Do fear of COVID-19 and religious coping predict depression, anxiety, and stress among the Arab population during health crisis?

Coronavirus-Related Stressors, Resilient Mindset, Loneliness, Depressive Symptoms in College Students: Testing a Moderated Mediation Model

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak alarmingly threats the mental health and functioning of people globally. The present study aims to examine the moderated mediation role of resilient mindset and loneliness in the association of coronavirus stress and depressive symptoms. We recruited 394 undergraduate students from a state university in Türkiye, ranging in age between 18 and 47 years (M = 22.76, SD = 3.88; 65% female). The main results revealed that resilient mindset mediated the relationship between coronavirus-related stress and depressive symptoms. Moreover, loneliness moderated the mediating effect of resilient mindset in the coronavirus stress and depressive symptoms association. Taken together, these findings pointed out that the effects of the coronavirus stress on depressive symptoms can be captured better by underlying psychological mechanisms, namely resilient mindset and loneliness.

Evaluation of the effects of pandemic-related fears on anxiety and depression: the mediating roles of traumatic stress and loneliness

BACKGROUND

The detrimental mental health effects which emerged from COVID-19 have profoundly affected healthcare workers (HCWs) worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating effects of traumatic stress and loneliness on the fears of contracting and dying from COVID-19, and anxiety and depression of HCWs during the pandemic.

METHODS

A cross-sectional online survey was completed by HCWs in a province of Turkey. The Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, Impact of Events Scale-Revised and numerical rating scales (for fears of COVID-19 and loneliness) were used and a bootstrap approach was used in the analyses with SPSS PROCESS macro software.

RESULTS

Of the HCWs evaluated, 150 (34.4%) were doctors, with a mean duration of work experience of 10.6 ± 7.5 years. The results indicated that fear of contracting COVID-19 was directly related to anxiety (β = 0.244, p < 0.001) and depression (β = 0.135, p < 0.01) and that traumatic stress and loneliness mediated the relationships between the fear of contracting COVID-19 and anxiety (β = 0.435, p < 0.001; β = 0.235, p < 0.001, respectively) and depression (β = 0.365, p < 0.001; β = 0.294, p < 0.001, respectively). The fear of dying from COVID-19 was determined to be directly associated with anxiety (β = 0.190, p < 0.001) but not with depression (β = 0.066, p = 0.116), and traumatic stress and loneliness mediated the relationships between the fear of dying from COVID-19 and anxiety (β = 0.476, p < 0.001; β = 0.259, p < 0.001, respectively) and depression (β = 0.400, p < 0.001; β = 0.311, p < 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The study results demonstrated the important roles of traumatic stress and loneliness in exacerbating the negative consequences of fears of COVID-19 on anxiety and depression, and provide insights for identifying HCWs at greater risk.

The validation of the Arabic version of the Coronavirus-2019 Phobia Scale (C19P-SA) and individual differences in coronaphobia experiences among an Arabic population

The current study adapted the Coronavirus 19 Phobia Scale into Arabic and tested the psychometric properties of the adapted version on 469 Arabic-speaking individuals (mean age = 29.57 years old; SD = 10.39; range = 9-71 years old). After confirmatory analysis found supporting evidence for the four-factor structure, consequent analysis on convergent and discriminant validity and reliability of the Arabic version are also supported. A 2 × 2 between-groups factorial multivariate analysis of variance was used to investigate individual differences in coronaphobia. Results show that there is no significant interaction effect between gender and marital status, λ = 0.973, F (8,460) = 1600, p = 0.121, partial η2 = 0. 014; however, the main effect for gender is statistically significant, λ = 0.925, F (4,464) = 9.367, p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.075, power = 1.000, where women score higher than men on all coronaphobia factors. In addition, the main effect for marital status is also significant, λ = 0.923, F (4,464) = 4.701, p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.039, power = 0.998, where singles score higher than married couples on only two coronaphobia factors: Psychological and economic. Based on the findings, we conclude that the effects of coronaphobia have similarities across nations as well as differences unique to the Arabic populations.

The darkness of reacculturation: examining factors influencing depression among Chinese international student returnees in the post-COVID-19 era

Introduction

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the reintegration of Chinese international student returnees intersects with China's critical effort to combat a significant brain drain of highly skilled talents, highlighting an unprecedented psychological battleground. This convergence underscores the urgent need for nuanced research to navigate the uncharted territory of their mental health.

Methods

Employing Bayesian analysis supported by Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms, this study examined depression prevalence and associated factors among 1,014 Chinese returnees. The sample comprised 44.87% male participants (455), 51.58% female participants (523), and 3.55% identifying as "Others" (36), with an age distribution of 61.74% aged 18-30 (626), 28.80% aged 31-40 (292), and 9.47% aged 41-50 (96). The mean age of participants was 29.6 years, ranging from 18 to 50 years. PHQ-9 diagnoses revealed alarming levels of depression, with 47.9% exhibiting a moderately severe degree of depressive disorder.

