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Ahmadi A, Allahverdipour H, Valiee S, Pashazadeh F, Ghassab-Abdollahi N, Abdoli F, Matlabi H. COVID-19 stress and coping strategies among older adults: a systematic review of qualitative evidences. BMC Psychol 2023; 11:333. [PMID: 37828605 PMCID: PMC10571279 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01382-1] [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: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about far more stressful conditions for people worldwide. As a vulnerable group, older adults have suffered various psychological problems, such as stress, because of this pandemic and have applied various strategies to cope with the dire consequences. This study aimed to synthesize qualitative evidence regarding coping strategies for stressful situations among older adults throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We searched electronic databases, including Scopus, Embase, PubMed, ProQuest, and the Cochrane Library, based on PRISMA standards. The protocol of this systematic review was registered on the PROSPERO (registration code: CRD42022364831). All relevant English-language articles published between 2019 and November 10, 2022, were searched. We reviewed the reference lists for all the included studies and key references. Two reviewers conducted screening, data extraction, and quality appraisal independently, with disagreements resolved by consensus with all team members. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist was used to assess the quality of studies. A thematic synthesis of the selected studies was conducted. RESULTS We included 13 studies in our review. Most studies were conducted in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic was classified into six categories: health management challenges, stress caused by quarantine, economic challenges, media and bad news stress, virus threats, and challenges related to the use of communication technologies. The strategies used by older adults to cope with these challenges were categorized into five categories: protective strategies, avoidance strategies, maintaining social connections, meaning-based strategies, and fun strategies. This research showed that depending on the situation and conditions, older adults use various strategies to cope with COVID-19. CONCLUSION Older adults experience much stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. In most cases, older adults can cope with these challenges with simple strategies from previous experiences and learnings. Older people require educational interventions in some cases, such as those involving communication skills. A better understanding of older adults coping strategies may enable policymakers to develop more effective policies and manage the problems of older adults in post-COVID situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Ahmadi
- Department of Geriatric Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hamid Allahverdipour
- Department of Health Education and Promotion, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Clinical Psychiatry Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sina Valiee
- Clinical Care Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Fariba Pashazadeh
- Research Center of Evidence-Based Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Nafiseh Ghassab-Abdollahi
- Department of Geriatric Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Faranak Abdoli
- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Matlabi
- Department of Geriatric Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
- Research Center for Integrative Medicine in Aging, Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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Chen Y, Ma J, Zhu H, Peng H, Gan Y. The mediating role of default mode network during meaning-making aroused by mental simulation between stressful events and stress-related growth: a task fMRI study. BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN FUNCTIONS : BBF 2023; 19:12. [PMID: 37454095 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-023-00214-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stressful events and meaning-making toward them play an important role in adolescents' life and growth. However, ignoring positive stressful events leads to negativity bias; further, the neural mechanisms of meaning-making are unclear. We aimed to verify the mediating role of meaning-making in stressful events and stress-related growth and the function of the default mode network (DMN) during meaning-making in this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. METHODS Participants comprised 59 university students. Stressful life events, meaning-making, and stress-related growth were assessed at baseline, followed by fMRI scanning during a meaning-making task aroused by mental simulation. General linear modeling and psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analyses were used to explore the activation and functional connectivity of DMN during meaning-making. RESULTS Mental simulation triggered meaning-making, and DMN activity decreased during meaning-making. Activation of the DMN was negatively correlated with coping flexibility, an indicator of stress-related growth. PPI analysis showed that meaning-making was accompanied by diminished connectivity in the DMN. DMN activation during meaning-making can mediate the relationship between positive stressful events and coping flexibility. CONCLUSIONS Decreased DMN activity and diminished functional connectivity in the DMN occurred during meaning-making. Activation of the DMN during meaning-making could mediate the relationship between positive stressful events and stress-related growth, which provides a cognitive neural basis for the mediating role of meaning-making in the relationship between stressful events and indicators of stress-related growth. IMPLICATIONS This study supports the idea that prosperity makes heroes, expands the meaning-making model, and suggests the inclusion of enhancing personal resources and meaning-making in education. This study was the first to validate the activation pattern and functional connectivity of the DMN during meaning-making aroused by mental simulation using an fMRI task-state examination, which can enhance our sense of meaning and provide knowledge that can be used in clinical psychology interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION The study protocol was pre-registered in Open Science Framework (see osf.io/ahm6e for details).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidi Chen
- School of Psychological Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jinjin Ma
- School of Psychological Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Huanya Zhu
- School of Psychological Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Huini Peng
- School of Psychological Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yiqun Gan
- School of Psychological Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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Lau CYH, Tov W. Effects of positive reappraisal and self-distancing on the meaningfulness of everyday negative events. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1093412. [PMID: 36968696 PMCID: PMC10034987 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1093412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Current work on meaning-making has primarily focused on major negative life events such as trauma and loss, leaving common daily adversities unexplored. This study aimed to examine how utilizing meaning-making strategies such as positive reappraisal and self-distancing (in isolation or in combination) can facilitate an adaptive processing of these daily negative experiences. Overall meaning and facets of meaning (coherence, purpose, and significance/mattering) were assessed at both global and situational levels. Results suggested that positive reappraisal was generally effective for enhancing situational meaning but not under all conditions. Specifically, when negative experiences were high on emotional intensity, reflecting on the experience from a distanced (third-person) perspective enhanced coherence and existential mattering more than engaging in positive reappraisal. However, when negative experiences were low on intensity, distanced reflection led to less coherence and mattering than positive reappraisal. The findings of this study elucidated the importance of examining the multidimensional construct of meaning at the facet level and highlighted the importance of applying different coping strategies to effectively make meaning out of daily negative experiences.
