Gender Differences in Stress- and Burnout-Related Factors of University Professors

The Impact of Social Support on Burnout among Lecturers: A Systematic Literature Review

BACKGROUND

Interest and concern regarding the social support and burnout of college lecturers have grown over the past decades. Maintaining good mental health is critical for university lecturers. Social support has been identified as an effective resource against burnout. However, few studies have comprehensively examined the connection between social support and burnout specifically among college lecturers. Therefore, this review aims to explore how social support influences the burnout of college lecturers.

METHODS

This study employed the systematic literature review (SLR) methodology.

RESULTS

A thorough systematic review of 20 studies was conducted between 2015 and 2024, drawn from five major databases: Web of Science, Scopus, APA PsycINFO, PubMed, and Eric. The review indicates that burnout is measured through the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey (MBI-ES), Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS), Burnout Syndrome Evaluation Questionnaire, Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM), and the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI). While social support is measured through the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and Perceived Organizational Support (SPOS) survey. Individual and occupational factors contribute to lecturers' burnout. This study reveals the association between social support and burnout among lecturers and it emphasizes the multifaceted role of social support in alleviating burnout among lecturers.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that educational institutions should strengthen support systems and increase the emotional support available among lecturers to relieve burnout.

How psychological ownership over nutritional products affects purchase intentions of high-pressure working groups

This study aims to investigate the influence of psychological ownership of nutritional products on the purchase intention of high-pressure working groups, as well as the underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions of this influence. This study aims to investigate the impact of psychological ownership of nutritional products on the purchase intention of high-pressure working groups, as well as the underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions of this influence. The research contributes through the use of variance analysis, mediation models, and moderation models on data from adult participants over the age of 18, across three experiments. Experiment 1, conducted on the Credamo platform, randomly recruited 285 participants, with 148 males (51.9%) and 137 females (48.1%), and the results indicated a direct impact of psychological ownership on purchase intention. Building upon this, Experiment 2, which also utilized the Credamo platform and recruited 280 participants consisting of 136 males (48.6%) and 144 females (51.4%), further revealed the mediating role of perceived value. Experiment 3, with 265 participants randomly recruited on the Credamo platform, including 131 males (49.4%) and 134 females (50.6%), identified the moderating effect of nutritional awareness. The theoretical contribution of this study lies primarily in its in-depth exploration of the impact of psychological ownership of nutritional products. By integrating the factors of perceived value and nutritional awareness, it provides a systematic explanation for better understanding the purchase intentions of high-pressure working groups. Additionally, this study offers valuable strategies for merchants to enhance the purchase intentions of high-pressure living groups.

Health and wellbeing of staff working at higher education institutions globally during the post-COVID-19 pandemic period: evidence from a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The ongoing global crisis of Higher Education (HE) institutions during the post-COVID-19 pandemic period has increased the likelihood of enduring psychological stressors for staff. This study aimed to identify factors associated with job insecurity, burnout, psychological distress and coping amongst staff working at HE institutions globally.

METHODS

An anonymous cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 with staff at HE institutions across 16 countries. Job insecurity was measured using the Job Insecurity Scale (JIS), burnout using the Perceived Burnout measure question, psychological distress using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and coping using the Brief Resilient Coping Scale. Multivariable logistic regression with a stepwise variable selection method was used to identify associations.

RESULTS

A total of 2,353 staff participated; the mean age (± SD) was 43(± 10) years and 61% were females. Most staff (85%) did not feel job insecurity, one-third (29%) perceived burnout in their jobs, more than two-thirds (73%) experienced moderate to very high levels of psychological distress, and more than half (58%) exhibited medium to high resilient coping. Perceived job insecurity was associated with staff working part-time [Adjusted Odds Ratio 1.53 (95% Confidence Intervals 1.15-2.02)], having an academic appointment [2.45 (1.78-3.27)], having multiple co-morbidities [1.86 (1.41-2.48)], perceived burnout [1.99 (1.54-2.56)] and moderate to very high level of psychological distress [1.68 (1.18-2.39)]. Perceived burnout was associated with being female [1.35 (1.12-1.63)], having multiple co-morbidities [1.53 (1.20-1.97)], perceived job insecurity [1.99 (1.55-2.57)], and moderate to very high levels of psychological distress [3.23 (2.42-4.30)]. Staff with multiple co-morbidities [1.46 (1.11-1.92)], mental health issues [2.73 (1.79-4.15)], perceived job insecurity [1.61 (1.13-2.30)], and perceived burnout [3.22 (2.41-4.31)] were associated with moderate to very high levels of psychological distress. Staff who perceived their mental health as good to excellent [3.36 (2.69-4.19)] were more likely to have medium to high resilient coping.

