Evaluation of the French Version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support During the Postpartum Period

Multidimensional factors of burnout in general practice: a cross sectional survey

BACKGROUND

GPs are particularly vulnerable to job burnout. Tailored prevention and intervention strategies are needed.

AIM

To investigate organisational, interpersonal, and individual factors contributing to exhaustion and disengagement at work among GPs.

DESIGN & SETTING

We conducted a cross-sectional study in a sample of Belgian GPs.

METHOD

A total of 358 doctors (73% females, 301 with complete data) completed an online anonymous questionnaire assessing job burnout, psychosocial characteristics of the work environment, perceived social support in the private domain, emotional competence, and self-compassion.

RESULTS

GPs reported moderate levels of exhaustion and disengagement. Regression models showed that included factors jointly explained 69% of the variance in exhaustion and 63% in disengagement. Exhaustion was significantly predicted by female sex (β effect size = -0.1), high perceived emotional demands (β = 0.19), as well as low self-compassion (β = -0.14) and low emotional competence (β = 0.09). Disengagement was significantly predicted by low seniority (β = -0.12) and limited opportunities for development (β = -0.16). Both exhaustion and disengagement were predicted by low perceived quality of work (β = -0.19 and -0.14, respectively), meaning of work (β = -0.17 and -0.31, respectively), and role clarity (β = 0.09 and 0.12, respectively), as well as high perceived work-life conflict (β = 0.46 and 0.21, respectively). Moreover, GPs working in a multidisciplinary group reported lower levels of exhaustion and disengagement than those working in a monodisciplinary group or a solo practice, and this difference was associated with factors such as work-life conflict.

CONCLUSION

Organisational, interpersonal, and intrapersonal factors interact to predict a substantial part of burnout in general practice. The most significant risk factors were perceived work-life conflict and poor meaning of work. Policymakers should work to support more sustainable practices based on the specific needs and constraints reported by GPs.

Sleep and circadian rhythms in adolescents with attempted suicide

Sleep and circadian rhythm disorders are very common in adolescents and have been linked to suicidal ideation. However, little is known about adolescent sleep before a suicide attempt (SA). The objectives of this study were to compare the sleep of adolescents aged 13 to 18 over a period of 4 weeks before a SA compared to a non-SA group, then to analyze the association between sleep, support social and well-being based on information from validated questionnaires. In 2015, 250 adolescents were included, 55 were recruited the day after a SA in French hospitals (before SA evaluations were retrospective). Logistic regression analyzes showed that during school days, bedtime was equivalent in both groups, but sleep onset latency was significantly longer in SA (86 min vs. 52 min, p = 0.016), and wake-up time was earlier (6 h 22 vs. 6 h 47, p = 0.002), resulting in a shorter total sleep time of 44 min (OR = 0.76, CI 95% [0.61-0.93]) the month preceding SA. Adolescents with longer sleep time performed better on perceived psychological well-being (p = 0.005), relationship with parents (p = 0.011) and school environment (p < 0.001). Results indicate a significant change in the quantity and quality of adolescents' subjective sleep in the 4 weeks preceding SA requiring objective measures to study the predictive properties of sleep in SA.

Relationship between perceived social support and disability with the mediating role of perceived stress among older adults

BACKGROUND

Social support is essential for individuals to cope with difficult circumstances. Older adults with disabilities face significant challenges in engaging with everyday activities. The current study examines the mediating role of perceived stress in the association between perceived social support and disability among Iranian community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

In this descriptive and cross-sectional study, 300 older adults were selected using cluster sampling from January to June 2022. The data were collected using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2), and the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS-14). The collected data was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) in Mplus.

RESULTS

The mean age of older adults was 68.71 ± 6.13 years, ranging from 60 to 85 years old. The results of this study revealed a significant relationship between perceived social support and disability (β=-0.20, SE = 0.06, p < 0.001) and perceived stress and disability (β = 0.50, SE = 0.05, p < 0.001). The results also confirmed the mediating role of perceived stress in the relationship between perceived social support and disability (β=-0.17, SE = 0.03, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The results indicated that increasing social support could reduce disability by decreasing perceived stress. These results have important implications for policymakers and healthcare professionals in promoting healthy aging.

The Mediating Effects of Perceived Family Support in the Relationship Between Anxiety and Problematic Smartphone Use: A Cross-Cultural Validation

ABSTRACT

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) is frequently considered a public health issue, especially in East Asia and Europe. Yet, there is a paucity of research focusing on cultural and familial determinants of PSU. This cross-cultural study aimed to investigate smartphone usage patterns and possible mediating effects of perceived family support (PFS) from a stress-coping perspective. Convenience samples of 790 Chinese and 439 Belgian undergraduates completed an online survey that focused on sociodemographics and psychological variables ( i.e. , anxiety, depression, PFS, and PSU). In both samples, PSU was positively associated with anxiety and depression, and negatively associated with PFS. However, after controlling for sex and age in structural equation models, the consistent mediating effects of PFS were only found between anxiety and PSU in both cultural settings. These findings suggest that psychological interventions that take into account familial factors could be helpful for young people presenting with anxiety and PSU.

Self-efficacy, mindfulness, and perceived social support as resources to maintain the mental health of students in Switzerland's universities of applied sciences: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Switzerland's student population is at a particularly high risk of developing mental health disorders, creating a major challenge for Switzerland's higher education establishments. Research to date has primarily sought to identify the risk factors affecting students' mental health; however, their exposure to these factors is often unavoidable. Thus, the present study adopted a salutogenic approach focussing on the determinants of health. We examined the mental health resources available to students reported in the literature as being susceptible to helping them maintain good mental health despite their exposure to risk factors.

METHODS

In February 2020, 2,415 first- and second-year bachelor's degree students in applied sciences in French-speaking Switzerland completed an online questionnaire. The variables measured were self-evaluated mental health, perceived stress and three potential health resources: students' feelings of self-efficacy, their capacity for mindfulness and their social support. The results were analysed using hierarchical linear regression models.

RESULTS

When all the variables were included in the model without interaction effect, our results revealed that students' self-evaluated mental health was negatively associated with perceived stress (β = -0.43, p < 0.001) and positively associated with the three potential health resources (self-efficacy: β = 0.26, p < 0.001; mindfulness: β = 0.10, p < 0.001; social support: β = 0.17, p < 0.001). An analysis of the interaction effects also revealed that a high level of self-efficacy was associated with perceived stress being less strongly linked to mental health (β = 0.29, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that self-efficacy, mindfulness, and perceived social support are valuable resources for protecting students' mental health. Thus, implementing interventions aimed at reinforcing them, could support students in applied sciences all along their academic pathway, in their classes and during their professional work experience placements.

Validation of the Malay version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS-M) among patients with cancer in Malaysia

BACKGROUND

The well-being and adaptive functioning of patients with cancer depend on their perception of social support. To accurately assess and understand the impact of social support in a diverse population, validated measurement tools are essential. This study aimed to adapt and validate the Malay version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS-M) among patients with cancer in Malaysia.

METHODS

A total of 346 cancer patients with mixed disease types were recruited and completed the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire and the MSPSS-M. The MSPSS-M was assessed for internal consistency, construct validity, face, content, convergent, discriminant validity, and confirmatory factor analyses.

