Narrative synthesis of psychological and coping responses towards emerging infectious disease outbreaks in the general population: practical considerations for the COVID-19 pandemic

The Mediation Roles of Coping Modalities on the Relationship Between Stress and Quality of Life Among Jordanian Nurses

Nurses are at the frontline, dealing with people's most immense healthcare needs in stressful and demanding work environments. Consequently, it is essential to thoroughly examine how various coping mechanisms might affect the relationship between stress and quality of life (QOL). This study aimed to examine the mediation effect of both problem-focused coping (PFC) and emotion-focused coping (EFC) mechanisms on mitigating the effect of stress on the QOL among Jordanian nurses. A multisite cross-sectional descriptive correlational design was used in this study. An online survey was completed by 203 nurses using a convenience sampling technique between October 2023 and January 2024. The study included nurses working in different Jordanian healthcare sectors including governmental, private, and university-affiliated hospitals. Several measures were used to collect data, including questionnaires on sociodemographics, QOL, coping, and stress. Two models were hypothesized for this study. The two models were analyzed using Andrew Hayes Process Macro Model 4 for testing the mediation effects. Additionally, descriptive and correlational analyses were run prior to the main analysis. The results showed that coping significantly mediated the relationship between stress and QOL with variations between PFC and EFC. In conclusion, psychological distress symptoms were common among Jordanian nurses; psychological distress, coping, and QOL are correlating variables. Nurses' stress levels and coping modalities can predict QOL with a superior effect of PFC compared with EFC. Strategies should be put in place to improve effective coping to improve nurses' QOL. The results of this study have important implications for nursing education, practice, future research, and policy.

Surveying Psychological Wellbeing in a Post-Pandemic World: The Role of Family and Social Support for LGBTQ+ and Cisgender Heterosexual Adults in the UK

Studies have emphasized the importance of social support in mitigating the relationship between psychological distress and mental health effects, with family of origin and family of formation providing key sources of social support over the life course. However, LGBTQ+ people may experience family of origin relationships as a source of distress, while partners and friends may buffer the relationship between minority stress and psychological wellbeing. Through our online survey (March-June 2022), which was conducted when the social restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted in the UK, we considered the association between psychological wellbeing and sources of social support by sampling n = 1330 LGBTQ+ and cisgender heterosexual adults. LGBTQ+ adults generally experienced poorer psychological wellbeing outcomes than did cisgender heterosexual people. For LGBTQ+ adults, social support from family of origin, a special person, or friends was not associated with depression, anxiety, or stress levels, but social support from family or a special person was positively associated with higher levels of life satisfaction. Our findings indicate the importance of considering negative as well as positive wellbeing.

Mental health preparedness and response to epidemics focusing on COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study in Iran

BACKGROUND

During epidemics, the number of individuals whose mental health is affected is greater than those affected by the infection itself. This is because psychological factors have a direct relationship with the primary causes of the disease and mortality worldwide. Therefore, an increasing investment in research and strategic actions for mental health is essential globally, given the prevalence of infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to elucidate and describe the strategies for mental health preparedness and response during epidemics, with a focus on the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran.

METHODS

A qualitative study was conducted in Iran from 2022 to 2023. Purposeful Sampling was employed, continuing until data saturation was achieved. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews and observational notes with 20 managers and experts possessing expertise, experience, and knowledge in mental health. Ultimately, the participants' opinions, based on their experiences, were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis method with a conventional approach, resulting in the categorization of data into codes, subcategories, and categories.

RESULTS

The study revealed participants' opinions and experiences, categorized into two overarching categories: Preparedness, Policy-Making, and Planning Strategies (with four subcategories), and Response Strategies (comprising thirteen subcategories).

CONCLUSION

The opinions and experiences of managers and experts in this study revealed that an appropriate mental health response during pandemics requires preparedness before the occurrence of such crises and the implementation of suitable response strategies after the occurrence. Managers, policymakers, and decision-makers in this field should pay attention to the solutions derived from the experiences of such crises to respond more preparedly in the future.

Investigating fear, depressive symptoms and coping mechanisms among Egyptian nursing students amidst the covid-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, nursing students' contribution to combating this global health crisis is becoming more significant. However, we need a more comprehensive understanding of the psychological impact of this crisis on these students. Therefore, this study holds immense importance as it offers valuable insights into the connection between COVID-19 pandemic fear, coping strategies, and depressive symptoms among nursing students.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect and analyze data from 319 undergraduate nursing students. They participated in the study by responding to an online questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of the Fear of the Coronavirus Questionnaire, Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced, and the Beck Depression Inventory-II.