Results

Our findings highlight the intricate interplay between identity clusters- "homestayers" (those leaning towards a Chinese cultural identity), "navigators" (those with a bicultural identity), and "wayfarers" (those leaning towards a foreign cultural identity)-and the likelihood of depression. Specifically, homestayers showed a clear and strong negative association, navigators demonstrated a positive association, and wayfarers had a positive yet unclear correlation with depression levels. Furthermore, acculturation, age, and gender showed no significant effects, whereas education mildly mitigated depression.

Discussion

Based on these findings, we suggest the implementation of better-tailored mental health support and policies to facilitate smoother reintegration.

Psychological impact of COVID-19 and determinants among Spanish university students

Background

University students are a vulnerable population and faced a significant psychological impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the level of fear of COVID-19 among university students and to evaluate the possible relationship between fear of COVID-19 and socio-demographic, health-related determinants, variables related to the COVID-19 and variables related to the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study between December 2020 and December 2021 on a sample of 950 university students from two universities in southern Spain. Participants completed a form that collected socio-demographic, health-related and COVID-related variables, a validated questionnaire related to the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fear of COVID Scale (FCV-19S). Descriptive, inferential, and multivariable linear regression analyzes were conducted.

Results

The mean FCV-19S score was 14.86 ± 5.16 points. The factors identified as predictors of FCV-19S were being female (p < 0.001), holding religious beliefs (p = 0.04), living in towns with over 10,000 inhabitants (p < 0.01), living with someone vulnerable to COVID-19 (p = 0.02), watching TV to keep informed about COVID-19 (p < 0.01), believing in a low probability of surviving if infected with COVID-19 (p < 0.001), having a higher level of death anxiety (p < 0.001) and suffering from insomnia (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

An average fear of COVID-19 score of 14.86 ± 5.16 points has been found among university students in Spain. These findings can aid in identifying specific factors contributing to fear of COVID-19 and in developing coping strategies to alleviate the stress of the pandemic.

Polish Validation of a 14-Item Version of the Religious and Spiritual Struggles Scale (RSS-14): Factorial Structure, Psychometric Properties, and Clinical Correlates

Religious and spiritual (R/S) struggles are defined as the occurrence of tension, conflict, or strain that focus on matters of ultimate significance perceived by people as sacred. The widespread prevalence of R/S struggles and the growing demand for research in this area created the need for a brief tool. Recently, the 14-item form of the Religious and Spiritual Struggles Scale was developed and validated (Exline et al. in Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 2022a). Given the significance of the empirical research on R/S struggles, we implemented the project of structure verification, internal consistency confirmation, reliability, and nomological validation of the Polish variant of the RSS-14 through three separate studies. With respect to the internal structure of the RSS-14, the CFA from three studies confirmed the good fit of the six-factor model, very similar to the one obtained in the original version of the tool. Moreover, both the total score and the subscales had high reliability and acceptable stability over the three studies. With respect to the nomological analyses, R/S struggles were related negatively to life satisfaction, presence of meaning in life, self-esteem, social desirability, religious centrality, and positively with search for meaning, God's disengagement, poorer health indicators, sleep problems, stress, and cognitive schemas (this category was the new element of our research). Polish 14-item version of the Religious and Spiritual Struggles Scale seems a valuable tool to assess religious strains.

The Influence of Multiple Community Level Traumatic Event Types on Mental Health Outcomes

Lebanon witnessed three large-scale negative community level events in 2020; a severe economic crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and an explosion in the port of the capital city, Beirut, which resulted in the deaths of 218 individuals and several thousand injured. The current study examined the relationship between the number of community level events individuals identified as personally impactful and corresponding levels of anxiety, depression, and symptoms of PTSD. The study also examined the roles of specific protective factors including perceived social support, resilience, and religious coping. A total of 406 participants aged between 18 to 64 years completed validated self-report measures online in February 2021. Results indicated elevated levels of mental health difficulties within the sample with over half of the participants reporting moderate to severe anxiety and moderate to severe depression and meeting the cut-off for probable PTSD. Females had significantly higher scores on measures of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Individuals reporting all three events as negatively impactful were 47% more likely to meet the cut-off for PTSD than individuals identifying a single event. Resilience appeared to be the strongest protective factor against elevated scores on all three mental health outcomes. Higher scores on negative religious coping were also associated with elevated PTSD scores. Low levels of resilience, higher negative religious coping, and being a female were identified as significant predictors of reaching the PTSD cut-off using binary logistic regression analysis.

Religious coping, care burden and psychological distress among informal caregivers of COVID-19 patients: Results of a cross-sectional survey in Pakistan

BACKGROUND

There is a complex relationship between health and religiosity. People may use religion to cope with difficulties and uncertainties in their life - such as induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

AIMS

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between religious coping, care burden and psychological distress among caregivers during COVID-19 in Pakistan.