RESULTS

The MSPSS-M and its three domains demonstrated good internal consistency with Cronbach's α ranging from 0.900 to 0.932. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the MSPSS-M supported the three-factor model of the original English version of the MSPSS. The MSPSS-M also exhibited good convergent validity and discriminant validity.

CONCLUSION

The MSPSS-M demonstrates favorable psychometric properties among patients with cancer in Malaysia. The validation of the MSPSS-M provides a culturally adapted and linguistically valid instrument to assess perceived social support among Malay-speaking patients with cancer in Malaysia.

Relationship Between Effort-Reward Imbalance, Over-Commitment and Occupational Burnout in the General Population: A Prospective Cohort Study

Objectives: To prospectively investigate the association between Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) and over-commitment and the scores of the burnout dimensions over a 4 years follow-up period considering potential confounders. Methods: Data stemmed from CoLaus|PsyCoLaus, a population-based cohort study including 575 participants (mean age 55 years, 50% men). Participants completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey, ERI and over-commitment questionnaires at baseline (T1) and after a 4 years follow-up (T2), and provided demographic, behavioral, psychiatric, personality and social support information through self-reported questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Serially adjusted linear regression models were used. Results: ERI and over-commitment were not associated longitudinally with any of the burnout dimensions when controlling for confounders. One standard deviation increases in the scores of exhaustion, cynicism and professional efficacy were associated with one standard deviation increase in the scores of the same burnout dimensions longitudinally, and these associations were independent of the effects of ERI and over-commitment. Conclusion: Future studies should re-examine the effect of ERI and over-commitment on workers' burnout, considering the effects of confounders.

Measuring COVID-19 related stress and its associated factors among the parents of school-aged children during the first lockdown in France

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic placed important challenges on parents, as they had to meet various demands during lockdown, including childcare, work and homeschooling. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate perceived stress levels among the parents of school-aged children and explore their association with sociodemographic, environmental and psychological factors during lockdown.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among the parents of school-aged children ages 8 to 18, who lived in the Grand Est region of France during the first wave of the pandemic. An online survey collected sociodemographic data, living and working conditions, and exposure to COVID-19 as well as parent's levels of perceived stress (PSS-10), self-perceived health status (SF-12), social support (MSPSS) and resilience (BRS). Multivariable logistic regression models were conducted to evaluate the association between moderate to severe perceived stress and various factors.

RESULTS

In total, 734 parents were included. The results indicated that 47% were experiencing moderate stress and 7.2% were experiencing severe stress. Factors most strongly associated with risk of moderate to severe levels of stress were lower levels of parental resilience (OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 2.2-6.6) and poor self-perceived mental health status (OR = 7.3, 95% CI: 5.0-10.8). The following risk factors were also identified: female sex; being in the age range of 35-44; difficulties isolating and contracting COVID-19, which involved hospitalization and separation or isolation from family. The support of friends (OR = 0.8, 95% CI: 0.7-1.0) and family (OR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3-0.8) were protective factors.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that supportive and preventive programs should focus on the improvement of resilience and mental health management to promote parents' wellbeing. Research has to focus both on individuals' inner potential for increasing resilience and the environmental resources to be activated. Building and boosting resilience among parents could serve as a protective factor against negative outcomes for them and their families.

Factors protecting Swiss nurses' health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic reached Europe in early 2020 and impacted nurses over a prolonged period, notably causing heavy work overloads. Exposure to sources of stress in such situations is inevitable, which can put nurses' health at risk. The present study took a salutogenic approach to investigating nurses' health and the principal factors protecting it found in the literature (i.e., resilience, post-traumatic growth, social support, and certain organizational factors), as well as how those elements evolved from February 2021 to September 2022.

METHODS

All nurses working at eight French-speaking Swiss hospitals who accepted to disseminate the study to their employees were invited to complete an online questionnaire at four time points (February 2021, September 2021, March 2022, and September 2022: T0, T1, T2, and T3, respectively) and respond to items measuring their health, factors protecting their health, and their perceived stress levels. Data were analyzed using random-intercept linear regression models.

RESULTS

A cumulated total of 1013 responses were collected over all measurement points (625 responses at T0; 153 at T1; 146 at T2; 89 at T3). Results revealed that nurses' health had not changed significantly between measurements. However, their perceived stress levels, feelings of being supported by their management hierarchies, and belief that they had the means to deliver a high quality of work all diminished. At every measurement point, nurses' health was negatively associated with perceived stress and positively associated with resilience, perceived social support, and the belief that they were provided with the means to deliver a high quality of work.

CONCLUSION

Despite the difficult conditions caused by the pandemic, the factors recognized as protective of nurses' health played their role. The lack of improvements in nurses' health in periods when the pandemic's effects lessened suggests that the pressure they were experiencing did not drop during these moments. This phenomenon may have been due to the need to clear backlogs in scheduled surgery and the work overloads caused by prolonged staff absences and nurses quitting the profession. Monitoring changes in nurses' health is thus crucial, as is establishing measures that promote factors protective of their health. Organizational factors influencing nurses' working conditions are also key and should not be neglected.

Development and evaluation of the psychometric properties of a digital questionnaire for the self-management of health and well-being in the postpartum period

BACKGROUND

Despite the fact that the Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health (2016-2030) recognises the special importance of care for women during the postpartum period, thus highlighting the need to identify and measure any condition that may affect the welfare of pregnant women in any way, this is one of the most neglected stages in the health system. Given the absence in our area of global, efficient instruments, the objective of this study was to design a complete, specific measurement tool with good metric qualities in digital format for the evaluation of self-reported health and well-being during the puerperium, to conform to what was proposed by the ICHOM.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was carried out to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of a digital measurement tool. The development of the tool was carried out in 4 steps, following the recommendations of the International Test Commission. It was tested on 280 puerperas attending primary healthcare appointments in the Basque Healthcare System (Osakidetza), and they did the newly created survey, answering all the questions that had been selected as the gold standard. The average age of the women was 34.93 (SD = 4.80). The analysis of the psychometric characteristics was based on mixed procedures of expert judgment (a focus group of healthcare professionals, an item evaluation questionnaire and interviews with users) and quantitative evaluations (EFA, CFA, and correlation with gold standard, ordinal alpha and McDonald's omega).

RESULTS

The final version of the tool comprised 99 items that evaluate functional state, incontinence, sexuality, breastfeeding, adaptation to the role of mother and mental health, and all of these questions can be used globally or partially. It was found that the scores were valid and reliable, which gives metric guarantees for using the tool in our area.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of this comprehensive concise tool with good psychometric properties will allow women to take stock of their situation, assess if they have the necessary resources, in psychological and social terms, and work together with midwives and other healthcare professionals on the most deficient areas.

Perceived self-efficacy and empowerment in patients at increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest

Background

The role of multidisciplinary clinics for psychosocial care is increasingly recognized for those living with inherited cardiac conditions (ICC). In Canada, access to healthcare providers differ between clinics. Little is known about the relationship between access to specialty care and a patient's ability to cope with, and manage their condition.