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Zaremba D, Kulesza M, Herman AM, Marczak M, Kossowski B, Budziszewska M, Michałowski JM, Klöckner CA, Marchewka A, Wierzba M. A wise person plants a tree a day before the end of the world: coping with the emotional experience of climate change in Poland. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 42:1-19. [PMID: 36258889 PMCID: PMC9561312 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03807-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
It is now widely accepted that we are in a climate emergency, and the number of people who are concerned about this problem is growing. Yet, qualitative, in-depth studies to investigate the emotional response to climate change were conducted either in high-income, western countries, or in low-income countries particularly vulnerable to climate change. To our knowledge, there are no qualitative studies conducted in countries that share great barriers to decarbonization while being significant contributors to carbon emissions. Since climate change affects people globally, it is crucial to study this topic in a variety of socio-political contexts. In this work, we discuss views and reflections voiced by highly concerned residents of Poland, a Central European country that is a major contributor to Europe's carbon emissions. We conducted 40 semi-structured interviews with Polish residents, who self-identified as concerned about climate change. A variety of emotions related to climate change were identified and placed in the context of four major themes: dangers posed by climate change, the inevitability of its consequences, attributions of responsibility, and commonality of concern. Our findings highlight a variety of often ambivalent and conflicting emotions that change along with the participant's thoughts, experiences and behaviours. Furthermore, we describe a wide repertoire of coping strategies, which promoted well-being and sustained long-term engagement in climate action. As such, our work contributes to research on a broad array of climate-related emotions. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-022-03807-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Zaremba
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - M. Kulesza
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - A. M. Herman
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - M. Marczak
- Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - B. Kossowski
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - M. Budziszewska
- Department of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - J. M. Michałowski
- Laboratory of Affective Neuroscience in Poznan, Faculty of Psychology and Law, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poznań, Poland
| | - C. A. Klöckner
- Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - A. Marchewka
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - M. Wierzba
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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When you are lonely, look inside yourself: The moderating role of reflection in the relationship between loneliness and meaning in life. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2022.111662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Gan Y, Ma J, Wu J, Chen Y, Zhu H, Hall BJ. Immediate and delayed psychological effects of province-wide lockdown and personal quarantine during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Psychol Med 2022; 52:1321-1332. [PMID: 32787981 PMCID: PMC7450230 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291720003116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected public health and wellbeing. In response to the pandemic threat of the coronavirus epidemic, several countries, including China, adopted lockdown and quarantine policies, which may cause psychological distress. This study aimed to explore the psychological impact of province-wide lockdown and personal quarantine during the COVID-19 outbreak in China as well as the corresponding risk factors and protective factors. METHODS We examined the immediate (2-week) and delayed (2-month) impact of province-wide lockdown and personal quarantine on psychological distress in a national sample of 1390 Chinese residents. RESULTS No immediate impact of province-wide lockdown on psychological distress was observed, whereas personal quarantine increased individuals' anxiety, fear, and anger. Despite the lack of initial association, psychological distress increased among those in province-wide lockdown. Self-stigma and personal control both significantly moderated the association between lockdown and psychological distress, but in different directions. Those with higher self-stigma and lower personal control were more impacted by the lockdown. Government support moderated the impact of quarantine on psychological distress, but not that of lockdown. CONCLUSIONS The delayed effects of lockdown and quarantine on psychological distress were observed, and self-stigma, social support, and perceived control moderate the relationships. This study is the first to demonstrate the psychological costs of province-wide lockdowns on individuals' mental health, providing evidence of the need for mitigation strategies and timely public mental health preparedness in countries with recent outbreaks of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqun Gan
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinjin Ma
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianhui Wu
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
| | - Yidi Chen
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Huanya Zhu