METHOD

We conducted a cross-sectional survey in Pakistan. We used the Religious Coping Scale (RCOPE), Care Burden Scale (CB), and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) to measure psychological stress from 303 caregivers. Data were analyzed using a hierarchical linear regression model for each of the three outcome variables, which are depression, anxiety, and stress. This analysis allows to investigate whether adding variables significantly improves a model's ability to predict the criterion variable.

RESULTS

The findings reveal that emotional care burden, physical care burden, negative religious coping, and social care burden explain a significant amount of the variance of three components of psychological distress among caregivers.

CONCLUSIONS

Health experts, psychologists, and policymakers can make better strategies to combat pandemics like COVID-19 by incorporating religious coping methods.

The effectiveness of a health education intervention to reduce anxiety in quarantined COVID-19 patients: a randomized controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic is regarded as a serious public health concern that boosts levels of stress and anxiety which could be explained by several reasons, including social isolation. In this regard, we aimed to assess the impact of health education on the anxiety level of COVID-19 patients during the isolation period.

METHODS

This is a randomized controlled trial conducted between February 2021 and June 2021. Patients tested positive for Covid-19 with mild to moderate forms were randomized to Education (n = 267) or control (n = 269). The education group received a phone health education session on day 1 (D1) following the diagnosis. The three components of the health education intervention were an explanation of the coronavirus disease, what to do in the event of complications, and the recommended preventive measures. The two groups received a telephone evaluation of their Hospital Anxiety and Depression scores on D1 and day seven D7 following the positive diagnosis. The primary outcome was the rate of anxiety reduction in each group on D7 based on a HAD-A score ≥ 8. Secondary outcomes were the rate of anxiety reduction on D7 based on a HAD-A score ≥ 11, the percentage of people complying with isolation and the scores of adherences to preventive measures during the isolation in each group.

RESULTS

Hundred and ninety-six patients in the intervention group and 206 patients in the control group completed the study. The sociodemographic, clinical, and initial anxiety level features of the intervention and control groups were comparable at baseline (p ≥ 0.05). On D7, the education group's anxiety level (HAD-A ≥ 8) decreased from 26 to 16.3% (p = 0.013) while in the control group it increased from 19.4 to 22.8% (p = 0.37). Thus, the percentage change in anxiety between D1 and D7 (delta D7 - D1) was - 9.7% in the Education group and + 3.4% in the Control group. Using the HAD-A ≥ 11 thresholds, the percentage of anxiety decreased from 15.3 to 11.2% (p = 0.26) between D1 and D7, while it increased in the control group from 9.7 to 15.7% (p = 0.045). Thus, the education group's change in anxiety (delta D7 - D1) was - 4.1%, while the control group's change was + 6%.

CONCLUSION

During an outbreak, providing health education to quarantined patients may be beneficial to reduce the psychological impact of the disease.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05715593, retrospectively registered on 8/02/2023 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=NCT05715593&Search=Search .

Fear of COVID-19, death depression and death anxiety: Religious coping as a mediator

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the well-being and mental health of populations worldwide. This study sought to examine whether religious coping mediated the relationship between COVID-19-related fear and death distress. We administered an online survey to 390 adult participants (66.15% females; Mage = 30.85 ± 10.19 years) across Turkey. Participants completed a series of questionnaires measuring the fear they had experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, their levels of religious coping and their levels of death anxiety and depression. Our findings revealed that (a) fear of COVID-19 was associated with positive religious coping, negative religious coping, death anxiety and death distress; (b) negative religious coping was associated with death anxiety and depression and (c) negative religious coping mediated the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and death anxiety and depression. These results highlight the detrimental effect of negative religious coping in increasing the adverse effect of the COVID-19 fear on death depression.

Turning to Religion During COVID-19 (Part II): A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis and Meta-regression of Studies on the Relationship between Religious Coping and Mental Health throughout COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic and the many associated socio-economic changes constitute a stressful event that required adaptation to new, dynamic, and often threatening conditions. According to the literature, coping strategies are one of the factors that determine a person's degree of adaptation to stressful situations. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed on the relationship between religious coping and selected indicators of mental health. Due to the large amount of data, this work has been divided into two parts: Part I discussed the positive mental health indicators (Pankowski & Wytrychiewicz-Pankowska, 2023), while this Part II discusses negative mental health indicators. A systematic review of the databases of Science Direct, EBSCO, Cochrane, PubMed, and Google Scholar identified 33 articles related to the severity of depressive symptoms: 30 to anxiety, 23 to stress, 1 related to PTSD symptoms and peritraumatic stress, and 5 related to general negative mental health. The limitations of the research as well as further directions for exploration are discussed.Clinical trial registration This Review was pre-registered at OSF: osf.io/54ygr ( https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/GMNFV ).