Methods

We leveraged the Hearts in Rhythm Organization (HiRO) to conduct a cross-sectional, community-based survey of individuals with ICC and their family members. We aimed to describe access to services, and explore the relationships between participants' characteristics, cardiac history and self-reported health status and self-efficacy (GSE: General Self-Efficacy Scale) and empowerment (GCOS-24: Genetic Counseling Outcome Scale).

Results

We collected 235 responses from Canadian participants in 10 provinces and territories. Overall, 63% of participants reported involvement of a genetic counsellor in their care. Access to genetic testing was associated with greater empowerment [mean GCOS-24: 121.14 (SD = 20.53) vs. 105.68 (SD = 21.69); p = 0.004]. Uncertain genetic test results were associated with lower perceived self-efficacy (mean GSE: uncertain = 28.85 vs. positive = 33.16, negative = 34.13; p = 0.01). Low global mental health scores correlated with both lower perceived self-efficacy and empowerment scores, with only 11% of affected participants reporting involvement of psychology services in their care.

Conclusion

Differences in resource accessibility, clinical history and self-reported health status impact the perceived self-efficacy and empowerment of patients with ICC. Future research evaluating interventions to improve patient outcomes is recommended.

Maternal-Infant Attachment and its Relationships with Postpartum Depression, Anxiety, Affective Instability, Stress, and Social Support in a Canadian Community Sample

As a crucial component of child development, maternal-infant attachment influences a child's cognitive, psychological, and social development. Maternal depression, anxiety, stress, and social support have been identified as risk factors for poor maternal-infant attachment in some studies, while others did not find such relationships. The aim of this study was to examine the associations of maternal-infant attachment with depression, anxiety, affective instability, stress, social support, and other variables in a community sample of Canadian postpartum women. A total of 108 Canadian postpartum women participated in this cross-sectional study. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) assessed depression, anxiety, and stress, and the Affective lability Scale-18 measured affective instability (AI). Multiple linear regression was conducted to examine the association between maternal-infant attachment and other variables. The findings revealed a significant association of maternal-infant attachment with postpartum depression, and infant temperament, while anxiety, AI, stress, and social support were not identified as predictors for maternal-infant attachment. The results implicate the importance of addressing maternal depression and maternal-infant attachment, consequently decreasing the risk for childhood psychopathology.

Validation of Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) in Vietnamese Among People Living with HIV/AIDS

Social support plays a vital role in the health of HIV/AIDS patients, but there needs to be a validated instrument to measure social support in Vietnam. This cross-sectional study was to validate a Vietnamese translation of the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale (MSPSS). The study had three stages: [1] translation to Vietnamese, [2] pilot testing, and [3] validation of the translation. Stage 1, including forward and backward translation by four independent translators, resulted in a good content validity translation. Pilot testing was done on 30 HIV/AIDS patients: the translation was understandable, and no change was required. Five hundred HIV/AIDS patients were recruited in stage 3. The translation had excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.90), good test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient: 0.95), and good concurrent validity. Construct validity was well established by confirmatory factor analysis. The Vietnamese translation of the MSPSS is reliable and valuable for measuring perceived social support.

Assessing the level of perceived social support among community-dwelling stroke survivors using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support

Social support has an important role in stroke rehabilitation. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) is an instrument examining the adequacy of perceived social support. However, the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of MSPSS (MSPSS-C) have not been examined in Chinese people with stroke. This study aimed at investigating the psychometric properties of the MSPSS-C, identifying the correlations between MSPSS-C scores and health-related measures of these people; and examining the differences in the levels of perceived social support between people with and without stroke in Hong Kong using a cohort of 57 community-dwelling people with stroke and 50 age-matched healthy controls. We found that the MSPSS-C subscales demonstrated excellent internal consistency, and a ceiling effect was observed for the family subscale of the MSPSS-C. The total MSPSS-C score had significant weak to moderate correlations with the scores of the concerned variables of interests. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure for the MSPSS-C. People with stroke had lower levels of perceived social support from friends and their significant other than those without stroke. The MSPSS-C is a valid tool for assessing perceived social support among chronic stroke survivors with moderate to very severe motor impairment.

Factors Associated with Discrepancy of Child-Adolescent/Parent Reported Quality of Life in the Era of COVID-19

Billions of children/adolescents experienced unprecedented changes in their daily lives that impacted their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) during the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019. The purpose of this study was to describe child-parent discrepancies in reporting on HRQoL and explore factors associated with such discrepancies at the end of the first lockdown in France. A cross-sectional study was conducted among French school-aged children from 8 to 18 years and their parents living in the Grand Est region in France during the first wave of the epidemic. The impact of individual, self-reported health status and environmental data on discrepant parent-child reports of HRQoL was assessed by multinomial multivariable logistic regression models. A total of 471 parent-child pairs were included. Among 50% of the discordant pairs, parents underestimated HRQoL more frequently than they overestimated it. Home location, social support score, children's education level, parents' education level, tensions and conflicts with neighbors reported by children, whether they had access to a garden, and parents' professional activity were significantly associated with parental overestimation (_adjustedOR from 2.08 to 11.61; p < 0.05). Factors associated with parental underestimation were children's education level, SF12 score, home location, the child's gender, parent's level of education, the presence of noise in the residence reported by children, whether a household member was infected with COVID-19, whether they had access to a garden, and family structure (_adjustedOR from 1.60 to 4.0; p < 0.05). This study revealed differences between child-reported and parent-reported HRQoL. The COVID-19 pandemic accentuated the discrepancies in observable dimensions and attenuated them in unobservable dimensions of HRQoL but did not impact the directional discrepancy; parents underestimated their child's HRQoL more. These discrepancies appear to be explained by parent and child sociodemographic factors.

Patient-reported outcome measures evaluating postpartum maternal health and well-being: a systematic review and evaluation of measurement properties

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to systematically review and evaluate postpartum health and well-being using patient-reported outcome measures across all domains of postpartum health using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments guidelines.

DATA SOURCES

Based on a preprepared published protocol, a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL was undertaken to identify patient-reported outcome tools. The protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (registration number CRD42021283472), and this work followed the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments guidelines for systematic reviews.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Studies eligible for inclusion included those that assessed a patient-reported outcome measure examining postpartum women's health and well-being with no limitation on the domain. The included studies aimed to evaluate one or more measurement properties of the patient-reported outcome measure.

METHODS

Data extraction and the methodological assessment of the quality of the patient-reported outcome measure were assessed by 2 reviewers independently based on content validity, structural validity, internal consistency, cross-cultural validity or measurement invariance, reliability, measurement error, hypotheses testing for construct validity, and responsiveness, as defined by the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments. The standard used for content validity were the domains of importance to women in postpartum health and well-being proposed by the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement. The outcome domains for patient-reported health status include mental health, health-related quality of life, incontinence, pain with intercourse, breastfeeding, and motherhood role transition. The quality of the methods was rated an overall rating of results, awarded a level of evidence, and assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations assessment tool, and a level of recommendation was awarded for each tool.

