Death anxiety, death reflection and interpersonal communication as predictors of social distance towards people infected with COVID 19

Eudaimonic Well-Being of Italian Young Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Predictive and Mediating Roles of Fear of Death and Psychological Inflexibility

The literature has widely acknowledged the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of young adults. Despite extensive research, eudaimonic well-being, which focuses on self-knowledge and self-realization, has been scarcely investigated. This cross-sectional study aimed to add knowledge on the eudaimonic well-being of young adults one year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, verifying its potential linkages with fear of death and psychological inflexibility. A total of 317 young Italian adults (18-34 years), recruited through a chain sampling method, completed measures of psychological inflexibility, fear of death, and eudaimonic well-being included in an online survey. The study's hypotheses were tested with multivariate multiple regression and mediational analyses. Results showed that psychological inflexibility was negatively associated with all the dimensions of well-being, while fear of the death of others was associated with autonomy, environmental mastery, and self-acceptance. Furthermore, in the association between fear of death and well-being, the mediation role of psychological inflexibility was verified. These results contribute to the extant literature on the factors associated with eudaimonic well-being, providing clinical insights into the work with young adults within challenging times.

Death Anxiety and COVID-19 Anxiety. The Mediating Role of Religious Relational Identification and the Impact of Emotional Regulation Strategies

Management theory of terror (TMT) explains the way disease and death anxiety (DA) are managed through religion during crisis (i.e., COVID-19 pandemic). 344 women students completed self-reported questionnaires regarding death and COVID-19 anxiety, religious relational identification, and emotional regulation. Results show positive relation between religious relational identification and death anxiety, and COVID-19 anxiety. The interaction between death anxiety and emotional regulation shows that both cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression are dysfunctional for COVID-19 anxiety. A moderated mediation effect is significant, showing that COVID-19 anxiety is not decreasing due to usual and natural ways of coping (i.e., religious relational identification and cognitive reappraisal).

COVID-19 contact tracking by group activity trajectory recovery over camera networks

Contact tracking plays an important role in the epidemiological investigation of COVID-19, which can effectively reduce the spread of the epidemic. As an excellent alternative method for contact tracking, mobile phone location-based methods are widely used for locating and tracking contacts. However, current inaccurate positioning algorithms that are widely used in contact tracking lead to the inaccurate follow-up of contacts. Aiming to achieve accurate contact tracking for the COVID-19 contact group, we extend the analysis of the GPS data to combine GPS data with video surveillance data and address a novel task named group activity trajectory recovery. Meanwhile, a new dataset called GATR-GPS is constructed to simulate a realistic scenario of COVID-19 contact tracking, and a coordinated optimization algorithm with a spatio-temporal constraint table is further proposed to realize efficient trajectory recovery of pedestrian trajectories. Extensive experiments on the novel collected dataset and commonly used two existing person re-identification datasets are performed, and the results evidently demonstrate that our method achieves competitive results compared to the state-of-the-art methods.

Machiavellianism and learning-related subjective well-being among Chinese senior high school students: A moderated mediation model

Based on the life history theory and broadening construction theory, the study aimed to investigate the influence of Machiavellianism on the learning-related subjective well-being and the underlying mechanism, 582 Chinese senior high school students (16.8 ± 0.9 years old) including 289 girls (48.3%) and 310 boys were recruited to participate in this study, and they anonymously filled out questionnaires regarding Machiavellianism, learning-related subjective well-being, gratitude, and subjective family economic level. The results showed that: (1) a higher level of Machiavellianism was associated with a lower level of learning-related subjective well-being; (2) gratitude partially mediated the relationship between Machiavellianism and learning-related subjective well-being; (3) subjective family economic level moderated the links between Machiavellianism and learning-related subjective well-being, and between gratitude and learning-related subjective well-being. This study explained how and when Machiavellianism affected Chinese senior high school students’ learning-related subjective well-being and provided a deeper understanding of the relationship between Machiavellianism and learning-related subjective well-being.

Cross-cultural validity of the Death Reflection Scale during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

The global COVID-19 pandemic confronts people with their fragility, vulnerability, and mortality. To date, scales to measure death awareness mainly focus on the anxiety-provoking aspect of mortality cues. This study aims to cross-culturally adapt and validate the Death Reflection Scale (DRS), a scale for measuring positive, growth-oriented cognitions of life reflection and prosocial behavior following confrontation with the finiteness of life.