Turning to Religion During COVID-19 (Part I): A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis and Meta-regression of Studies on the Relationship Between Religious Coping and Mental Health Throughout COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic and the many associated socio-economic changes constitute a stressful event that required adaptation to new, dynamic, and often threatening conditions. According to the literature, coping strategies are one of the factors that determine a person's degree of adaptation to stressful situations. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed on the relationship between religious coping and selected indicators of mental health. Due to the large amount of data, this work has been divided into two parts: this first part discusses positive mental health indicators, while the second discusses negative mental health indicators (Pankowski & Wytrychiewicz-Pankowska, 2023). A systematic review of PubMed, Science Direct, the Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, and Google Scholar databases was carried out. In addition to the synthesis of information obtained from the research, a meta-analysis of correlation was also performed to determine the strengths of the relationships between the analysed variables, and selected moderators were assessed using meta-regression. Quality of life, well-being, satisfaction with life, happiness, and post-traumatic growth were the positive mental health indicators considered. Meta-analyses indicated a statistically significant relationship between positive religious coping and flourishing (well-being) with overall correlation values of 0.35 [0.30; 0.40]. Further calculations also indicated a relationship between negative religious coping and flourishing - 0.25 [- 0.34; - 0.15]. Data synthesis shows associations between religious coping and such indicators as satisfaction with life and post-traumatic growth, but these issues require further investigation.

A longitudinal study of depression, anxiety, and stress among Indians during COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 has caused significant public health chaos. Whether infected or uninfected, people have reported significant mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study explored symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress of uninfected people with the disease over three time periods. A total of 132 participants took part in all the three phases. Data at Time 1 and Time 2 were collected during the national lockdown with 1 month apart, while data at Time 3 were collected immediately once the lockdown was uplifted in India. Participants completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 online. The results indicated that despite an increase in the average number of COVID-19 cases, depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms decreased over time with the lowest level once the lockdown was ended. These results suggest that the restrictions implemented during the national lockdown led to distress, and not an increase in COVID-19 cases per se.

A meta-analytic review of the associations between dimensions of religious coping and psychological symptoms during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

INTRODUCTION

In the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the unknown etiology and treatment of the highly transmissible coronavirus posed considerable threats to public mental health. Many people around the globe turned to religion as an attempt to mitigate their heightened psychological distress, but mixed findings have been obtained regarding the association between the use of religious coping and two psychological symptoms-anxiety and depressive symptoms-widely reported in the initial wave.

OBJECTIVE

The present meta-analysis was conducted to resolve the empirical inconsistency by synthesizing this body of studies and identifying both individual and national-level factors that accounted for the inconsistent findings.

METHODS

Following PRISMA guidelines, the literature search and data screening procedures yielded 42 eligible studies, with 25,438 participants (58% females, average age = 36.50 years) from 24 countries spanning seven world regions.

RESULTS

Overall, the results showed that only negative religious coping was positively associated with psychological symptoms (r = 0.2886, p < 0.0001). Although the associations of both general and positive religious coping with psychological symptoms were non-significant (rs = 0.0425 and -0.0240, ps > 0.39), the moderation analysis revealed significant positive associations between positive religious coping and psychological symptoms in two demographic groups who experienced greater pandemic distress than their counterparts: younger participants and female participants.

DISCUSSION

This meta-analysis provides a nuanced understanding of the complex nature of religious coping in the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic when the levels of public anxiety and stress were heightened. The exclusive use of religious coping may not be associated with low levels of psychological symptoms, implying the importance of supplementing the deployment of this strategy with an array of other strategies. Therapists of mental health interventions should show their clients how to make good use of positive religious coping together with other strategies, and how to avoid the use of negative religious coping, to handle their psychological problems.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

https://osf.io/shb32/.

Does Fear of COVID-19 Prolongation Lead to Future Career Anxiety Among Adolescents? The Mediating Role of Depressive Symptoms

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the lives of individuals from all different age groups. In particular, the prolongation of COVID-19 and the emergence of virus variants, such as Omicron, Delta and Alpha, have caused trauma to university students amid expectations that the associated economic, social, and psychological outcomes could affect their future careers. The current study, therefore, examines how the fear of COVID-19 prolongation may affect future career anxiety (FCA) among adolescents and to what extent depressive symptoms may determine such a relationship. Using a cross-sectional design, a survey was conducted to assess depressive symptoms, FCA, and fear of COVID-19 prolongation among 605 university students in Oman, an Arabic-speaking country located in the Gulf region. Using structural equation modeling, the results showed that there were significant standardized direct effects (unmediated) of fear of COVID-19 on depression from COVID-19 and of depression from COVID-19 on FCA. Additionally, depression from COVID-19 mediated the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and FCA. The results are discussed within the Omani context of mental health service accessibility challenges and the dominant culture of perceiving mental health services with social stigma.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40653-022-00506-w.