RESULTS

There were 10,324 studies identified in the initial search, of which 29 tools were identified from 41 eligible studies included in the review. Moreover, 21 tools were awarded an "A" grading of recommendation for use as a patient-reported outcome measure in postpartum women following the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments standards. Of the "A"-rated tools, 17 (80%) examined the domain of mental health, 5 examined health-related quality of life, 4 examined breastfeeding, and 6 represented role transition. No "A"-recommended tool examined postpartum incontinence or pain with intercourse. Of note, 3 tools did not cover domains as recommended by the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement, and 5 tools were awarded a "B" rating, requiring more research before their recommendation for use. Here, most tools were awarded very low-moderate Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations level of evidence. Moreover, the highest quality tool identified that covered multiple domains of postpartum health and well-being was the women's Postpartum Quality-of-Life Questionnaire.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review identified the best performing patient-reported outcome measures to assess postpartum health and well-being. No individual tool covers all 6 domains of postpartum health and well-being. Here, the highest quality tool found that covered multiple domains of postpartum health and well-being was the Postpartum Quality-of-Life Questionnaire. The Postpartum Quality-of-Life Questionnaire captures 4 of 6 domains of importance to women, with domains of incontinence and sexual health unevaluated. The domain of urinary incontinence was represented by the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form, which requires further psychometric analysis before its recommended use. Postpartum sexual health, not represented by any tool, necessitates the development of a patient-reported outcome measure. A postpartum patient-reported outcome measure would be best provided by a combination of tools; however, further research is required before its implementation.

Mental Health Status of French School-Aged Children's Parents during the COVID-19 Lockdown and Its Associated Factors

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread social isolation. This study aimed to determine anxiety levels among parents of school-aged children and investigate the associated factors. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, living and working conditions, family relationships, social support (MSPSS) and health status (SF-12) were collected from French parents through an online survey. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) was used to assess anxiety. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with moderate to severe anxiety. Among 698 parents, 19.2% experienced moderate to severe anxiety. A low level of resilience (OR = 4.3, 95% CI: 2.7-6.7) and confirmed COVID-19 cases involving hospitalization (OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 2.0-7.3) among individuals in one's household or in the family circle were found to be the main risk factors for moderate to severe anxiety. Other factors were also identified: a level of education less than high school (OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.3-3.2), conflicts at home (OR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.4-3.7), noises outside the home (OR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.0-3.9), confirmed cases not involving hospitalization (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.0-3.1) and suspected cases (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.0-3.8). Family support was a protective factor. These findings suggest some need for support programs to help parents cope with public health crises and work-family challenges.

Protective Factors and Coping Styles Associated with Quality of Life during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparison of Hospital or Care Institution and Private Practice Nurses

In France, nurses work either in hospitals and care institutions or in private practice, following physicians' prescriptions and taking care of patients at their homes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these populations of nurses were exposed to numerous sources of stress. The main objective of the present study was to identify the protective factors they mobilized to face the crisis and how these factors contributed to sustaining their quality of life (QoL). A cross-sectional study was conducted to answer these questions. Overall, 9898 French nurses participated in the study, providing demographic information and filling out QoL (WHOQOL-BREF), perceived stress (PSS-14), resilience (CD-RISC), social support (MSPSS), and coping style (BRIEF-COPE) questionnaires. The results revealed very few differences between the two groups of nurses, which is surprising given the drastically different contexts in which they practice. Social support and two coping strategies (positive reframing and acceptance) were associated with a high QoL, whereas perceived stress and four coping strategies (denial, blaming self, substance use, and behavioral disengagement) were associated with poor QoL. In the light of these results, we recommended promoting social support and coping strategies to help nurses cope during the pandemic.

Affective Instability, Depression, and Anxiety Symptoms in a Community Sample of Pregnant and Postpartum Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Although perinatal women experience an elevated level of affective instability (AI), limited research has been conducted to examine perinatal AI and its relation to depression and anxiety. The current study investigated correlations between AI and depression, between AI and anxiety during the perinatal period, and between current depression and anxiety and the latent factors of the Affective Lability Scale-18 (ALS-18).

METHODS

202 Canadian perinatal women participated in this cross-sectional study. The ALS-18 was used to assess AI, while the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 measured depression, anxiety, and stress. Multiple logistic regression was performed to investigate the relationship between AI and depression and anxiety, and multiple linear regression was conducted to examine the association between current depression and anxiety and the three latent factors of ALS-18.

RESULTS

The findings revealed a significant association between AI and depression and between AI and anxiety. Current depression and anxiety were correlated with ALS-18 factors of depression/anxiety shift and depression/elation shift, while current depression was linked to ALS-18 factor of anger.

CONCLUSIONS

The study findings have important implications for early detection and intervention of maternal anxiety and depression. In order to improve maternal mental health, AI should be included in routine perinatal check-ups.

Distinguishing between healthy and pathological orthorexia: a cluster analytic study

PURPOSE

This study represents a first attempt to explore the typology of female adults from a large non-clinical sample based on healthy orthorexia (HO) and pathological orthorexia (orthorexia nervosa, ON).

METHODS

1245 female adults (Mage = 38.04, SD = 9.73) completed a set of questionnaires assessing orthorexic behaviors, intuitive eating, self-esteem, perceived social support as well as eating disorders, depressive and anxiety symptoms.

RESULTS

Cluster analysis based on HO and ON scores yielded 4 distinct groups: "Healthy orthorexia cluster" (HO), "Orthorexia Nervosa cluster" (ON), "Low Orthorexia cluster" (LO) and "In-between Orthorexia cluster" (IBO). The HO and ON clusters represented individuals with, respectively, healthy and pathological interest in healthy diet. The LO cluster represented those with no particular interest in healthy eating and the IBO cluster showed that ON and HO behaviors can be associated in some individuals. Among all clusters, the ON cluster displayed highest levels of ED, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Inversely, the HO cluster displayed highest levels of intuitive eating, self-esteem and perceived social support.

CONCLUSION

Altogether, findings from this study support the bidimensional structure of orthorexic eating behavior and further suggest that ON and HO behaviors can be associated in some individuals. Our findings further provide evidence for the assumption that ON and HO could be seen, respectively, as maladaptive and protective eating behaviors.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

V, descriptive study.

Acceptance Mindfulness-Trait as a Protective Factor for Post-Natal Depression: A Preliminary Research

(1) Background: the prevalence of postnatal depression (PND) reaches up to 20%. PND could be based on the interaction between a psychological vulnerability and chronic stress that pregnancy would activate. Vulnerability factors reflect a psychological profile mirroring mindfulness-trait (MT). A high level of MT is associated with an efficient regulation of both physiological and psychological stress, especially negative moods. Interestingly, mindfulness level can be improved by program based on mindfulness meditation. We hypothesize that MT is a protective factor for PND. We also postulate that negative moods increase during the pregnancy for women who develop a PND after delivery (2) Methods: we conducted a multicentric prospective longitudinal study including 85 women during their first trimester of their pregnancy and 72 from the childbirth to the baby’s first birthday”. At the inclusion, presence and acceptance of MT and various variables of personality and of psychological functioning were assessed. Mood evolution was monitored each month during the pregnancy and a delivery trauma risk was evaluated after delivery. PND detection was carried out at 48 h, 2, 6 and 12 months after the delivery with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale with a screening cut-off >11. (3) Results: high-acceptance MT is a protective factor for PND (OR: 0.79). Women without PND displayed less negative mood during pregnancy (p < 0.05 for Anxiety, Confusion and Anger). (4) Conclusions: these results suggest the value of deploying programs to enhance the level of mindfulness, especially in its acceptance dimension, before, during and after pregnancy, to reduce the risk of PND.

