Psychometric properties of the problem solving inventory in a Singapore young male adult sample

Toward a Positive Life beyond COVID-19: Problem-Solving Appraisal as a Resistance Resource in the Relationship between Stress and Well-Being in Students

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major global stressor that has been associated with elevated risk of negative mental health symptoms. As a helping profession, our main task should be identifying factors that may shield individuals from the negative consequences of stress, rather than only focusing on the causes and symptoms of stress. One such factor, identified in the literature, is an individual's perception of their problem-solving skills. In this study we investigate the role of problem-solving appraisal in the association between perceived stress and psychological well-being. Participants were students (n = 322) who completed the Problem Solving Inventory, the Perceived Stress Scale, the short forms of the trait scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale. The results demonstrate the health-sustaining benefits of problem-solving appraisal, as all dimensions of problem-solving appraisal (problem-solving confidence, approach-avoidance style, and problem-solving control) were directly associated with hopelessness and anxiety. The stress-buffering role of problem-solving appraisal with respect to hopelessness was demonstrated through the interaction between perceived stress and problem-solving appraisal. However, problem-solving appraisal did not buffer the effects of stress on anxiety. The findings indicate that problem-solving appraisal may be an important protective resource that could be beneficial for coping with other negative events and experiences beyond COVID-19. The implications of these findings for interventions are discussed.

Prevalence, psychosocial correlates of youths’ suicidal behaviors and perspectives on the phenomena at Zagazig University: a mixed-methods study

Background

Suicidal behaviors are major public health concerns that affect large numbers of youth, leaving not only the youth but also their parents, family, friends, and peers in constant wailing. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, psychosocial correlates, and perspectives of youths’ suicidal behaviors. A concurrent mixed-methods descriptive study was used in carrying out this study. This study was conducted at Zagazig University, Al Sharkia Governorate. A stratified multi-stage cluster sampling technique was used to enroll 364 youths. Four tools were used to collect quantitative data. They were as follows: The Youth Profile Questionnaire, composed of two parts (socio-demographic data and youth characteristics), the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised Short Form (SPSI-R-SF), and the Short Version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF). For the qualitative part, focus group discussions were conducted to explore youths’ perspectives on the phenomenon of suicidal behaviors.

Results

Quantitative findings revealed that 25% of the youth participants had a significant risk for suicidal behaviors. Being female, in the first years of practical faculties and having no friends are significantly correlated with suicidal behaviors. Further, the quality of life had a statistically significant negative correlation with suicidal behaviors. Qualitative findings were discussed under one main category: youths’ perspectives about suicidal behaviors (pressure/escaping tool, seeking help/ending pain, attention-grabbing behavior, and stain for life).

Conclusions

According to this mixed-methods study, youths’ suicidal behaviors are prevalent multifaceted phenomena that certain factors have been correlated with. It is suggested that female sex, having no friends, and academic stressors are risk factors for suicidal behaviors. Also, the quality of life was introduced as a protective factor against suicidal behaviors. Therefore, it is recommended to implement prevention and management approaches to realize the complexity of the phenomena of suicidal behaviors among youth; these approaches target the youths themselves (mental health promotion and strategies for coping with stress) and the population (careful media coverage, limit access to suicidal methods, and raise the awareness about mental illness).