Fear of COVID-19, stress and depression: A meta-analytic test of the mediating role of anxiety

OBJECTIVES

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the lives of millions of individuals physiologically, behaviorally, socially, and/or psychologically. Moreover, there is now much empirical evidence that mental health problems have increased during the pandemic period and these problems have various consequences. The changes in the mood states of individuals due to the pandemic underpins the rationale of the present study. The aim of the study was to identify the cross-sectional associations between fear of COVID-19, stress, anxiety, and depression by using two stage-meta-analytic structural equation modeling (TS-MASEM).

DESIGN

This is a meta-analytic structural equation modelling study.

METHOD

A systematic literature review initially identified 4840 studies. As a result of applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 25 studies comprising 28 samples (reporting 120 effect sizes) were eligible for inclusion in the current TS-MASEM (N = 16,452).

RESULTS

The results showed significant associations between fear of COVID-19, stress, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, the mediation role of anxiety in the association between depression and fear of COVID-19 and stress was explored.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the results did not allow for causal inferences regarding depression, they provide insight into the possible consequences of fear of COVID-19 and comorbid problems for clinicians and researchers.

Depression as a mediator between fear of COVID-19 and death anxiety

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world deeply and an increase in psychological distress have been observed in globally. Therefore, investigation of the psychological problems associated with the COVID-19 has become an important research area. Accordingly, this study aimed to examine the relationships among Fear of COVID-19 (FoC), depression, and death anxiety. Further, the study investigated the mediating role of depression in the relationship between FoC and death anxiety. The "Fear of COVID-19 scale", "Depression Scale" and "Death Anxiety Scale" were used to collect data from 372 emerging adults aged between 18 and 25 years. The results indicated that FoC was a positive and significant predictor of both depression and death anxiety. The results further indicated that depression was a positive and significant predictor of death anxiety. Depression partially mediated the relationship between FoC and death anxiety. The findings suggested that the FoC may trigger depression and death anxiety, and therefore, preventive measures should be more emphasized. The findings have implications for mental health professionals and practitioners in counseling.

Relationship Between COVID-19 Related Knowledge and Anxiety Among University Students: Exploring the Moderating Roles of School Climate and Coping Strategies

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in abrupt disruptions in teaching and learning activities in higher education, with students from diverse programs suffering varying levels of anxieties. The physical education field happens to be one of the most affected academic areas due to its experiential content as a medium of instruction. In this study, we investigated the roles of school climate and coping strategies in the relationship between COVID-19 related knowledge and anxiety. Through the census approach, a cross-sectional sample of 760 students was administered a questionnaire in two universities offering Physical Education in Ghana: the University of Education, Winneba, and University of Cape Coast. The outcome of the study found a positive and significant link between COVID-19 knowledge and anxiety. Further, school climate and coping strategies significantly moderated the relationship between students' COVID-19 knowledge and associated anxiety. The findings have implications for creating a conducive school environment that reduces the risk of COVID-19 infection and through students' adoption of active coping strategies in an attempt to reduce psychological distress associated with COVID-19 anxiety.

Fear of COVID-19 and its association with mental health-related factors: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The severity of COVID-19 remains high worldwide. Therefore, millions of individuals are likely to suffer from fear of COVID-19 and related mental health factors.

AIMS

The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize empirical evidence to understand fear of COVID-19 and its associations with mental health-related problems during this pandemic period.

METHOD

Relevant studies were searched for on five databases (Scopus, ProQuest, EMBASE, PubMed Central, and ISI Web of Knowledge), using relevant terms (COVID-19-related fear, anxiety, depression, mental health-related factors, mental well-being and sleep problems). All studies were included for analyses irrespective of their methodological quality, and the impact of quality on pooled effect size was examined by subgroup analysis.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis pooled data from 91 studies comprising 88 320 participants (mean age 38.88 years; 60.66% females) from 36 countries. The pooled estimated mean of fear of COVID-19 was 13.11 (out of 35), using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. The associations between fear of COVID-19 and mental health-related factors were mostly moderate (Fisher's z = 0.56 for mental health-related factors; 0.54 for anxiety; 0.42 for stress; 0.40 for depression; 0.29 for sleep problems and -0.24 for mental well-being). Methodological quality did not affect these associations.

CONCLUSIONS

Fear of COVID-19 has associations with various mental health-related factors. Therefore, programmes for reducing fear of COVID-19 and improving mental health are needed.