Stressors, self-reported overall health, potential protective factors and the workplace well-being of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland: a longitudinal mixed-methods study protocol

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic was making a huge impact on Europe's healthcare systems in the spring of 2020, and most predictive models concurred that pandemic waves were in the offing. Most studies adopted a pathogenic approach to the subject; few used a salutogenic approach. These showed, however, that nurses can retain their health despite a pandemic by mobilising generalised resistance resources. Our study aims to understand how nurses working in Switzerland's hospitals protected their health and workplace well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic by investigating the moderating effects of the health resources they mobilised against the stressors inherent to the situation. The study aims to explore and describe the stressors and the resources nurses used to remain healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHOD AND ANALYSIS

We will use a concurrent mixed-methods panel design with qualitative analyses ancillary to quantitative analyses. Quantitative data will be collected using electronic questionnaires at four time points over 2 years. Qualitative data will be collected using focus groups. Nurses from Switzerland's two main linguistic regions who had direct, indirect or no contact with patients with COVID-19 will be invited to participate. The a priori sample size will be at least 3631 participants at T0 and 1852 at T4. Longitudinal structural equation modelling and knowledge mapping will be used to analyse quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. The results derived from the two data types will then be compared and discussed using a side-by-side approach to determine whether they agree or disagree and how they complement each other to achieve our aims.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Nurses will receive an electronic informed consent form. The data collected will be stored on a secure server at the authors' institution. This research project was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Canton of Vaud (2020-02845).

The Impact of Maternal Anxiety on Early Child Development During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Maternal prenatal anxiety is among important public health issues as it may affect child development. However, there are not enough studies to examine the impact of a mother's anxiety on the child's early development, especially up to 1 year. Objective: The present prospective cohort study aimed to examine whether maternal trait anxiety, perceived social support, and COVID-19 related fear impacted speech-language, sensory-motor, and socio-emotional development in 12 months old Serbian infants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This follow-up study included 142 pregnant women (Time 1) and their children at 12 months (Time 2). Antenatal maternal anxiety and children's development were examined. Maternal anxiety was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Child speech-language, sensory-motor, and socio-emotional development were assessed using the developmental scale in the form of an online questionnaire that examined the early psychophysiological child development. Information on socioeconomic factors, child and maternal demographics, clinical factors, and perceived fear of COVID-19 viral infection were collected. Multivariable General Linear Model analysis was conducted, adjusted for demographic, clinical, and coronavirus prenatal experiences, maternal prenatal anxiety levels, perceived social support, speech-language, motor skills, and cognitive and socio-emotional development at the infants' age of 12 months. Results: The study revealed the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal trait anxiety. The association between selected independent factors and infants' development was found in a demographically unified sample except for employment and the number of children. There was a correlation between all observed developmental functions. Univariate General Linear model statistical analysis indicated that linear models with selected independent factors and covariates could account for 30.9% (Cognition) up to 40.6% (Speech-language) of variability in developmental functions. It turned out that two-way and three-way interactions had a dominant role on models, and STAI-T Level and COVID-19 related fear were present in all interaction terms. Conclusion: Our findings reveal important determinants of child developmental outcomes and underline the impact of maternal anxiety on early child development. These findings lay the groundwork for the following interdisciplinary research on pregnancy and child development to facilitate and achieve positive developmental outcomes and maternal mental health.

Academic burnout among medical students: respective importance of risk and protective factors

OBJECTIVES

Prior research has found a high prevalence of academic burnout among medical students (33-55%), and medical education institutions have begun to address the issue. In this research, we hypothesized an increase in academic burnout during medical education, as supported by previous findings. The second purpose was to identify the significant predictors (among perceived stress, empathy, and perceived social support) of academic burnout and determine their respective importance.

STUDY DESIGN

The study design was a cross-sectional online and anonymous survey.

METHODS

We recruited medical students (N = 342) from four education year-groups (i.e. Bachelor 1 and 3; Master 1 and 3). All participants voluntarily responded to our anonymous study and filled in four questionnaires assessing academic burnout, perceived stress, empathy, and perceived social support. We performed a multivariate analysis of variance on academic burnout and hierarchical regression analyses to determine the respective importance of risk and protective factors of academic burnout.

RESULTS

We found that two academic burnout domains (i.e. emotional exhaustion and cynicism) significantly changed according to the study year. Cynicism increased as the academic years progressed (F_(3,334) = 9.50; P < 0.001), and emotional exhaustion was highest at critical graduation moments during the academic curriculum (i.e. Bachelor 3 and Master 3; F_(3,334) = 11.2; P < 0.001). Overall, women presented higher academic burnout traits than men (ᴧ = 0.963; F_(3,332) = 4.26; P = 0.006), but univariate analysis revealed that they especially displayed higher emotional exhaustion (F_(1,334) = 12.1; P < 0.001). Hierarchical regression analyses showed that perceived stress, cognitive empathy, and perceived social support were significant predictors of academic burnout. We found that perceived stress was a major predictor of academic burnout (from 10% to 28% of the part of variance) in comparison to other factors such as empathy (around 5%) and perceived social support (around 6%).

CONCLUSIONS

We found that emotional exhaustion and cynicism significantly changed over medical education and that women presented greater vulnerability than men for emotional exhaustion. Furthermore, risk and protective factors of academic burnout were identified: (1) perceived stress was a decisive risk factor; (2) paradoxically, cognitive empathy had a double edge nature (the two cognitive empathy domains had opposite effects); and (3) perceived social support was identified as a protective factor. Thus, a novel dimension of this research was to investigate and describe the importance of several predictors of academic burnout. The implications are crucial for education, and several recommendations are discussed to prevent academic burnout.

Validez y confiablidad de la Escala de Apoyo Social Percibido (MSPSS)

Introducción: Existe evidencia de que el apoyo social es una variable fundamental en la investigación y en la intervención con familias en contextos de salud y enfermedad crónica. Objetivo: Obtener las propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Apoyo Social Percibido (MSPSS) en cuidadores primarios informales de pacientes con cáncer. Método: Estudio instrumental, en el que se entrevistó a 257 cuidadores primarios informales (CPI) que acudían a consulta externa en un Instituto Nacional de Salud en la Ciudad de México para el tratamiento contra el cáncer. Los participantes fueron seleccionados de manera no probabilística, de los cuales 227 eran mujeres (83,7%); con un rango de edad de 18 a 65 años (M =31, DT = 9,06); el 45,6% estaban casados, 61,11% tenían hijos y dedicaban más de 30 horas a la semana al cuidado del paciente. Los cuidadores respondieron un cuestionario de datos sociodemográficos y clínicos, la MSPSS (versión traducida al español) y la Escala de Malestar Psicológico de Kessler (K-10). Se realizó un análisis factorial confirmatorio (AFC) y un análisis de confiabilidad (Coeficiente Alfa de Cronbach). Resultados: El AFC obtuvo índices de ajuste para la MSPSS (CMIN 55,23; GFI 0,997; AGFI 0,995; NFI 0,996; RMR 0,053), y un coeficiente confiabilidad para la escala completa α=0,908. Además, se probó la validez de criterio divergente mediante la correlación de los puntajes de la MSPSS y los puntajes de la K-10. Conclusiones: Este estudio aporta evidencias de validez y confiabilidad satisfactorias para la MSPSS y, por tanto, es un instrumento sensible para la medición de apoyo social en poblaciones de cuidadores familiares de pacientes con enfermedades crónicas.