CONCLUSIONS

Factors identified in this study should be considered in reviewing and updating current support strategies for staff at HE institutions across all countries to reduce stress and burnout and improve wellbeing.

Digitalization and job stress: exploring the mediating roles of job and personal aversion risk with gender as a moderator

Background

This time-lagged study delves into the impact of digitalization on job stress. Digitalization is defined as the incorporation of digital technologies into various aspects of work life, fundamentally transforming processes, interactions, and decision-making.

Aim

The present research focuses on the mediating roles of job-related risk and personal risk, and the moderating effect of gender. We hypothesized that employees’ aversion to risks, both in their professional and personal facets, mediates the relationship between the rapid digitalization of their work environment and the resultant job stress. Regarding gender as a moderator, recent research suggests that gender can influence the experience of workplace stress, with women often experiencing higher levels of stress than men in certain situations. This indicates that gender might also moderate the relationship between digital living, risk perception, and job-related stress. This approach allows for an examination of the ways in which digital technology adoption influences workplace stress, considering the temporally spaced data.

Methods

Conducted over three waves of data collection among 795 Chinese employees, the research utilizes Hayes’s Model 8, adept at revealing the dynamics of digitalization’s influence in the workplace and its effects on individual well-being.

Results

The study corroborates Hypothesis 1 by establishing a significant, albeit less pronounced, relationship between digital living and job stress. The findings also support Hypothesis 2 by demonstrating that both job risk and personal risk mediate this relationship. The study’s results also validate Hypothesis 3, indicating that gender moderates the relationship between digital living, job risk, personal risk, and job stress. Finally, the significant interaction effects found in the study, particularly the stronger conditional negative effect of digital living on perceptions of job and personal risks for males, despite the absence of statistical significance failed to support Hypothesis 4.

Implications

This study sheds light on the dynamics of job stress in the context of a digitalizing work environment. The results have important implications for designing workplace strategies and interventions that are sensitive to risk perceptions and gender differences in the digital era.

Gender-Based Differences in Psychological, Nutritional, Physical Activity, and Oral Health Factors Associated with Stress in Teachers

The aim of this study was to analyze gender differences in stress-related factors among active teachers. A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine gender disparities in psychological, nutritional, physical activity, and oral health factors and how these habits correlate with stress and burnout in their work environment. The sample comprised 1037 teachers from Spain, Colombia, and Chile, consisting of 40.1% men and 59.9% women, with an average age of 41 years and teaching experience of 11.8 ± 9.2 and 12.2 ± 8.7 years, respectively. They were evaluated using a compilation of questionnaires with the objective of analyzing gender differences in habits that are associated with stress levels in teachers. The findings revealed that men had significantly higher levels of depersonalization and personal accomplishment, whereas women exhibited higher levels of perceived stress and conscientiousness. Regarding nutritional habits, results were more positive for women, and men exhibited healthier functional habits by engaging in more weekly sports. Regarding oral health habits, women had better oral hygiene practices, brushing their teeth more frequently. However, women showed a higher tendency to smoke than their male counterparts. We conclude that there are notable gender differences that can provide insights for developing strategies to enhance the overall well-being of teachers.

Physical Activity, Readiness, and Cardiovascular Risk Stratification in the Polytechnics Communities of the Northern Region of Portugal Integrated in Mobility as a Service Concept

The aim of the study is to characterize physical activity (PA) levels and PA readiness as well as stratify cardiovascular risk among the population of polytechnics community members in the north region of Portugal, including students, academic teachers, and non-teacher staff. An online questionnaire about general sample characterization, PA level, and readiness was applied. Of the 717 respondents, 237 were academic teachers, 143 were non-teacher staff, and 337 were students. Most of the participants had a level of moderate PA, including students, academic teachers, and non-teacher staff (82%). The sedentary behavior was higher in the academic teachers and non-teacher staff groups. A total of 56% of the participants had low cardiovascular risk; the group of students were the population with higher risk. Approximately half of the participants need to consult a qualified professional before increasing their PA. Overall, the participants presented moderate levels of PA, although there is still a considerable number of sedentary people that must be considered.

