The role of equanimity in mediating the relationship between psychological distress and social isolation during COVID-19

Pandemic Loneliness in Healthcare Workers. Does It Predict Later Psychological Distress?

Increased loneliness associated with the COVID-19 pandemic has been widely reported, with healthcare workers at increased risk compared to the general population. Pre-pandemic research indicates that loneliness has long-term detrimental effects on mental well-being, but the effect of loneliness in the context of COVID-19 is not clear. We conducted an online survey of healthcare workers (HCWs) at a large teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia after the peak of the first wave of the pandemic in 2020. Over one-third experienced loneliness at the peak of the first wave. An observed association with high psychological distress in subsequent months was attenuated after adjusting for status of mental well-being during the peak and before the pandemic. Mental well-being during the peak of the pandemic and, to a lesser extent, mental well-being before the pandemic were the strongest predictors of later distress. Increased conflict at home was also predictive of later distress. The mental health of HCWs is an important consideration at any time and is especially so in the face of crises such as the current global pandemic. Strategies to enhance baseline mental well-being and bolster well-being during crisis situations should assist HCWs cope with unexpected stressors and reduce the associated detrimental psychological consequences.

Meaning-making while staying connected matters in psychological adaptation during pandemic: a longitudinal moderated mediation study

Adversity may bring about both negative and positive changes in psychological adaptation. Although there is mounting evidence regarding the psychological distress during the pandemic, the other side of posttraumatic change, posttraumatic growth (PTG) and its predictors are relatively underexamined. Moreover, there is a paucity of longitudinal investigations that examined intra- and interpersonal predictors responsible for both sides of psychological adaptation. Therefore, this study comprehensively examined the longitudinal relationship among cognitive processing, social support, and adaptation during the pandemic using a moderated mediation model. Specifically, it was tested whether two types of event-related rumination mediated the link between perceived stress and ambilateral adaptational outcomes, and whether social support moderated the mediating pathways of ruminations on adaptation. After informed consent, a representative sample of adults was followed up for over a year, and answered a package of online questionnaires. The results showed that intrusive rumination prospectively predicted greater psychological distress and less PTG in response to stress, whereas deliberate rumination led to less psychological distress and more PTG over time. As predicted, the indirect protective effect of deliberate rumination was stronger when perceived social support was higher. This longitudinal study highlighted the core factors responsible for continued suffering and personal growth during the pandemic. These results have both practical and clinical implications for mental healthcare in the post-COVID era, when the heterogeneity of psychological adaptation increases and preparation for the next pandemic is warranted.

How does COVID-19-related social media usage influence disordered eating? A daily diary study among Chinese adults during lockdown

BACKGROUND

Despite previous studies highlighting the benefits of social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly under lockdown, limited research has identified the potential detrimental consequences of social media use during lockdown. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the effects of social media on mental health in particular situations and the mechanisms underlying these effects.

METHODS

A daily diary protocol was adopted. A total of 96 adults (Mage = 25.90 ± 8.32 years) were recruited from Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. COVID-19-related social media use, psychological distress, COVID-19-related stress and anxiety, and disordered eating were measured each day for a week. Multilevel path analyses for the nested data were conducted.

RESULTS

Daily COVID-19-related social media use was positively related to daily disordered eating (r = .13 p < .001). Furthermore, the multilevel path analysis showed that psychological distress and COVID-19-related stress and anxiety mediated the relationship between COVID-19-related social media use and disordered eating at the within-person level. However, only COVID-19-related-anxiety mediated the relationship at the between-person level.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings contribute to the understanding of social media's impact during lockdown and provide implications for social media users, social media platform providers, mental health professionals, and governments regarding the correct and sustainable use of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic and in future public health emergencies.

Changes in Sociability and Preference for Social Novelty in Female Rats in Prolonged Social Isolation

Chronic stress due to social isolation (SI) can lead to distress with negative consequences for both humans and animals. Numerous disorders caused by SI include disorders in the emotional-motivational domain and cognitive functions, as well as changes in social behavior. There are currently no data identifying the sequelae of SI when its duration is significantly increased. Although female rats have been shown to be highly sensitive to stress, research on them is lacking. The present study assessed sociability and preference for "social novelty" in a three-chamber social test in female Wistar rats in two series of experiments at different time points during prolonged SI, which began at adolescence and continued to ages 5.5 and 9.5 months. At two months of SI, rats showed an increased preference for a social object over a non-social object (increased sociability) simultaneously with the appearance of signs of a decrease in the preference for a new social object over an already familiar social object (signs of a decrease in the preference for social novelty). In a social interaction test, the rats also displayed increases in the durations of social contacts, including aggressive interactions; they showed a decrease in exploratory risk assessments (head dips from the open arms) in the elevated plus maze test and a decrease in exploratory activity. After SI lasting 8.5 months, the rats showed signs of social deficit and a marked decrease in the preference for social novelty. No signs of increased aggressiveness were found. Thus, the impact of SI on social behavior depended on its duration and, we believe, was accompanied by a change in coping strategies.

The Association of Social Support and Loneliness with Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Research suggests that changes in social support and loneliness have affected mental disorder symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are a lack of studies comparing the robustness of these associations.

AIMS

The aims were to estimate the strength of the associations of loneliness and social support with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022) in the general population.

METHOD

The method entailed a systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis of quantitative studies.