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Brian J. Hall
- Global and Community Mental Health Research Group, New York University (Shanghai), Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Moran T, Eyal T. Emotion Regulation by Psychological Distance and Level of Abstraction: Two Meta-Analyses. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2022; 26:112-159. [PMID: 35100904 DOI: 10.1177/10888683211069025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Self-reflection is suggested to attenuate feelings, yet researchers disagree on whether adopting a distant or near perspective, or processing the experience abstractly or concretely, is more effective. Given the relationship between psychological distance and level of abstraction, we suggest the "construal-matching hypothesis": Psychological distance and abstraction differently influence emotion intensity, depending on whether the emotion's appraisal involves low-level or high-level construal. Two meta-analyses tested the effects of psychological distance (k = 230) and level-of-abstraction (k = 98) manipulations on emotional experience. A distant perspective attenuated emotional experience (g = 0.52) but with weaker effects for high-level (g = 0.29; for example, self-conscious emotions) than low-level emotions (g= 0.64; for example, basic emotions). Level of abstraction only attenuated the experience of low-level emotions (g = 0.2) and showed a reverse (nonsignificant) effect for high-level emotions (g = -0.13). These results highlight differences between distancing and level-of-abstraction manipulations and the importance of considering the type of emotion experienced in emotion regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Moran
- The Open University of Israel, Ra'anana, Israel.,Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Tal Eyal
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
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Amini-Tehrani M, Nasiri M, Jalali T, Sadeghi R, Ghotbi A, Zamanian H. Validation and psychometric properties of Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R) in Iran. Asian J Psychiatr 2020; 47:101856. [PMID: 31704597 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2019.101856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Suicide is increasing in young Iranian population, which necessitates the employing of valid, yet abridged instruments assessing the constellation of suicide-related behaviors. The study aimed at validating Suicide Behavior Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R) among Iranian undergraduates. METHODS A total of 487 undergraduates were surveyed in 2018. Construct validity of SBQ-R was examined via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and Spearman's correlation with two single-item indices of suicide acceptability (SA) and lifetime suicidal ideation (LSI) was determined. Logistic regression and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to examine the cut-off points (≥ 7 and ≥ 8) and categorizations as per item 1. RESULTS The mean SBQ-R score was 5.79 ± 3.55. Cut-off points ≥ 7 and ≥ 8 categorized 150 (30.8%) and 123 (25.2%) samples with suicide risk, respectively. Women obtained significantly higher scores on all indices, except items 1 and 4. CFA confirmed the model with sound goodness-of-fit, with factor loadings of 0.70 to 0.83. Composite reliability and average variance extracted were 0.87 and 0.63, respectively. The SBQ-R's correlation with SA and LSI confirmed its concurrent validity. Regression analysis confirmed the ability of both cut-off points to distinguish the participants with high SA and LSI; however, the cut-off point ≥ 8 produced better results regarding high LSI. Based on item 1, normal versus low- and high-risk samples were significantly different in terms of SA, LSI, and adjusted total score of SBQ-R (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION SBQ-R is an economic and psychometrically sound tool, which can be utilized to identify suicide-related behaviors and risks in young Iranian population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadali Amini-Tehrani
- Department of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran; Health Psychology and Behavior Medicine Research Group, Student Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Nasiri
- Department of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Tina Jalali
- Health Psychology and Behavior Medicine Research Group, Student Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Raheleh Sadeghi
- Health Psychology and Behavior Medicine Research Group, Student Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amene Ghotbi
- Health Psychology and Behavior Medicine Research Group, Student Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hadi Zamanian
- Health Psychology and Behavior Medicine Research Group, Student Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
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Gan Y, Hall BJ. Stress‐related psychological outcomes: Psychological and biological mechanisms, developmental aspects, and management. Psych J 2019; 8:277-279. [DOI: 10.1002/pchj.312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yiqun Gan
- School of Psychological and Cognitive SciencesBeijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University Beijing China
| | - Brian J. Hall
- Global and Community Mental Health Research Group, Department of PsychologyUniversity of Macao Macao China
- Department of Health, Behavior and SocietyJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Baltimore Maryland USA
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