Comparison of primary school teachers' stress responses between pre-pandemic and pandemic periods: a large-scale nationwide survey in Japan

A schoolteacher's job is considered one of the most stressful occupations globally. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has posed further challenges for schoolteachers. This study aimed to examine the effects of the pandemic on primary school teachers' stress responses in Japan. We analyzed the data from a nationwide survey of public-school teachers conducted between June 2019 and December 2021. The total numbers of participants were 65,968 in 2019, 72,248 in 2020, and 75,435 in 2021. Working hours and perceived main stressors as well as stress response scores were assessed. Contrary to expectations, the results showed that the stress response scores among primary school teachers did not increase in the first year of the pandemic. Rather, the stress response scores and the proportion of high-stress teachers significantly decreased from the pre-pandemic year (2019) to the first year of the pandemic (2020). However, the stress response scores showed a rising trend in the second year of the pandemic (2021). Participants' working hours decreased from 2019 to 2021. The findings in relation to teachers' main stressors matched these trends. Continuous monitoring of teachers' stress levels is required both during and after the pandemic.

Burnout, resilience, and subjective well-being among Portuguese lecturers' during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

Lecturers face a large wide of occupational stressors. If the prolonged stress and the symptomatology associated with the working conditions to which lecturers were exposed were already a concern before the pandemic, the pandemic may have exacerbated this psychosocial vulnerability. Burnout is a psychological syndrome that develops in response to chronic work stress. This study aims to describe burnout amongst lecturers working in Portugal and to analyse potential determinants of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was performed using an online questionnaire distributed via social networks. The survey collected sociodemographic and sleep patterns data in addition to applying the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (personal, work- and student-related burnout), the Resilience Scale, the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale.

Results

The sample included 331 lecturers from 35 different colleges and faculties. Three significant models explained personal (R2 = 54%), work- (R2 = 47%) and student- (R2 = 19%) related burnout. Lower levels of resilience and higher levels of depression and stress were significantly associated with personal and work-related burnout. Changes in sleep patterns were additionally associated with both personal and work-related burnout.

Conclusion

Higher education institutions must recognize the impact of the work environment and organizational culture on faculty mental health and take proactive measures to improve this environment. These institutions can implement support strategies such as educational technology training, professional development programmes, emotional support resources, and workload flexibility. Implementing measures to enhance lecturers' resilience and overall life satisfaction could potentially help mitigate burnout and improve the well-being of educators, ultimately contributing to the overall quality of education.

Barriers to the utilization of wellness days in graduate medical education

Background: Personal well-being is an important component of a resilient physician and can reduce the risk of burnout. To address this, our institution implemented a wellness-day policy to promote self-care.  The objectives of this study were to determine the frequency in which house staff (HS) use wellness days and to identify barriers to their utilization. Methods: A questionnaire was administered to all HS at a single sponsoring institution through a secure online survey platform in 2019-2021. Those that took one or both of the wellness days were compared with those that took none using Chi-square. Comparisons across years were made using Cochran-Armitage Trend test, with a P value <0.05 denoting statistical significance. Results: There were 386/878 responses, representing a 44% response rate. Only 31% of HS took both wellness days and 50% took none. Reasons for not taking a wellness day included not wanting to burden the program, having no need for them and being discouraged by the program. HS that took one or both days were more likely to identify as female (60% vs 45%, p=0.007) but not more likely to be married or have children. Interns were less likely (38% vs 51%; p=0.04) and fellows were more likely (61% vs 47%; p=0.03) to take a wellness day.  Conclusions: The utilization of wellness days is variable. Increased utilization can serve to normalize their use and minimize the burden felt by house staff. Education at orientation and leadership buy-in is essential to policy success.