Materials and Methods

The Death Reflection Scale was translated and adapted in a multi-step process to the German language. In this anonymous, cross-sectional, online survey at a large university in Germany, students, healthcare professionals (HCP) and other staff completed the DRS alongside comparison measures. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess configural, metric, and scalar measurement equivalence across four age and occupational groups. Convergent/divergent validity testing was done via Spearman correlations.

Results

1,703 participants provided data for a response rate of ∼5%. 24% of respondents were HCP, 22% students. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a higher-order structure of the DRS with a strong general factor and the originally proposed five subscales (CFI 0.945, SRMR 0.045, RMSEA 0.055). Multi-group CFA showed partial metric equivalence across age groups and partial scalar invariance across occupational groups. Non-invariant scales were the Motivation to live, Putting life into perspective, and Legacy subscales. In the convergent validity testing, two hypotheses were fully confirmed, two partially and four were not confirmed. Experiencing a propensity for increased contemplation and life reflection during the pandemic together with spirituality showed correlations of moderate to large size to the DRS and its subscales (Spearman’s rho ranging from 0.31 to 0.52).

Conclusion

Further conceptual work for death awareness to explore the construct’s stability in different population groups needs to be undertaken. However, the DRS can be mostly used to assess positive and growth-oriented aspects of death awareness and death reflection which may be an important avenue when developing counseling and support interventions for groups experiencing a high burden during the pandemic.

Study on infection behavior and characteristics of poplar wood dyed by Lasiodiplodia theobromae

The technology of dyeing wood by microorganisms is a kind of pollution-free and sustainable wood dyeing technology. To achieve fast and rich dyeing of Lasiodiplodia theobromae on the surface of poplar wood, tyrosinase and tricyclazole were used as induction factors in this experiment. The results showed that L. theobromae had a better induction effect in the cross-section of poplar wood and induced with tricyclazole. The surface color of poplar ranged from light yellow dyeing to gray and brown, the chromatic aberration of the cross-section of wood was above 44.5 NBS, and the infected area was over 50%, while the dyed parts of radial and tangential sections of wood were only on the surface of the wood after 30 days of infection. The induced infection of L. theobromae on poplar wood had little effect on the chemical components of poplar and had good colorfastness to washing and light. Therefore, microbial dyeing of wood showed a beneficial application prospect in the field of wood dyeing.

The Effect of Fear of COVID-19 on Green Purchase Behavior in Pakistan: A Multi-Group Analysis Between Infected and Non-infected

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its effects on an individual's life have altered the consumer behavior. In the context of purchase and consumption, a shift from conventional to green purchase has been noticed. Although the factors underlying this shift were relatively unexplored, the study aimed to identify the factors that influenced a significant role in the green purchases during the outbreak and the relationship of these factors with green purchase behavior (GPB). Subsequently, this study investigates and interprets the role of fear of COVID-19 (FCV), psychological distress (PD), and mortality salience (MS) in predicting consumer's GPB. This research adopted a quantitative methodology using data collected from 432 respondents in various cities across Pakistan. Smart-PLS 3 was used to evaluate the measurement model, structural model, and multi-group analysis (MGA). Despite having the negative psychological and physical impact of the pandemic, a significant proportion of customers have switched to healthier and sustainable products. This research revealed that the FCV, PD, and MS plays a substantial role in adopting GPB. All the direct relationships were positive and significant. In addition, MS and PD partially mediate the effect of FCV on GPB. Furthermore, the MGA revealed that the infected respondents were interested in purchasing green products than uninfected respondents due to their FCV; conversely, the PD and MS were higher in uninfected individuals than infected ones. However, there is a vast literature on GPB, but little has investigated the cumulative impact of FCV, PD, and MS on GPB.

Comparison of Death Anxiety, Death Obsession, and Humor in Nurses and Medical Emergency Personnel in COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction

COVID-19 has created numerous challenges for the health system. Nurses and medical emergency personnel are at the forefront of fighting COVID-19 and exposed to psychological disorders such as death anxiety and death obsession. Humor is a defense and coping mechanism against the anxiety and obsession associated with death. This study aimed to compare death anxiety, death obsession, and humor among nurses and medical emergency personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 230 nurses and medical emergency personnel. To collect data, the Templer death anxiety scale, death obsession scale, and humor styles questionnaire were used. SPSS 19 was used for data analysis. The significance level was considered at P < .05.