COVID-19-Related Knowledge and Anxiety Response among Physical Education Teachers during Practical In-Person Lessons: Effects of Potential Moderators

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in heightened anxiety levels among teachers, especially regarding PE teachers who are required to engage students in practical in-person or contact teaching lessons. Previous research showed that these levels of anxiety among PE teachers appeared to be explained by the interplay between COVID-19 knowledge, workplace safety perception, and educational qualification. This study assessed the relationship between COVID-19-related knowledge and anxiety response among PE teachers during such practical lessons while moderating the effects of workplace safety perception and educational qualification within the relationship. The study conveniently recruited 160 PE teachers to solicit responses through both online and printed questionnaires. Using correlation and linear regression analyses, the study revealed a significant negative relationship between COVID-19-related knowledge and anxiety response among PE teachers. The educational qualification of PE teachers did not significantly moderate the association between COVID-19-related knowledge and anxiety response. Workplace safety perception significantly moderated the association between COVID-19-related knowledge and anxiety response among PE teachers. The findings remind educational authorities about the essence of creating a positive and safe working environment conducive to academic work. Achieving this goal requires the provision of adequate COVID-19 management logistics (e.g., personal protective equipment, hand sanitizers) by educational authorities for PE teachers to maintain safety practices and optimal learning conditions.

Muslims and Mental Health Services: A Concept Map and a Theoretical Framework

Muslim populations in Western countries are growing, and they face biopsychosocial, spiritual, and economic challenges. Although Islam gives utmost attention to mental health stability, Muslims tend to underutilize mental health services. Mental health professionals, whether they be researchers, practitioners, or trainers working in schools, colleges/universities, mental health agencies, and research institutions, are well positioned to serve Muslims. Mental health professionals can address Muslims' biopsychosocial and spiritual issues and enhance their quality of life. In the current study, as the authors, we (a) reviewed 300 peer-reviewed manuscripts on Muslim mental health to understand how researchers have used concept maps or theoretical frameworks to design their empirical research, (b) prepared a comprehensive concept map based on the literature review to determine the central concepts affecting Muslims' approach to the use of mental health services, and (c) proposed a contextual theoretical (conceptual) framework. We titled the framework as Muslims' approach to use of mental health services based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Theory of Reasoned Action (TPB/TRA) in the context of a Social Ecological Model (SEM). We drew the framework based on TPB/TRA, SEM, and the review of Muslim mental health literature (the concept map). The concept map and the framework provide the most important constructs about challenges Muslim's face when attempting to utilize mental health services. Future researchers can use the concept map and the framework to conduct theoretically and evidence-based grounded empirical research. We provided implications for researchers, practitioners, educators, and social advocates wishing to contribute to service provision to this population.

The Impact of COVID-19 and Associated Interventions on Mental Health: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Sample of University Students

BACKGROUND

Mental health issues have continued to rise globally, including among university students. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the previously existing and concerning problem. Given that coping mechanisms have been proposed to mediate the relationship between stressors and mental health, the aim of our cross-sectional study was to investigate the mediation of coping mechanisms on the relationship between the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and mental health.

METHODS

University students (≥18 years old; N = 676; 31% male, 69% female) were administered an anonymous survey addressing current demographics, COVID-19 pandemic-related demographics, personal experiences, sources of stress and perceived effect on mental health, politics, sources of news/information, and various pre-validated scales addressing mental health (DASS-21), the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (IES-R) and coping strategies utilized (Brief COPE).

RESULTS

Our results indicate a substantial proportion of our sample reporting scores in the severe and extremely severe DASS-21 categories, in addition to ~50% reporting a perceived deterioration in mental health relative to pre-COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, a substantial proportion of students reported IES-R scores at levels where PTSD is of clinical concern. Alarmingly, a significant proportion of females (~15%) reported scores reflecting potential long-term PTSD-related implications. Females tended to be more severely impacted in all mental health measures. Mediation analysis indicated that while dysfunctional coping mediated the relationship between the impact of the event (COVID-19 pandemic) and all three mental health outcomes, overall, this was not the case with the positive coping strategies.

CONCLUSION

Our study appears to indicate a reduced buffering influence on negative mental health outcomes by the positive coping mechanisms investigated in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and secondary interventions implemented. While the findings of this study pertain specifically to university students, they corroborate the existing extensive body of research (from physiological to behavioral, preclinical to clinical) pertaining to the response associated with major stressful events at every level of society. In this regard, the findings imply the necessity for health and other authorities, tasked with safeguarding public well-being, to avoid reactive interventions that do not appropriately balance the risks and benefits, potentially exacerbating pre-existing psychopathologies and compromising social order.

The Thought of Death in a Pandemic Era: Can Anxiety Determine the Nexus between the Accessibility, Availability and Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for COVID-19 and Work Behaviour among Aviation Workers?

