Acculturative stress and eating disinhibition among Asian young adults: The role of depressive symptoms and gender

Perceptions of the Sense of Security, Belonging, and Acculturative Stress among International Students in China during COVID-19 Outbreak-An Empirical Analysis

Understanding the cross-cultural adaptation of students studying in foreign countries by exploring acculturative stress factors is crucial to ensure the smooth academic performance of the students and, in turn, to enhance the global reputation of their universities. Therefore, it is an area of interest for the authorities (Ministry) and the corresponding management of universities. Using a random sample of 138 international students in China, descriptive and logistic regressions were conducted to assess the levels and influence of acculturative stress factors on cross-cultural adaptation, specifically on international students' sense of security and belonging during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. The results revealed that students were most concerned about homesickness, which obtained the highest mean score. The regression results indicated that the perception of fear and discrimination significantly impacted international students' sense of security. The perception of fear, guilt, and how long the student stayed in China also significantly affected the sense of belonging. We argue that the reflections provided herein are essential for universities to improve how they manage and handle international students to mitigate the effects of acculturative stress, particularly when additional stressful conditions are present, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gender differences in the associations between body mass index, depression, anxiety, and stress among endocrinologists in China

BACKGROUND

Depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms have been found to be associated with overweight or obesity, but the gender differences in the associations have not been well-examined. Based on a national sample of endocrinologists in China, we examined such associations with a focus on gender differences.

METHODS

Data were collected from endocrinologists in China using an online questionnaire, which included demographic data, body weight, and height. Depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21).

RESULTS

In total, 679 endocrinologists (174 males and 505 females) completed the survey. One-fourth (25.6%) were classified as overweight, with a significant gender difference (48.9% in males vs. 17.6% in females, p < 0.05). Overall, 43.4% of the participants endorsed probable depressive symptoms (54.6% in males and 39.6% in females, p = 0.004), 47.6% for anxiety (51.7% in males vs. 46.1% in females, p = 0.203), and 29.6% for stress symptoms (34.5% in males vs. 27.92% in females, p = 0.102). After controlling for confounders, in the whole group, male gender (aOR = 4.07, 95% CI:2.70-6.14, p < 0.001), depression (aOR = 1.05, 95% CI:1.00-1.10, p = 0.034) and age (aOR = 1.03, 95% CI:1.00-1.05, p = 0.018) were positively associated with overweight. In males, depression (aOR = 1.14, 95% CI:1.05-1.25, p = 0.002), administration position (aOR = 4.36, 95% CI:1.69-11.24, p = 0.002), and night shifts/month (aOR = 1.26, 95% CI:1.06-1.49, p = 0.008) were positively associated with overweight, while anxiety (aOR = 0.90, 95% CI:0.82-0.98, p = 0.020) was negatively associated with overweight. In females, only age (aOR = 1.04, 95% CI:1.01-1.07, p = 0.014) was significantly associated with overweight status, while depression and anxiety were not associated with overweight. Stress symptoms were not associated with overweight in either gender.

CONCLUSIONS

One-fourth of endocrinologists in China are overweight, with a rate in males nearly triple the one in females. Depression and anxiety are significantly associated with overweight in males but not females. This suggests possible differences in the mechanism. Our findings also highlight the need to screen depression and overweight in male physicians and the importance of developing gender-specific interventions.

Does perceived support moderate the link between acculturative stress and problematic eating behaviors? The role of family, significant other, and friend support

OBJECTIVE

Acculturative stress, often experienced by members of minority groups, is related to problematic eating behaviors. What remains poorly understood is the function of perceived social support in this link. This study evaluated the moderating role of perceived support from family, the significant other, and friends in the association between acculturative stress and problematic eating behaviors, including emotional eating, uncontrolled eating, and cognitive restraint eating.

METHOD

An online cross-sectional study was conducted with 497 Asian and Latinx college students using standardized questionnaires. Three hierarchical multivariable models were analyzed, with each eating behavior included as the outcome variable. Demographic variables (Step 1), general perceived stress (Step 2), and predictor variables (i.e., acculturative stress, perceived support; Step 3) were added using Method Enter. Interaction terms were entered using Method Stepwise (Step 4) to test for moderation effects.