Teacher Burnout in the Time of COVID-19: Antecedents and Psychological Consequences

The important, frontline role of teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic has often gone unrecognized, and attention to their mental health and well-being is often only the focus of scholarly research. The unprecedented challenges that teachers faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and the stresses and strains associated with it have severely impacted their psychological well-being. This study examined the predictors and the psychological consequences of burnout. Participants (N = 355) were schoolteachers in South Africa who completed the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Questionnaire, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, the Role Orientation Questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Centre for Epidemiological Depression Scale, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the trait scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The results of a multiple regression showed that fear of COVID-19, role ambiguity, and role conflict were significant predictors of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, while perceived infectability and role ambiguity significantly predicted personal accomplishment. Gender and age also predicted emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, respectively, and age was also a significant predictor of personal accomplishment. Generally, the dimensions of burnout were significant predictors of indices of psychological well-being-namely, depression, hopelessness, anxiety, and life satisfaction-with the exception of the association between depersonalization and life satisfaction. Our results suggest that intervention efforts to reduce burnout need to provide teachers with adequate job resources to buffer against the demands and stressors associated with their work.

Psychophysiological Stress Response of Novel Students in Chemical Laboratory Practices

Abstract. The aim of the present study was to analyze the psychophysiological stress response of novel pharmacy and biotechnology students in chemistry laboratory practices. Autonomic stress response was analyzed in 66 students by considering heart rate variability (HRV) values before, during, and after their first laboratory practice, as well as their distress perception before and after this activity. In the laboratory practice, students had to deal with toxic products, sharp objects, or irritating substances while being examined by the teachers. Consistent with a large anticipatory anxiety response at the beginning of the practice, results showed low HRV values, generally related to a typical sympathetic modulation. This sympathetic effect persisted during the entire laboratory practice. Moreover, just after the end of the practice, there was an attenuation of the sympathetic activation and a takeover by the parasympathetic system, as revealed by the increase of HRV parameters. Laboratory practices performed by novel Pharmacy and Biotechnology students did not produce the expected habituation response at psychophysiological level since, in addition to an anticipatory anxiety response observed prior to the laboratory practice, a high sympathetic autonomic activation was observed during the whole practice. In brief, using HRV parameters could be a useful tool to analyze stress responses in students and to help them with new strategies to improve routine evaluation procedures.

A Cross-Sectional Study of the Perceived Stress, Well-Being and Their Relations with Work-Related Behaviours among Hong Kong School Leaders during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The health and well-being of school leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic have been largely neglected compared to the health and well-being of students and teachers. This study assessed the magnitude of perceived stress and well-being and the associated factors, including number of working hours, work-related sense of coherence (work-SoC), perceived stress, self-endangering work behaviour, secondary burnout symptoms, and satisfaction with work, among school leaders in Hong Kong, China during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional, survey-based study collected demographic data and mental health measurements from 259 eligible school leaders in Hong Kong from April 2021 to February 2022. Pearson's correlation analyses, multilinear regression models, and independent-samples Student's t-tests were performed. The findings revealed that school leaders' perceived stress was negatively correlated with their well-being (r = -0.544, p < 0.01) and work-related SoC (r = -0.327, p < 0.01) but positively correlated with their extensification of work (r = 0.473, p < 0.01), exhaustion related to work situations (r = 0.559, p < 0.01), and psychosomatic complaints (r = 0.439, p < 0.01). In a model that adjusted for gender and age, student leaders with higher subjective well-being scores had a lower level of perceived stress (B = -0.031; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.59, -0.02; p = 0.034), whereas leaders in schools with a larger student population had a higher level of perceived stress (B = 0.002; 95% CI, 0.000, 0.003; p = 0.030). School leaders with a higher likelihood of performing the self-endangering work behaviour of 'intensification of work' had higher perceived stress levels (B = 1.497; 95% CI, 0.717, 2.278; p < 0.001). School leaders with a higher work-related SoC (B = 4.20; 95% CI, 1.290, 7.106; p = 0.005) had a higher level of well-being. School leaders with higher levels of perceived stress (B = -0.734; 95% CI, -1.423, -0.044; p = 0.037), a higher likelihood of performing the self-endangering work behaviour of 'extensification of work' (B = -4.846; 95% CI, -8.543, -1.149; p = 0.010), and a higher score for exhaustion related to work (B = -10.449; 95% CI, -13.864, -7.033; p = 0.000) showed lower levels of well-being. The finding of a high incidence of stress among school leadership justifies the need for more societal attention to the well-being of school leaders in Hong Kong. It is important that policies and initiatives are designed to enhance the well-being of school leaders and that they are supported in leading the management of schools and coping with stress in school settings.