RESULTS

Seventy-three studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled correlations of the effect size of the association of loneliness with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress were 0.49, 0.40, and 0.38, respectively. The corresponding figures for social support were 0.29, 0.19, and 0.18, respectively. Subgroup analyses revealed that the strength of some associations could be influenced by the sociodemographic characteristics of the study samples, such as age, gender, region, and COVID-19 stringency index, and by methodological moderators, such as sample size, collection date, methodological quality, and the measurement scales.

CONCLUSIONS

Social support had a weak association with mental disorder symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic while the association with loneliness was moderate. Strategies to address loneliness could be highly effective in reducing the impact of the pandemic on social relationships and mental health.

The relationship between mindfulness, anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic: A meta-analysis of correlational studies

Background

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has created an environment in which numerous determinants of poor mental health are intensified. Lockdown, re-lockdown, and media coverage of the spread of the virus, have the potential to contribute to increased levels of anxiety and depression. Mindfulness may act as a buffer against COVID-19-related depressive and anxiety disorders.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis by searching PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for any study published between January 2020 and March 2022. In this study, Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Version 3.3 software was applied to evaluate the effect size by random effect model. In addition, the heterogeneity analysis was evaluated using indicators Q and I² indicators. Three methods were used to test for publication bias: funnel plot, Classic Fail-safe N, and Egger's linear regression. According to the features of the included articles, subgroup analysis was utilized for the moderator analysis of this study.

Results

The analysis finally included 12 articles (16 samples, N = 10,940) and obtained 26 independent effect sizes. In accordance with the meta-analysis, in the random effect model, the correlation between mindfulness and anxiety was -0.330 (p < 0.001), and the correlation between mindfulness and depression was -0.353 (p < 0.001), which supported the effect of mindfulness on anxiety and depression. In the meta-analysis of the correlation between mindfulness and anxiety, study region had an essential moderating effect (p < 0.001). The Sample type did not produce a significant moderating effect (p = 0.190). The mode of action of mindfulness was a significant moderator (p = 0.038). In the meta-analysis of the linkage between mindfulness and depression, regional differences had a significant moderating effect (p < 0.001). The sample type had no discernible moderating impact (p = 0.213). The mode of action of mindfulness was a significant moderator (p = 0.003).

Conclusion

Our meta-analysis indicated that there was an essential correlation between public mindfulness and mental health. Our systematic review added evidence supporting the beneficial nature of mindfulness. A cascading development of beneficial traits that improve mental health may start with mindfulness.

Intimate partner violence in the shadow of COVID-19 and its associations with stress, function and support among the Israeli general population

The current study aimed to explore the associations between intimate partner violence (IPV), psychological distress, health and financial concerns, function and support during the COVID-19 outbreak in Israel. Data were collected from 333 Israeli adults (50.8% men and 49.2% women) via an online survey during the third lockdown in Israel. Existing scales were adapted to measure psychological distress, function, and support. Chi-square tests, t-tests, Chi-square tests Z ratios, multiple regressions and a series of process models were employed to examine the research hypotheses. The main findings show that IPV, especially verbal violence, was directly associated with higher levels of distress and lower levels of functioning, a link that could be indirectly mitigated by health and financial concerns as well as lack of family and community support. In addition, low rates of physical violence, with no gender differences and with higher levels of verbal violence reported by women, were found. Finally, women reported higher levels of concerns and psychological distress and lower levels of functioning than men. The results might help identify the needs of families and couples in order to design counselling or training programs for stress and conflict reduction. In addition, the response to the pandemic cannot be a homogeneous response. Different assistive measures must be applied to various segments of the population and groups that are already at risk and, therefore, remain more vulnerable, with targeted assistance given to all of these different groups.

Use of preventive measures, beliefs and information received about COVID-19 and their effects on mental health, in two stages of the pandemic in Colombia

BACKGROUND

Several studies have highlighted the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on both physical and mental health. The aim of this study is to analyse the effects on mental health in two phases of the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2020 and February 2021) in the population of Colombia.

METHODS

Observational, prospective, cross-sectional study along two periods, April 2020 and February 2021. The sample (N = 1309) was extracted from the Colombian population, only including individuals over the age of 18 and residing in Colombia during the pandemic. The IMPACTCOVID-19 questionnaire was used, previously validated in Spain and cross-culturally adapted to the Colombian population, which included sociodemographic data, use of preventive measures, information received and the Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) for psychological distress (PD). Participants had to sign an informed consent before taking part in the investigation.

RESULTS

A higher level of PD was observed among women (M = 3.99, SD = 3.39) (p < .001), in those who lived without a partner (M = 3.83, SD = 3.47) (p = .036), and in those with a worse perception of health (M = 6.27, SD = 3.51) (p < .001). PD decreased in the second period from M = 3.99 (SD = 3.36) to M = 2.98 (SD = 3.30) (p < .001), coinciding with a higher use of preventive measures, less distress caused by COVID-19 and greater confidence in healthcare professionals and clinical structures. In the second period, the time spent in getting informed decreased, but the sources of information were the same, principally social media and official sources.

CONCLUSIONS

Better information on the effects and preventive measures to prevent the pandemic improves confidence in the health system and its professionals, reducing the level of PD. There is a need for quality information on social networks and an adaptation of telemedicine to address the pandemic effects on mental health.Key messagesPsychological distress (PD) decreased in February 2021, as compared to April 2020, due to a greater use of preventive measures against COVID-19, and the confidence on the recommendations made by health officials and professionals.Higher PD has been found in women and people who lived without a partner, in line with studies performed in other countries.The accessibility to quality information on the pandemic should be promoted by the Official Health Authorities, thus counteracting data that could be classified as "fake news".