Multidimensional scale of perceived social support: evidence of validity and reliability in a Chilean adaptation for older adults

Background

Given the relevance of social support on the mental health of older adults, having an instrument to evaluate this variable is essential for research in the area. However, mainly, having instruments with suitable evidence of their psychometric properties is critical. For this reason, this study sought to evaluate the factorial and reliability structure of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support within autonomous older adults from the Province of Concepción, Chile.

Methods

We surveyed 399 older adults using quote sampling. They answered a Spanish version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, plus a sociodemographic questionnaire. We performed confirmatory factor analysis using Weighted Least Squares Means and Variances adjusted estimation (WLSMV) to compare the factor models proposes by previous studies. To evaluate reliability, we calculated Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega.

Results

The Confirmatory factor analysis found that the 3-factors models showed the best fist index between the models with CFI = 0.991, TLI = 0.989, and SRMR = 0.035, even though RMSEA were over the cutoff point. The factors presented reliabilities from α = 0.858 to α = 0.941, and from ω = 0.937 to ω = 0.972.

Conclusions

The results support the existence of three factors for the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), differentiating the support perceived from Family, Friends, and significant others. All factors present good or excellent reliability. This solution is theoretically consistent and coherent with the literature, and it presents evidence in favor of the use of MSPSS as a measurement to distinguish the support perceived source.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-021-02404-6.

Anxiety, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and emotion regulation: A longitudinal study of pregnant women having given birth during the COVID-19 pandemic

The objectives of the present longitudinal study were to (i) understand the potential impacts of concern about the COVID-19 epidemic and containment measures (e.g. lockdown) on the psychological and emotional status of women during pregnancy and after childbirth, (ii) identify factors associated with these impacts, and (iii) to study the mothers' coping strategies and protective factors. Data were collected during pregnancy (timepoint 1, during France's first period of lockdown from April 6th to May 11th, 2020) and then one month after childbirth (timepoint 2). At timepoint 1, 90 women completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. At timepoint 2, 26 women completed the City Birth Trauma Scale, the Interpersonal Emotional Regulation Questionnaire, and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. The relationship between social support and worry about the fetus/baby during the COVID-19 pandemic was statistically significant (Rho=- 0.21; p0.05). Worry about the fetus/baby was also significantly correlated with the anxiety score (Rho=0.60; p0.01) and the depression score (Rho= 0.37, p0.01). When the study population was compared with a control sample of new mothers having given birth outside the lockdown period, we observed differences in the prevalence of anxiety but not in the prevalence of postpartum PTSD. Lastly, the relationship between posttraumatic growth and emotion regulation was not significant (Rho=0.29, p = 0.16 for soothing; Rho=0.26, p = 0.20 for social modeling; Rho=0.28; p = 0.17 for perspective-taking; Rho=0.35; p = 0.08 for enhancing positive affect). In view of the sample size and the statistical tests, this study should be considered as exploratory. Our present results open up opportunities for further research and suggest that a possible impact of COVID-19 must be considered when evaluating potential psychological disorders in the perinatal period.

Stress and associated factors among French university students under the COVID-19 lockdown: The results of the PIMS-CoV 19 study

OBJECTIVES

The novel coronavirus disease has caused a global public health emergency. This study aimed to investigate perceived stress levels due to the COVID-19 outbreak and explore associated factors among students under lockdown.

METHODS

Sociodemographic data, living and learning conditions and existing scales of perceived stress (PSS) and social support (MSPSS) were administered to French students via an online survey. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between severe perceived stress and different factors.

RESULTS

Among 3764 university students, the average PSS score was 19.2 (SD=8.3), and 22% experienced high perceived stress. The presence of someone hospitalized for COVID-19 in one's household (OR=6, 95% CI: 2.4-14.6) and female gender (OR=2.3, 95% CI: 1.9-2.9) were the main risk factors for severe perceived stress. The following risk factors were also identified: enrollment in the arts, humanities and language program; postponement of a final examination; reduced learning time; conflicts at home and with neighbors; difficulties isolating; noise inside or outside one's home; a lack of direct outdoor access; increased alcohol and tobacco consumption; and the perceived ineffectiveness of the use of media entertainment to calm down. Friend support (OR=0.87, 95% CI: 0.82-0.93) and family support (OR=0.79, 95% CI: 0.74-0.84) and the perceived effectiveness of physical exercise (OR=0.5, 95% CI: 0.4-0.6) for calming down were protective factors.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight the factors that should be taken into account to counteract students' stress and the need to focus on students during epidemics.

Drop-the-p: Bayesian CFA of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support in Australia

AIM

We aimed to investigate whether the 12-item Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) constitutes a valid and reliable measure of social support for the general adult Australian population.

METHODS

Data were from Australia's National Survey of Adult Oral Health 2004-2006 and included 3899 participants aged 18 years old and over. The psychometric properties were evaluated with Bayesian confirmatory factor analysis. One-, two-, and three-factor (Significant Other, Family and Friends) structures were tested. Model fit was assessed with the posterior predictive p-value (PPPχ2), Bayesian root mean square error of approximation (BRMSEA), and Bayesian comparative fit index (BCFI). Dimensionality was tested by comparing competing factorial structures with the Bayes factor (BF). Reliability was evaluated with the Bayesian Ω H . Convergent validity was investigated with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and discriminant validity with the Perceived Dental Control scale (PDC-3).

RESULTS

The theoretical three-factor model (Significant Other, Family, and Friends) provided a good fit to the data [PPPχ2 < 0.001, BRMSEA = 0.089-95% credible interval (CrI) (0.088, 0.089); BCFI = 0.963-95% CrI (0.963, 0.964)]. The BF provided decisive support for the three-factor structure in relation to the other structures. The SO [BΩ H = 0.95 - 95% CrI (0.90, 0.99)], FA (BΩ H = 0.92 - 95% CrI (0.87, 0.97), and FR (BΩ H = 0.92 - 95% CrI (0.88, 0.97)] subscales displayed excellent reliability. The MSPSS displayed initial evidence of convergent and discriminant validity.

CONCLUSION

The MSPSS demonstrated good psychometric properties and excellent reliability in a large Australian sample. This instrument can be applied in national surveys and provide evidence of the role of social support in the Australian population.

Medication adherence, self-efficacy and health literacy among patients with glaucoma: a mixed-methods study protocol

INTRODUCTION

As the world population ages, glaucoma is becoming an increasingly significant cause of blindness. A key component in the management of glaucoma is the use of prescribed medications and the adherence to treatment. However, there is evidence of low adherence to prescribed medication in chronic diseases, such as glaucoma. This study aims to explore the level of medication adherence, self-efficacy, social support and health literacy among the patients with glaucoma and to determine if there are any correlations between them. The ultimate aim is to use the information to develop an educational programme for patients with glaucoma at a later stage.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This is a mixed-methods study which includes two stages: a descriptive study (stage 1) and focus group discussions (stage 2).