Upward social comparison sensitivity on teachers' emotional exhaustion: A moderated moderation model of self-esteem and gender

Drawing on conservation of resources theory, this study aims to extend the work on individual differences in the relationship between upward social comparison sensitivity and emotional exhaustion in a sample of teachers by examining the interaction effects of self-esteem and gender differences. A total of 681 teachers completed a self-reported questionnaire including the Upward Social Comparison Sensitivity Scale, the Self-Esteem Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey (MBI-ES) subscale. The results based on a moderated moderation model indicated that: (1) Upward social comparison sensitivity was positively correlated with emotional exhaustion; (2) self-esteem moderated the relationship between upward social comparative sensitivity and emotional exhaustion; and (3) there was a significant gender difference in self-esteem that moderated the relationship between upward social comparison sensitivity and emotional exhaustion. These findings contribute to the understanding of how upward social comparison sensitivity predicts teachers' emotional exhaustion and provide practical insights for prevention and intervention programs to protect teachers' mental health in school settings.

Impact of grit, resilience, and stress levels on burnout and well-being of dental students

OBJECTIVE

Dentistry is demanding and requires a high level of diligence and resilience, resulting in high stress that may impact students' burnout and well-being. The aims were to: (1) investigate the levels of grit, resilience, stress, burnout, and well-being among students at King Abdulaziz University-Faculty of Dentistry; (2) explore age, gender, dentistry as the first career choice, academic level, grit, resilience, and stress as predictors for burnout and well-being among dental students; (3) investigate the correlations among grit, resilience, stress, burnout, and well-being among dental students.

METHODS

An electronic questionnaire was distributed, comprised of demographic information and five validated scales: (1) grit (grit-8-item); (2) resilience (The Connor-Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC)); (3) stress (perceived stress scale); (4) burnout (Oldenburg Burnout Inventory); (5) well-being (World Health Organization-5). The total students number was (n = 1057), number of participants were (n = 355), and the response rate was (33%). Predictors of well-being and burnout (multiple linear regression analyses) and correlations among the scales (Spearman Correlation Coefficient) were performed.

RESULTS

Median age (22 years old). Trait levels varied among students. Grit, stress, and academic year were significant predictors for burnout (p < 0.0001), where sixth-year undergraduates showed significantly high, third-year undergraduate and graduates showed significantly low burnout levels. Age, gender, stress, and academic year were significant predictors for well-being (p < 0.0001), where older students and fifth-year undergraduates showed significantly low, and males showed significantly high well-being levels. Burnout had a significant moderate positive relationship with stress and a weak negative relationship with resilience and grit. Well-being had a significant negative moderate relationship with burnout and stress and a weak positive relationship with resilience.

CONCLUSION

The levels of grit, resilience, stress, burnout, and well-being, and correlations varied among dental students. The academic level was a common significant predictor between burnout and well-being. We recommend reinforcing existing programs at the school and implementing a resilience program to reduce burnout levels and improve students' well-being.

Faculty of Education Professors' Perception about the Inclusion of University Students with Disabilities

The recognition of the right to the inclusion of people with disabilities on a global scale has led to progress in the planning and development of policies and programs among different areas. The present work addresses the accessibility barriers to university education as an opportunity for greater inclusion. Universities must facilitate all students' physical, curricular, and relational access and comply with a "reasonable accommodation" policy to allow students with disabilities equal opportunities. The aim is to analyze the barriers that hinder educational inclusion. Four factors are explored: the students' accessibility to facilities and resources; the teachers' willingness to respond to students with disabilities and special educational needs (SEN); the teachers' curricular adjustments to meet those needs; the students' interactions with their peers and professors. We worked with a sample of 201 university professors of teacher training programs in Spain. The results show statistically significant differences in the factors indicated, according to sex, age group, teaching experience, and experience with students who require educational support. According to the study results, a series of recommendations are included to improve the training necessary for university professors to promote inclusive education.

