University of Salamanca, 37005 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Francisco Ramos-Campos
- Department of Personality, Assessment and Psychological Treatments, Faculty of Psychology, University of Salamanca, 37005 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Inês Carvalho Relva
- Department of Education and Psychology, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
- Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
- Centre for Research and Intervention in Education (CIIE), University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
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Micillo L, Canale N, Naddeo D, Cellini N, Mioni G. The effect of the sense of Community on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: the mediation role of a balanced time perspective. BMC Psychol 2024; 12:321. [PMID: 38824588 PMCID: PMC11144315 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01797-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Social context and time are two dimensions within which our entire existence is embedded. Therefore, prompting a positive set of attitudes and beliefs towards these elements is fundamental for individuals' psychological well-being. Currently, there is limited understanding regarding the interplay between the sense of community and time perspective in relation to psychological distress. The present study aims, at investigating the effects that the sense of community and time perspective have on the levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. Particular attention has been dedicated to testing whether the effect of sense of community on anxiety, depression, and stress is mediated by the deviation from a balanced time perspective. METHODS To accomplish our purposes, we asked 352 participants to complete an online survey and respond to the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI), and the Multi-Dimensional Sense of Community Scale (MTSOCS). From these scales, we obtained the scores for anxiety, depression, and stress as well as a general score for the sense of community and the deviation from a balanced time perspective. We computed three General Linear Mediation Models, one for each scale of the DASS-21. RESULTS The results showed that the relationship between sense of community and psychological distress was mediated by the deviation from a balanced time perspective extending previous findings and enriching the existing literature on time perspective. CONCLUSION The results described so far could be applied to build a series of interventions aimed at promoting psychological well-being in the general population. Considering our findings, we suggest that individuals' health could be promoted by both improving their sense of community, which in turn would decrease their levels of stress, and by restructuring their time perspective when it became dysfunctional and unbalanced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Micillo
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, Padova, 35131, Italy
| | - Natale Canale
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Davide Naddeo
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Nicola Cellini
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, Padova, 35131, Italy
| | - Giovanna Mioni
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, Padova, 35131, Italy.
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Herres J, Ortelli O, Rodriguez I, Onyewuenyi AC. Factors associated with perceived stress and depressive symptoms among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. JOURNAL OF AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH : J OF ACH 2023:1-12. [PMID: 38015144 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2023.2266039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic had detrimental effects on college students' psychosocial well-being due to campus closures starting in Spring 2020. This study examined changes in perceived stress and depressive symptoms before and during the pandemic using longitudinal data collected from students over the 2019-2020 academic year. We also compared data from this sample in Fall 2019 (N = 282) to data collected from another sample in Fall 2020 (N = 240). Latent change modeling showed increases in stress during Spring 2020. Additionally, the Fall 2020 sample had higher levels of stress than the Fall 2019 sample. Differences in stress and depressive symptoms did not depend on underrepresented minority (URM) status, income, gender, or membership in Greek life or other organizations. However, third- and fourth-year students and student-athletes experienced more stress during the pandemic. Findings suggest an adverse and differential impact of the pandemic on students' psychosocial well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Herres
- Department of Psychology, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ, USA
| | - Olivia Ortelli
- Department of Psychology, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ, USA
| | - Isabel Rodriguez
- Department of Psychology, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ, USA
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Lewis RK, Martin PP, Guzman BL. COVID-19 and vulnerable populations. JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 50:2537-2541. [PMID: 35567541 PMCID: PMC9348380 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
At the time of this special issue, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the leading cause of death in the United States and has contributed to millions of deaths worldwide. The world had no idea how the pandemic was going to impact our lives. COVID-19 exposed the inequities in our world and the individuals that were most impacted by it: vulnerable populations. Vulnerable populations may be defined as those living in poverty, living with disability, and racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender minorities. Additionally, as community psychologists we understand that the impact of inequities do not appear singlehandedly since as human beings we do not exist in a vacuum and there are multiple factors that create our level of health and well-being. Therefore, the idea of examining COVID-19 in a syndemic framework allows us to explore how a synergistic epidemic (i.e., the aggregation of two or more concurrent or sequential epidemics or disease clusters in a population with biological interactions) exacerbates the prognosis and burden of disease, which can impact vulnerable populations simultaneously. The main goal of this special issue concentrates on how COVID-19 had a synergistic impact on vulnerable populations and how these populations reacted and coped with these events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhonda K. Lewis
- Department of Psychology, Fairmount College of Arts and SciencesWichita State UniversityWichitaKansasUSA
| | - Pamela P. Martin
- Department of Psychology and African American Studies, College of Arts and SciencesUniversity of South CarolinaColumbiaSouth CarolinaUSA
| | - Bianca L. Guzman
- College of Natural & Social SciencesCalifornia State University, Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
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Alzedany SK, Alessa FI, Alswedani RF, Almughais ES, Alreshidi FF, Al Lafi AHF, Alruwayshid M, Suliman Alshuniefi A, Anwar S, Elagib HM. Psychological impact and stress factors among Ha'il medical students post COVID19 pandemic. Bioinformation 2022; 18:392-401. [PMID: 36909697 PMCID: PMC9997498 DOI: 10.6026/97320630018392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The current COVID-19 pandemic frightfully threatened the whole world, and people in different countries were demanded to be quarantined due to possible contact with the infection. High mortality rate, the spread of COVID19 and the propagation of fake news in social media programs created fear and anxiety among majority of society especially, medical students. One of the most essential changes during the covid-19 was the termination of teaching lectures in physical presence and its replacement by virtual online lectures. Circumstances like these have negative impact on the mental health of medical students. Therefore, it is of interest to investigate the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on medical students' learning and the effect of distressing situation they experienced, psychological and educational variables specifically during return to physical attendance in college and the impact of these variables of probably affecting factors like age, gender, marital status, transition of preclinical years to clinical years. A Cross-sectional study was completed among medical students at UOH, KSA. The data are collected by distributing an online questionnaire. Statistical analysis has been done with Microsoft Power BI. 14.82% of 5th year female participants were unable to stop worrying for different things while 10.54% of male participant were in the 1st year. Large numbers of students who have increased the number of times they wash their hands are found in med3 and med4 while 27.92% agree and 29.05% strongly agree of whole years of study. 45.29% of students were having mental pressure before online session due to internet connection while 51.55% had decreased motivation since the shift to online learning. Data shows that highest numbers of participants who were having past illness and anxious were in age group 21-23 in both male and female. The majority of students was having fear toward returning in physical presence and preferred not to have on- college education. Hence, it is recommended to encourage students and reduce stress by providing with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) course.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ebtehaj Saud Almughais
- Department of Family and community medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ha'il, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fatmah Fahad Alreshidi
- Department of Family and community medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ha'il, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Mashael Alruwayshid
- Department of Family and community medicine, security forces hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Sadaf Anwar
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Ha'il, Saudi Arabia
| | - Halima Mustafa Elagib
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Ha'il, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Omdurman Islamic University, Sudan
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