SAMPLE

Patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension, using at least one kind of drops, from two ophthalmology clinics. Selected measures include: The Glaucoma Treatment Compliance Assessment Tool, The European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire, The Glaucoma Medication Self-Efficacy Questionnaire and The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Two focus groups will be used for the collection of qualitative data, aiming to enrich the study with the patients' experiences. The data will be analysed with SPSS, using descriptive and inferential statistics for stage 1 whereas content analysis will be used for the data from the focus group discussions (stage 2).

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Permission to conduct the study was received from the National Bioethics Committee and the board of management of the two ophthalmology clinics. All participants will be informed fully on the purpose and methods of the study. Consent forms will be signed and at any time participants will have the right to withdraw. Confidentiality and the protection of data will be respected at all times.

Psychological impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on students in a French region severely affected by the disease: results of the PIMS-CoV 19 study

The COVID-19 has sent billions of students worldwide into lockdown. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety and identify the factors associated with anxiety among French students during lockdown.A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect sociodemographic data, living and learning conditions, anxiety symptoms and social support. Among 3936 students, 15.2%, experienced moderate anxiety and 9.8%, severe anxiety.Female gender (OR=2.2, 95% CI: 1.8-2.7) and having relatives or acquaintances from their housing hospitalized for COVID-19 (OR=3.3, 95% CI: 1.4-7.9) were the main risk factors for anxiety. Tensions at home (OR=1.8, 95% CI: 1.5-2.1), difficulties isolating (OR=1.4, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6), noises inside (OR=1.6, 95% CI: 1.3-1.9) or outside the housing (OR=1.5, 95% CI: 1.3-1.8), no direct outdoor access (OR=1.6, 95% CI: 1.3-2.0), delay in final examination (OR=1.6, 95% CI: 1.3-2.1), reduced time for learning (OR=1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6), increased tobacco consumption (OR=1.9, 95% CI: 1.4-2.6), ineffectiveness of using media entertainment (OR=2.2, 95% CI: 1.1-4.4) and reading (OR=1.9, 95% CI: 1.3-2.7) to calm down, were identified as risk factors. Family (OR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.8-0.91) and friend (OR=0.88, 95% CI: 0.82-0.94) support were protective factors. This suggests the need to focus on students during epidemics, especially those living with someone hospitalized with COVID-19.

Psychological consequences of COVID-19 pandemic in Italian MS patients: signs of resilience?

BACKGROUND

Anxiety, depression and reduction of quality of life (QoL) are common in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). Fear of getting sick from COVID-19, government's lockdown and the imposed social distancing might have had an impact on psychological distress and QoL.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of our study was to investigate anxiety, depression and QoL changes in pwMS during SARS-CoV-2 outbreak and lockdown in Italy.

METHODS

67 pwMS with a previous (less than 6 months) neuropsychological evaluation before SARS-CoV-2 outbreak (T0) were re-evaluated at the time of the outbreak and lockdown in Italy (T1). They underwent a clinical and neurological evaluation and completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y1), the Beck Depression Inventory second edition (BDI-II), and Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 (MsQoL-54) at T0 and T1. Benjamini-Hochberg procedure was applied to control the false discovery rate.

RESULTS

BDI-II and STAI-Y1 scores did not change between T0 and T1. At T1, MsQoL-54 scores were higher on the satisfaction with sexual life and the social function subscales, and lower on the limitation due to emotional problems subscale.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study that evaluated mood and QoL levels before and during the lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic in pwMS. No worsening of anxiety and depression levels was found. Contrariwise some improvements were noted on QoL, the most reliable regarding the sexual satisfaction and the social function.

Relative stability of alexithymia and openness to emotions in one psychiatric day hospital setting

Alexithymia (literally, difficulty finding words for emotions) and openness to emotions (OE: referring to the cognitive representation, communication, regulation, perception of internal and external bodily sensations, and social restriction of emotions) are strongly linked to psychopathology. The absolute and relative stability hypotheses were tested in order to determine whether significant changes occurred on these constructs after therapy, a condition where changes were expected for both constructs. Negative attitudes toward treatment (NTI) and perceived social support (PSS) were expected to significantly predict alexithymia and OE. Patients (N = 179) who participated in this longitudinal study filled in the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Dimensions of Openness to Emotions Scale, the NTI subscale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Social Desirability Scale. After treatment, we observed significant decrease of all alexithymia scores and significant increases of three OE scores, that is, cognitive representation, communication, and regulation of emotions. Regression analyses revealed that gender, age, NTI, and PSS were significant predictors of alexithymia and OE. NTI strongly predicted lower OE levels and higher alexithymia levels, whereas PSS had opposite predicting effects on these constructs. In conclusion, the significant changes, and the moderate to high correlational levels observed between before and after alexithymia and OE scores, strengthen the relative stability hypothesis for both constructs. In addition, PSS represents a protective factor and NTI a vulnerability indicator for therapists. Our aim is to optimize treatment by providing therapists treating emotion difficulties a more concrete array of variables that potentially either promote or subvert recovery.

When Fear of Childbirth is Pathological: The Fear Continuum

OBJECTIVES

Given that prepartum psychiatric symptoms have been reported to be associated with postpartum disorders, focusing on the prepartum period appears of prime importance. The aim of the current study was threefold: (a) to identify the prevalence rates of women suffering from fear of childbirth (FOC) and tokophobia (b) to explore the association between FOC, obstetrical and psychopathological variables and (c) to identify the independent predictors of the intensity of FOC symptoms, FOC and tokophobia.

METHODS

at 36 weeks' gestation, 98 women completed questionnaires assessing FOC, pretraumatic stress, fear of pain, depressive and anxiety symptomatology as well as perceived social support. Socio-demographic and gynecological data were also gathered.

RESULTS

22.45% of women reported a probable FOC and 20.41% suffered from a potential tokophobia. Epidural anesthesia (ß = 5.62, p < 0.05), and the intensity of pretraumatic stress symptoms (ß= 0.69, p < 0.05), were independently associated with the intensity of FOC symptoms. Planning a c-section was significantly related to FOC (β = 0.09, p = 0.03). Planning an epidural anesthesia was also an independent predictor of both FOC and tokophobia (β = 1.33, p = 0.03; β = 1.26, p = 0.04, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Given the high rates of FOC and tokophobia highlighted, developing an appropriate preparation to childbirth is of great relevance. Longitudinal studies should be developed in order to provide an in-depth examination of the course of prepartum psychiatric disorders, maintenance of symptoms and their impact on subsequent infant development.

Anxiety and depression in patients with multiple sclerosis: The mediating effects of perceived social support

BACKGROUND

Social support has been identified as a buffering or intervening variable in stressful life events. Research has demonstrated that greater social support is associated with better mental health in multiple sclerosis (MS), but little is known about its links to specific aspects of mental health. We therefore investigated if and how perceived social support modulates depression, anxiety and fatigue in patients with MS.