Gender Differences in Nutritional, Odontological and Psychological Patterns of Adolescent Students during COVID-19 Pandemic

This research aimed to explore gender differences in nutritional, odontological and psychological patterns of adolescent students during the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to achieve the study’s aim, 127 adolescent students (17.61 ± 7.43 years) completed an online questionnaire which analysed variables regarding their psychological, nutritional, oral health, and physical activity profiles and habits during the COVID-19 crisis. Students showed a higher weekly alcohol consumption and higher levels of loneliness perception when alcohol consumption was lower. In addition, experimental avoidance and psychological inflexibility values were lower when the perception of having dry mouth or lack of saliva is higher. The results also show that males presented a more varied intake of food than females and a stronger adherence to physical activity routines. Female students presented a lower number of meals per day when beer and alcohol consumption was higher, and a higher tendency for fat- and sugar-rich foods such as fast food or bakery products than males. Regarding the oral health profile, females showed higher values in daily tooth brushing and no significant differences were found in dry mouth and gastritis variables. The results from the present study could be used by various educational institutions to implement multidisciplinary interventions to develop healthier habits.

The Influence of Technology on Mental Well-Being of STEM Teachers at University Level: COVID-19 as a Stressor

Stress can result in psychopathologies, such as anxiety or depression, when this risk factor continues in time. One major stressor was the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered considerable emotional distress and mental health issues among different workers, including teachers, with another stressor: technology and online education. A mixed-method approach is presented in this research, combining a cross-sectional study of university teachers from Ecuador and Spain with a medium of twenty years of working experience (N = 55) and a bibliometric analysis carried out in three databases (161 documents). The levels of anxiety and depression, and therefore the risk of developing them as mental disorders, were high. The lack of training (p < 0.01), time (p < 0.05), or research regarding the use of technology in education (p < 0.01) and stress caused by COVID-19 (p < 0.001) were linked to frequency. The most relevant observational study obtained through the bibliometric analysis (138 citations and over 65% of methodological quality) indicated that previous training and behavioral factors are key in the stress related to technology. The combination of the results indicated that mental health in STEM teachers at university is related to diverse factors, from training to the family and working balance.

Differences between students and professors in difficulty, stress and performance in a nursing Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)

The aim of the present research was to analyze those elements could influence on the learning process of the students, and the evaluation process of professors, during the development of clinical practices. For that, we analyze differences on the perception of difficulty, stress, and academic performance between students and teachers in a nursing Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). We analyze the different perceptions in 41 s-year nursing degree students (20.1 ± 2.3 years; 29 females and 12 males) and 21 nursing degree professors (39.1 ± 4.2 years) of the different scenarios that compose the OSCE, that were: BP+EKG, venipuncture, CPR, nutritional assessment, respiratory assessment, mobilization, and interprofessional scenario. After the statistical analysis we found that professors presented higher difficulty perceptions of venopunction, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and nutritional evaluation, as well as higher academic performance perception on all scenarios except nutritional evaluation than students. Students showed higher stress perceptions on venopunction, respiratory evaluation, mobility and interprofessional scenarios, as well as higher academic perception on nutritional evaluation than teachers. Professors presented higher difficulty and academic performance perceptions than students, and stress perception varies depending on the OSCE station between professors and students.

Dietary, physical exercises and mental stress in a Chinese population: a cross-sectional study

Background

Mental health is affected by both genetic and environmental factors. However, previous studies have showed conflict findings about the role of lifestyle and little is known about the situation of the Chinese population. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the frequency of food consumption, physical exercise condition and mental health, as well as factors related to mental stress in Chinese.

Methods

We recruited 8160 residents who had health examinations in a public hospital during June 2016 to May 2018. Demographic characteristics, the frequency of food consumption, physical exercise condition and mental health status was collected by a questionnaire. We estimated the association using the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) based on Binary or ordinal logistic regression models. A classification and regression tree (CART) demonstrated the prediction of the value of a target variable based on other values.