Results

Mean and standard deviation of death anxiety in the nurses and medical emergency personnel were 6.86 (4.04) and 5.68 (3.57), respectively; these values for death obsession were 29.82 (12.30) and 25.30 (12.66) and for humor 116.75 (30.87) and 118.48 (24.66), respectively. The nurses had significantly higher death anxiety (t = 2.33, P = .02) and death obsession (t = −2.68, P = .008) than the medical emergency personnel; moreover, there was no significant relationship among humor, death anxiety (r = .11, P = .10), and death obsession (r = .07, P = .31) in nurses and emergency personnel.

Discussion

The results of this study showed that the levels of death anxiety and death obsession were higher in the nurses than the medical emergency personnel. There was no significant difference between the hospital nurses and medical emergency personnel in terms of humor.

Development and Validation of a Short Measure of Emotional, Physical, and Behavioral Markers of Eustress and Distress (MEDS)

We report the results of three validation studies for a short measure of emotional, physical, and behavioral markers of eustress and distress as they occur when individuals encounter stressful events in academic and organizational settings. Given the importance of the distinction between “positive” and “negative” stress as well as the recent resurgence of research exploring the differences between challenge and hindrance stress and between eustress and distress, it is important to put forward a short, validated scale that evaluates these constructs. Our short measure—the MEDS—therefore has important theoretical as well as practical implications. By showing that the eustress and distress subscales have adequate internal consistency and good construct and criterion validity, we open new avenues for research that extends our knowledge and understanding of the antecedents and consequences of eustress and distress. We also discuss appropriate uses of the scale in educational and organizational settings.

Appetite loss, death anxiety and medical coping modes in COVID-19 patients: a cross-sectional study

AIM

This study aims to explore the current level and associated factors of appetite and death anxiety amongst COVID-19 patients and also to identify correlation between the two variables.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Demographic and characteristic questionnaires, templer death anxiety scale, council on nutrition of appetite questionnaire and medical coping modes questionnaire were utilized.

RESULTS

The average scores of appetite and death anxiety were 19.46 (4.09) and 6.58, (3.21) respectively. 76 patients (100%) suffered from appetite loss, whilst 27 (35.50%) patients suffered from severe death anxiety. Marital status, COVID-19 disease condition ranks, educational level and death anxiety were explained 55.20% of the total variance in the appetite regression model (F = 31.83, p < .001), whilst the gender, avoidance coping strategy and appetite level were explained 49.80% of the total variance in death anxiety model (F = 17.80, p < .001). A moderate negative correlation between appetite and death anxiety was also confirmed (r=-.55, p < .001).

Mental health consequences during alerting situations and recovering to a new normal of coronavirus epidemic in 2019: a cross-sectional study based on the affected population

Background

As a major virus outbreak in the twenty-first century, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused unprecedented hazards to mental health globally.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional study based on the results of an online survey. The survey was conducted 1 month after the outbreak (February 18–29, 2020) and repeated at the time of resuming activity (April 8–14, 2020). The 15-item Death Anxiety Scale (T-DAS) was used to assess the degree of death anxiety, and the Chinese version of PTSD checklist-civilian version (PCL-C), for PTSD symptom clusters. Through convenient sampling, a total of 7678 cases were collected.

Results

Our findings showed that even after the lockdown was lifted, the prevalence of the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and death anxiety remained significantly high in the general population affected by the outbreak. Regression model analysis showed that PTSD was significantly associated with age > 50 years, contact history/living community, poor health status of participants, past traumatic experience (PTE), and medical occupation. Moreover, death anxiety mediated the relationship between life-threatening PTE and PTSD, indicating that reducing death anxiety could buffer the negative effects of PTE on PTSD.

Conclusions

Despite the lifting of the lockdown, long-term adverse psychological effects remain in the affected general population. The management of mental health after major public health events is important, and high-risk groups such as the elderly and healthcare workers should receive targeted interventions. In addition, the study suggests that methods for alleviating death anxiety must be included in plans to manage the psychological impact of public health emergencies.