METHODS

We recruited 112 patients with MS from three French hospitals and administered a demographic and clinic interview, and self-report measures of perceived social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support), depression and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale). We then analyzed the relationships between these domains using path analysis.

RESULTS

The causal path model provided an excellent fit for the data (χ² = 9.8, p = .778, standardized root mean square residual = 0.043, comparative fit index = 1.00). Results indicated that the level of social support from friends is a predictor of anxiety symptomatology. Thus, anxiety may have both a direct and an indirect impact on fatigue and depression levels.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the important roles played by perceived social support and anxiety in MS. These should be key pharmacological and non-pharmacological targets for optimizing patient care. (NCT 02-880-553).

Psychometric Properties of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Within Hispanic College Students

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) within a sample of Hispanic college students. The sample of 223 Hispanic or Latino/a college students consisting of 142 women (65%) and 79 men (35%) was recruited from a Hispanic serving institution in the southern United States. The results of factor analysis confirmed the three-subscale structure of the MSPSS: family, friend, and a significant other.

A systematic review of the psychometric properties of the cross-cultural translations and adaptations of the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale (MSPSS)

BACKGROUND

Social support (SS) has been identified as an essential buffer to stressful life events. Consequently, there has been a surge in the evaluation of SS as a wellbeing indicator. The Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale (MSPSS) has evolved as one of the most extensively translated and validated social support outcome measures. Due to linguistic and cultural differences, there is need to test the psychometrics of the adapted versions. However, there is a paucity of systematic evidence of the psychometrics of adapted and translated versions of the MSPSS across settings.

OBJECTIVES

To understand the psychometric properties of the MSPSS for non-English speaking populations by conducting a systematic review of studies that examine the psychometric properties of non-English versions of the MSPSS.

METHODS

We searched Africa-Wide Information, CINAHL, Medline and PsycINFO, for articles published in English on the translation and or validation of the MSPSS. Methodological quality and quality of psychometric properties of the retrieved translations were assessed using the COSMIN checklist and a validated quality assessment criterion, respectively. The two assessments were combined to produce the best level of evidence per language/translation.

RESULTS

Seventy articles evaluating the MSPSS in 22 languages were retrieved. Most translations [16/22] were not rigorously translated (only solitary backward-forward translations were performed, reconciliation was poorly described, or were not pretested). There was poor evidence for structural validity, as confirmatory factor analysis was performed in only nine studies. Internal consistency was reported in all studies. Most attained a Cronbach's alpha of at least 0.70 against a backdrop of fair methodological quality. There was poor evidence for construct validity.

CONCLUSION

There is limited evidence supporting the psychometric robustness of the translated versions of the MSPSS, and given the variability, the individual psychometrics of a translation must be considered prior to use. Responsiveness, measurement error and cut-off values should also be assessed to increase the clinical utility and psychometric robustness of the translated versions of the MSPSS.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO - CRD42016052394.

Maternal burn-out: an exploratory study

INTRODUCTION

Maternal burn-out is a psychological, emotional and physiological condition resulting from the accumulation of various stressors characterised by a moderate but also a chronic and repetitive dimension. Little research has focused on this syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

The current study aims to assess maternal burn-out rate and to identify factors associated with this state of exhaustion.

METHOD

263 French mothers aged between 20 and 49 years answered five scales quantifying maternal burn-out, perceived social support, parental stress, depression and anxiety symptoms and history of postnatal depression.

RESULTS

About 20% of mothers were affected by maternal burn-out. The main factors related to maternal burn-out were having a child perceived as difficult, history of postnatal depression, anxiety, satisfaction of a balance between professional and personal life and parental stress.

CONCLUSION

This research shows the need for further work on maternal burn-out to better understand and prevent this syndrome.

Cognitive factors and post-partum depression: What is the influence of general personality traits, rumination, maternal self-esteem, and alexithymia?

OBJECTIVES

The objective was to assess the impact of cognitive factors on post-partum depression (PPD) symptoms. Because most of the literature data concern the immediate post-partum period or the first year post-partum, we notably sought to assess the longer term impact of cognitive factors on the symptoms of PPD.

METHODS

Two studies were performed. In a pilot study, 1-month post-partum, 63 women filled out a sociodemographic information sheet and completed the abbreviated, revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, the Ruminative Responses Scale, the Maternal Self-Report Inventory, and the Edinburgh Post-Natal Depression Scale. In the main study, 124 women additionally completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. The main study population was divided into 2 subgroups: women in the first year post-partum (n = 74) and those in the second year post-partum (n = 50).

RESULTS

In the pilot study performed 1-month post-partum, brooding rumination and low self-esteem were significant predictors of the PPD symptom intensity. Neuroticism, brooding rumination, and low maternal self-esteem were also significant predictors of the PPD symptoms reported in the first year post-partum. Lastly, ruminative thoughts and alexithymia were significant predictors of the PPD symptoms reported in the second year post-partum.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that alexithymia may be an important predictor of the incidence of this condition. The observation of differences in the PPD models as a function of the post-partum period may open up opportunities for developing novel PPD prevention/treatment programs.

MEDIACONNEX: a multicenter randomised trial based on short message service to reduce suicide attempt recurrence in adolescents

BACKGROUND

Suicide attempt among adolescents is a public health problem around the world. The risk of recurrence is high: about 30 % of adolescents. New ways to prevent suicide attempt recurrence being developed for adult suicide attempters include maintaining contact with them, and results are encouraging.

METHODS/DESIGN

The MEDIACONNEX study will be a simple blinded, parallel-group, multicenter randomised controlled trial. It will compare usual care alone to a program based on usual care plus short message service (SMS) provided to adolescents who attempt suicide and who receive treatment in pediatric and adolescent psychiatry units at hospitals in eastern France. Adolescents will be recruited over an 18-month period. The intervention will be based on the SMS, involving personalized and evolving text messages, sent on days 7 to 14 and months 1, 2, 4 and 6 after the SA. The primary endpoint will be the recurrence of an SA, with an assessment during 12 months. Secondary endpoints will be the evolution of 1) social networks, 2) depression and 3) health-related quality of life, with an assessment at inclusion and at 6 months.

DISCUSSION

This paper describes the design of MEDIACONNEX, which will assess the effectiveness of an SMS program for adolescent suicide attempters on SA recurrence. This program will be easy to reproduce and inexpensive.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (no. NCT02762734 ) on March 2016.

Individuals' quality of life linked to major life events, perceived social support, and personality traits

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between major recent life events that occurred during the last 5 years, social and personal resources, and subjective quality of life (QoL).

METHODS

A total of 1801 participants from the general population (CoLaus/PsyCoLaus study) completed the Life Events Questionnaire, the Social Support Questionnaire, the NEO Five-Factor Inventory Revised, and the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life.

RESULTS

Major life events were modestly associated with the QoL (about 5 % of the explained variance). However, QoL was significantly related to perceived social support and personality traits (about 37 % of the explained variance). Particularly, perceived social support, extraversion and conscientiousness personality dimensions were positively linked to life satisfaction, whereas a high level of neuroticism was negatively associated with QoL.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the negative but temporary association between critical events and QoL. However, a combination of high conscientiousness and extraversion, and positive social support may explain better variances for a high-perceived QoL.