Results

The logistic regression model and classification tree model both found that the frequency of fresh vegetables or fruit and fried foods consumption and the current state of drinking alcohol were related to mental stress. The degree of mental stress reduced significantly with increasing consumption of fish (OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.71–0.90) and regular exercise (OR = 0.55, 95% CI:0.48–0.64) in females and increased consumption of fish (OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.48–0.64) and cereal crop (OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.68–0.89), fish (OR = 0.87, 95%CI:0.77–0.96) and regular exercise (OR = 0.61, 95%CI:0.53–0.70) in males. On the contrary, the frequency of consumption of desserts (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.26–1.62) and the current of drinking alcohol (OR = 1.47, 95%CI:1.21–1.79) in females and meat (OR = 1.47, 95%CI: 1.31–1.65), pickled and smoked food (OR = 1.18, 95%CI:1.05–1.32) and the current state of drinking alcohol (OR = 1.25, 95%CI:1.12–1.40) in males were related to an increased risk of mental health.

Conclusions

Our study showed that both the frequency of some food consumption and physical exercise condition were associated with mental health and affected the degree of stress, which provided novel insights into interventions.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-11189-7.

Gender Differences in the COVID-19 Pandemic Risk Perception, Psychology, and Behaviors of Spanish University Students

The actual COVID-19 pandemic scenario has generated a context of uncertainty, helplessness, and inequality. Yet, the perception of COVID-19 risk has influenced nutritional, psychological, and physical activity patterns depending on gender. We conducted the present research with the aim of studying gender differences of university students in the perceived risk of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in psychological, nutritional, oral health, and physical activity habits. To reach the study’s aim, 300 volunteer university students completed an online questionnaire which analyzed variables of perceived risk of the COVID-19 pandemic, psychological profiles, and nutritional, oral health, and physical activity habits. Results showed that females presented a higher perception of danger to the COVID-19 virus than males but showed no differences in how the pandemic has affected personal lives. Females showed higher values of anxiety, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience, while males presented higher values of extraversion. Nutritionally, males presented greater consumption of soft drinks, meat, and pasta or rice, and lower buccal hygiene. Yet, no differences were found regarding physical activity patterns. Results from the present study could be used by various educational institutions to implement multidisciplinary interventions to reduce the stress and risk perception.

The Effect of Psychology Objective Structured Clinical Examination Scenarios Presentation Order on Students Autonomic Stress Response

The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is a method for assessment clinical competencies and skills. However, there is a need to improve its design in psychology programs. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of the different scenario's presentation order with different complexity/difficulty on the autonomic stress response of undergraduate students undergoing a Psychology OSCE. A total of 32 students of Psychology Bachelor's Degree (23.4 ± 2.5 years) were randomly selected and assigned to two OSCE scenarios of different complexity. While undergoing the scenarios, participants heart rate variability was analyzed as an indicator of participant's stress autonomic response. Results indicate that the order of presentation of different complexity/difficulty scenarios affects the autonomic stress response of undergraduate Psychology students undergoing an OSCE. Students who underwent the high-complexity scenario (difficult) first, reported significantly higher autonomic stress response than students who began the OSCE with the low-complexity scenario (easy). Highly complex or difficult scenarios require good executive functions or cognitive control, very sensitive to autonomic stress responses. Therefore, OSCE design will benefit from placing easy scenarios first.

Monitorization of Autonomic Stress Response of Nurse Students in Hospital Clinical Simulation

The aims of this study were to analyze the autonomic stress response of nurse degree students during a hospital clinical simulation and to analyze differences in the autonomic stress response of nurse degree students during a hospital clinical simulation depending on their psychological profile. We analyzed in 45 nurse students their psychological profile (purpose in life, coping flexibility, perceived stress, Framingham Type A Behavior, and personality) and the autonomic modulation by the heart rate variability in a hospital clinical simulation. Students presented decreased heart rate variability and different autonomic stress responses depending on the different psychological parameters evaluated. We concluded that a hospital clinical simulation produced a large sympathetic modulation of nurse students that was maintained during the entire clinical simulation. The autonomic response was modulated by the psychological profile of students, showing higher purpose in life, perceived stress, and neuroticism, presenting higher parasympathetic modulation.