Since the emergence of COVID-19, the aviation sector has been one of the numerous industries which have been affected the most. In this present paper, the thought of death among aviation workers as an indicator of anxiety at a time when the availability, access to, and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) remains paramount to the survival of work in the line of duties and its influence on different work behaviors was assessed. The theoretical foundation of the study was built on the process efficiency theory, attentional interference theory, and the terror management theory (TMT), which focuses on both the psychological and emotional responses exhibited by people due to fear or worry about a specific situation. The study adopted an exploratory study design that incorporates a cross-sectional and self-reported survey among 646 frontline workers across 12 international airlines and the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL), Accra, Ghana using simple random sampling and convenient sampling techniques. After all the preliminary tests were performed, the path analysis estimated by Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) indicated that anxiety has a significant influence on workers’ stress-adaptive performance and task performance, but recorded no significant causal link with interpersonal performance. The findings indicated that all three proxies of employee work behaviours, which focus on both adaptive and task performance, were significantly related to workers’ access, availability, and use of PPE (APPE). The association between anxiety and APPE was also found to be significant. Bootstrapping mediation analysis shows that anxiety partially mediates the influence APPE has on both stress-adaptive performance and task performance, but did not show any mediating effect on the association between APPE and interpersonal performance. Among the three dimensions of death anxiety, both the fear of death (FDE) and death intrusion (DINT) indicated a significant partial mediating effect on the influence APPE has on all three multidimensional constructs of work behaviours. The findings literally prove that worrying about the fatality risk associated with COVID-19 is highly predictive.

A Predictive Model of Pandemic Disaster Fear Caused by Coronavirus (COVID-19): Implications for Decision-Makers

This paper presents quantitative research results regarding a predictive model of pandemic disaster fear caused by the coronavirus disease (COVİD-19). The aim of this paper was to establish the level and impact of certain demographic and socioeconomic characteristics on pandemic disaster fear caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19). The research was conducted using a questionnaire that was provided and then collected online for 1226 respondents during May 2021. A closed, five-point Likert scale was used to create the structured questionnaire. The first section of the questionnaire included research questions about the participants' socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, while the second section included issue questions about fear caused by COVID-19. The results of multivariate regression analyses showed the most important predictor for fear of COVID-19 to be gender, followed by age and education level. Furthermore, the results of t-tests showed statistically significant differences between men and women in terms of different aspects of pandemic disaster fear caused by the coronavirus disease. Our results have several significant public health implications. Women who were more educated and knowledgeable, married, and older, reported a greater fear of the outbreak at various levels. Decision-makers can use these findings to identify better strategic opportunities for pandemic disaster risk management.

Factors associated with depression and anxiety in the adult population of Qatar after the first COVID-19 wave: a cross-sectional study

There is limited data from Arabic-speaking countries on risk factors for depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Country-specific data is necessary given differences in culture, demographics, and COVID-19 infection and mortality rates. The main purpose of the study is to identify the factors associated with symptoms of depression-anxiety in the adult population of Qatar during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey in Qatar between July and December 2020 after Qatar’s first COVID-19 wave and before the beginning of the second wave. Depression-anxiety was defined as a cut-off of 20 or higher on the Patient Health Questionnaire-Anxiety Depression Scale (PHQ-ADS). Of 1138 participants, 71.0% were female, 69.0% Arabs, 70.0% Non-Qataris, and 77.0% were < 40 years (the median age in Qatar is 32 years). In a fully-adjusted model, six variables were significantly associated with moderate-to-severe levels of depression or anxiety on the PHQ-ADS; Arab ethnicity (OR = 1.67, p = 0.026), never married versus married (OR = 1.69, p = 0.015), prior history of psychiatric disorder versus no history (OR = 1.80, p = 0.009), increased worries due to social media use for COVID-related news/updates (OR = 1.72, p = 0.003), a history of COVID-19 (OR = 1.76, p = 0.039), loneliness (OR = 1.91, p < 0.001), and lower levels of religiosity (OR = 0.96, p = 0.039). These associations also pertained in the reduced model, with the exception of religiosity which was only marginally statistically significant (OR = 0.97, p = 0.055). The potential risk factors identified may assist with anxiety and depression prevention in future COVID-19 waves, and similar national events, and assist with early intervention to treat sufferers.

The Effect of Fear of the COVID-19 on Depression Among Chinese Outbound Students Studying Online in China Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic Period: The Role of Resilience and Social Support

Objective: The present study focused on examining fear of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is correlated with depression and explored the potential role of resilience and social support on the association between fear of the COVID-19 (FoC) and depression among Chinese outbound students studying online in China amid the COVID-19 pandemic period. Methods: A total of 476 Chinese outbound students from different universities worldwide, currently studying via online mode in China, completed an online survey including measures on FoC, resilience, social support, and depression. Results: (1) Fear of the COVID-19 was positively correlated with depression and negatively correlated with resilience and social support. Both resilience and social support were negatively correlated with depression. Social support showed a positive correlation with resilience. (2) The effect of FoC on depression mainly occurred through two paths: the mediating effect of resilience and the moderating effect of resilience. However, the moderating effect of social support on the association between FoC and depression was not sustained in this study. Conclusion: This study indicated the mediating and moderating effects of resilience on the association between FoC and depression among Chinese outbound students studying online in China during the COVID-19 pandemic period. The current findings confirmed that resilience has significant implications in preventing negative mental states under the COVID-19 context among this particular group.