RESULTS

As perceived family support increased, the magnitude of the link between acculturative stress and higher uncontrolled eating increased (p = .002). When perceived significant other support was higher, the magnitude of the relationship between acculturative stress and higher emotional eating increased (p = .02). Higher perceived friend support was directly related to reduced uncontrolled eating (p = .002).

DISCUSSION

This study highlights the heterogeneous effects of various sources of perceived support on the link between acculturative stress and problematic eating behaviors. Findings imply that problematic eating prevention and intervention programs might benefit from considering not only the acculturative stress experienced by racial/ethnic minority young adults but also the sources of support perceived.

PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE

Perceived support from family and the significant other increased the magnitude of the link between higher acculturative stress and increased problematic eating behaviors, whereas support from friends showed a direct relationship with reduced uncontrolled eating. The results highlight the nuanced functions of various sources of perceived social support and contribute to a deeper understanding of potential moderators in the relationship between acculturative stress and problematic eating behaviors among racial/ethnic minorities.

The influence of culture and cognitive reserve on the clinical presentation of behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia

Characterisation of the clinical profile of behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) has predominantly been based on Western samples. Some small studies have suggested that the clinical profile may differ in culturally and linguistically diverse populations. Additionally, there is evidence that patients from non-English speaking backgrounds may have more cognitive reserve, allowing them to tolerate more disease pathology before clinical symptoms emerge. This study aims to characterise the clinical profiles of patients with bvFTD from culturally diverse backgrounds. BvFTD patients were classified as Australian-born (Australian) or Culturally and Linguistically Diverse-English-speaking (CALD-English) and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse-Language Other Than English (CALD-LOTE). Clinical features, cognitive test performance and cognitive reserve were compared between groups. Voxel-based morphometry was used to examine the neural correlates of cognitive reserve. 107 patients with bvFTD (53 Australian, 36 CALD-English, 18 CALD-LOTE) and 51 controls were included. Analysis of neuropsychiatric features revealed more elation in Australian patients compared to CALD-English patients, with trends for CALD-LOTE patients to report more irritability. CALD-LOTE patients also had higher cognitive reserve and showed relatively greater verbal than non-verbal cognitive impairment. Neuroimaging analyses revealed that higher cognitive reserve was associated with lower integrity in the frontal-temporal regions associated with typical disease pathology in bvFTD. Our findings support the hypothesis that cognitive reserve may delay early cognitive decline in culturally and linguistically diverse patients, although these patients may still show poor verbal performance due to cultural testing biases. Clinically, these results highlight the need to consider cultural and linguistic background to inform the assessment of dementia.

Acculturation and Disordered Eating among Asian American College Students: The Role of Objectification through a Sociocultural Lens

Disordered eating is a public health problem because it's highly prevalent, dangerous, and costly. More research about its risk factors and mechanisms is needed to address this problem and prevent disordered eating among high-risk populations, particularly understudied ethnic minorities. The present study contributes to the limited existing research on acculturation and disordered eating among Asian American college students who represent an understudied and high-risk group. The sample consisted of 245 Asian American (primarily East and Southeast Asian American) college students who provided data on their acculturation status, internalization of thin and muscular body ideals, body surveillance, body shame, and disordered eating. Results show that after controlling for gender, both cultures are positively associated with internalization of the muscular body ideal, but only the Asian culture of origin is associated with disordered eating. Additionally, path analysis results show that Asian culture of origin has a significant total effect on disordered eating as well as a significant indirect effect on disordered eating, mediated by thin body ideal internalization. While American culture does not have a significant contribution to body ideal internalization or disordered eating, it interacts with Asian culture of origin and put participants with high levels of both cultures at a greater risk for muscular body ideal internalization. Findings highlight the importance of cultural context in the understanding of body experiences and disordered eating among Asian American college students and have implications for the prevention and intervention of these problems in this high-risk population.