How About the Psychological Pandemic? Perceptions of COVID-19 and Work-Life of Private Sector Employees-A Qualitative Study

The contribution of distress factors and Coping Resources to the motivation to use ICT among adults with intellectual disability during COVID-19

The current study focused on people with intellectual disability (ID), who have unique disadvantages that place them at greater risk for negative outcomes due to COVID-19. The study goals are three-fold: (a) To examine whether differences in distress factors (loneliness and stress) would be found between adults with ID who used the Zoom application, and those who did not use Zoom during the pandemic; (b) To examine whether differences in psychological and coping resources (psychological capital), and practical-technological resources (attitudes and motivation to use information communication technology) would be found between the groups; (c) To examine the contribution of background variables (gender, type of residence, Zoom use), distress factors and psychological and practical technological coping resources on the motivation to use technology. The sample included 35 adults with ID (MCA = 40.06, SD = 11.02). Of these, 57% learned to use the Zoom application during the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 20), and 47% did not (N = 15). Participants answered seven questionnaires examining distress factors and psychological and technological resources. Both groups exhibited distress factors. However, the Zoom users demonstrated higher scores in hope and motivation to use technology. Regression analysis indicated that the resilience and attitudes toward technology among the Zoom users contributed to the explained variance of motivation to use technology. In light of the higher coping resources among Zoom users, we may carefully say that using Zoom might increase the independence of individuals with ID in learning, develop their communications possibilities, and help them to cope better in distress situations.

Technology as a Double-Edged Sword: Understanding Life Experiences and Coping With COVID-19 in India

The two waves of COVID-19 in India have had severe consequences for the lives of people. The Indian State-imposed various regulatory mechanisms like lockdowns, encouraged remote work, online teaching in academic institutions, and enforced adherence to the COVID protocols. The use of various technologies especially digital/online technologies not only helped to adapt to the "new normal" and cope with the disruptions in pursuing everyday activities but also to manage one's well-being. However, the availability and accessibility of digital technologies to various sections of the population were not uniform. This paper reports a series of three studies examining the nature of pandemic stress, the impact of technology use on people's emotional well-being during turbulent times, and the effects of technology use on psychological resources like resilience, self-efficacy, motivation to work, and emotional well-being. The differences in the residential background (Urban/Rural) and SES (Low/High) in the extent of the use of technology and strength of psychological resources were assessed. The findings indicated that the most common causes of concern included worrying about family, friends, partners, fears of getting and giving the viral infection to someone; frustration and or boredom; and changes in normal sleep patterns. It was noted that technology was a double-edged sword and created barriers as well as opportunities for the people. Also, self-efficacy mediated the relationship between the use of technology and emotional wellbeing. The results have policy implications for building resilient communities in the post COVID period.

Work-Related Mental Health Under COVID-19 Restrictions: A Mini Literature Review

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions, including national lockdown, social distancing, compulsory quarantine, and organizational measures of remote working, are imposed in many countries and organizations to combat the coronavirus. The various restrictions have caused different impacts on the employees' mental health worldwide. The purpose of this mini-review is to investigate the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on employees' mental health across the world. We searched articles in Web of Science and Google Scholar, selecting literature focusing on employees' mental health conditions under COVID-19 restrictions. The findings reveal that the psychological impacts of teleworking are associated with employees' various perceptions of its pros and cons. The national lockdown, quarantine, and resuming to work can cause mild to severe mental health issues, whereas the capability to practice social distancing is positively related to employees' mental health. Generally, employees in developed countries have experienced the same negative and positive impacts on mental health, whereas, in developing countries, employees have reported a more negative effect of the restrictions. One explanation is that the unevenly distributed mental health resources and assistances in developed and developing countries.