The Effect of Mental Health Status on the Quality of Life of Faculty of Medicine Students during the Pandemic Coronavirus Disease 2019 Period

BACKGROUND: The spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease which has not been balanced with effective protocols can create mental health problems which could affect the quality of life; as of today, there is not any research that examines the influence of both factors. AIM: This study purpose was to analyze the mental health status on the quality of life amongst medicine students during COVID-19 period. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional survey on 361 students from Faculty of Medicine Tanjungpura University. This study was conducted from June 2019 to November 2020 by spreading Depression Anxiety Stress Scale questionnaire and a WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire through online. The data analysis was administered using Kruskal–Wallis statistics. RESULT: The students’ mental health status was dominantly on the normal category with depression domain by 323 students (89.5%), anxiety domain by 311 students (86.1%), and stress domain by 343 students (95%). The quality of life measurement was in category medium in all domains which are physical health (88.6%), psychological health (92.5%), social relationships (50.7%), and environment (78.7%). There was significant effect of mental health status of depression and anxiety toward the aspect of physical health, psychological health, and social relationships (p < 0.05). Stress significantly influenced all domains of quality of life, and there was no significant effect of mental health status domain depression (p = 0.051) and anxiety (p = 0.881) toward the environment aspect. CONCLUSION: Students’ mental health status in this research belongs to the category normal with moderate level in quality of life. To compare, there was a significant effect of mental health status toward the quality of life domains. The good application of self-coping mechanisms and the social encouragement from the environment is suitable intervention strategies during the pandemic COVID-19 period.

Effects of Coronavirus Fears on Anxiety and Depressive Disorder Symptoms in Clinical and Subclinical Adolescents: The Role of Negative Affect, Intolerance of Uncertainty, and Emotion Regulation Strategies

Fears related to COVID-19 ("coronavirus fears") have emerged as a new psychological effect of the current COVID-19 pandemic and have been associated with psychological distress and impairment. Other adverse effects include an increase in anxiety and depression symptoms and the respective disorders. The purpose of the current study was to examine the incremental validity of coronavirus fears and transdiagnostic factors in the prediction of the severity of anxiety and depressive disorder symptoms. A sample of 144 adolescents [aged 12-18 years, 55 boys (38.2%) and 89 girls (61.8%)] most of whom showed elevated levels of anxiety and depressive disorder symptoms completed several self-report measures online assessing coronavirus fears, transdiagnostic vulnerability and protective factors, and emotion regulation strategies. Results based on a series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that coronavirus fears, negative affect, intolerance of uncertainty, acceptance/tolerance, rumination and suppression explained unique variance in the severity of anxiety and depressive disorder symptoms. Path analysis demonstrated that acceptance/tolerance, rumination and suppression mediated the association between higher level transdiagnostic factors and the severity of major depressive disorder symptoms. Findings provide support for the hierarchical transdiagnostic model of emotional disorders and suggest that clinicians should be aware of coronavirus fears. Also, the results warrant the need to consider transdiagnostic vulnerability and protective processes in the new protocols for the treatment of emotional disorders.

Religious Coping During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Gender, Occupational and Socio-economic Perspectives Among Malaysian Frontline Healthcare Workers

OBJECTIVE

At the dawn of the new decade of the 20th century, the world was taken aback by the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aimed to study the nature of religious coping of frontline healthcare workers seen through the perspective of gender, socio-economic status, and occupation.

METHODS

An online-based study was carried out among frontline healthcare workers involved in the care of COVID-19 patients (n = 200). Sociodemographic data form and the Brief Religious Coping scale were used in this study.

RESULTS

There were more female healthcare workers (60.5%) and doctors (69.5% vs. 30.5%). Healthcare workers used more positive religious coping than negative religious coping (median score: 22 vs. 9). Positive religious coping was seen more in females (median score: 23 vs. 21, P = .015). Non-doctors applied positive coping more than doctors (median score: 26 vs. 21, P < .001). There were significant differences in positive religious coping scores across income groups, with the B40 group having the highest score (median score: 24). Post hoc pairwise comparison concluded that the B40 group had significantly higher positive religious coping scores than the M40 group.

CONCLUSION

Positive coping was utilized more among female healthcare workers, nondoctors, and the lowest socio-economic group. As prior literature has shown that positive religious coping is desirable and has superior mental health outcomes, our findings show that more effort should be channeled into enhancing positive religious coping, particularly among male healthcare workers, doctors, and the middle and high socio-economic group.

The Association Between Fear of Coronavirus Disease 2019, Mental Health, and Turnover Intention Among Quarantine Hotel Employees in China

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, quarantine hotel employees face a higher risk of infection while they host quarantine guests from overseas. This is the first research to empirically investigate the psychological effects of operating a quarantine hotel on its employees. The empirical results indicate that heightened fear of COVID-19 leads to adverse mental health issues for quarantine hotel employees and confirm that depression, anxiety, and stress have a significant influence on turnover intention. These findings contribute to the extant knowledge base by uncovering the role of mental health in employee turnover intention. Based on the results, implications are presented for practitioners.