RESULTS

The study revealed that 45.5% of the participants had a severe fear of COVID-19, 21.9% showed severe depressive symptoms, and 64.6% used moderate coping mechanisms. A positive correlation (r = 0.160, p = 0.01) was found between the fear of COVID-19 and depressive symptoms. Interestingly, this correlation turned negative (r = -0.074, p = 0.01) when adaptive coping strategies such as religion, acceptance, planning, positive reframing, instrumental support, emotional support, active coping, and humor were used. However, when participants resorted to maladaptive coping strategies like venting, self-distraction, self-blame, behavioral disengagement, denial, and substance abuse, the correlation between high fear levels and depressive symptoms became positive (r = 0.352, p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The study demonstrated that the fear of COVID-19 and depressive symptoms among nursing students are significantly correlated. However, the nature of this correlation is influenced by the type of coping strategies employed. Adaptive coping mechanisms can mitigate the impact of fear on depressive symptoms. In contrast, maladaptive coping can exacerbate the relationship between fear and depressive symptoms. Therefore, promoting adaptive coping strategies could be a crucial approach to managing the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Changes in experienced quality of oncological cancer care during the COVID-19 pandemic based on patient reported outcomes - a cross-sectional study

AIM

The study aims to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer patients' perceptions of the quality of their oncological treatment and care.

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare delivery and oncological resources were repurposed, potentially leading to prolonged treatment and reduced access to innovative therapies and clinical trials. Still, little is known about how patients perceived the quality of their treatment.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the spring of 2020 among cancer patients at the Department of Oncology, Aarhus University Hospital and Rigshospitalet, Denmark. Patients were invited to complete an online questionnaire on clinical, socioeconomic, emotional, behavioural, and quality-related aspects of oncological cancer care. Patients who experienced reduced treatment quality and those who reported no or slight reductions were compared using multiple logistic regression, exploring the associations with patient characteristics, behaviours, and fear of cancer progression or recurrence.

RESULTS

A total of 2,040/5,372 patients experienced changes in their treatment plans during the pandemic, and 1,570/5,372 patients experienced reduced treatment quality, with 236 reporting a high degree of reduction. Patients with breast, head and neck, and upper gastrointestinal cancers were more likely to experience reduced treatment quality. Altered interactions with healthcare providers, along with isolation, lack of social support, and heightened fear of cancer progression, were significant risk factors for experiencing reduced cancer care quality.

INTERPRETATION

We identified subgroups of cancer patients needing targeted communication and care during health crises affecting cancer treatment. The findings underscore the importance of safeguarding the needs of vulnerable patient populations in future healthcare emergencies.

Moderating Effect of Coping Strategies on the Association Between the Infodemic-Driven Overuse of Health Care Services and Cyberchondria and Anxiety: Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling Study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a substantial increase in health information, which has, in turn, caused a significant rise in cyberchondria and anxiety among individuals who search for web-based medical information. To cope with this information overload and safeguard their mental well-being, individuals may adopt various strategies. However, the effectiveness of these strategies in mitigating the negative effects of information overload and promoting overall well-being remains uncertain.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the moderating effect of coping strategies on the relationship between the infodemic-driven misuse of health care and depression and cyberchondria. The findings could add a new dimension to our understanding of the psychological impacts of the infodemic, especially in the context of a global health crisis, and the moderating effect of different coping strategies on the relationship between the overuse of health care and cyberchondria and anxiety.

METHODS

The data used in this study were obtained from a cross-sectional web-based survey. A professional survey company was contracted to collect the data using its web-based panel. The survey was completed by Chinese individuals aged 18 years or older without cognitive problems. Model parameters of the relationships between infodemic-driven overuse of health care, cyberchondria, and anxiety were analyzed using bootstrapped partial least squares structural equation modeling. Additionally, the moderating effects of coping strategies on the aforementioned relationships were also examined.

RESULTS

A total of 986 respondents completed the web-based survey. The mean scores of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and Cyberchondria Severity Scale-12 were 8.4 (SD 3.8) and 39.7 (SD 7.5), respectively. The mean score of problem-focused coping was higher than those of emotion- and avoidant-focused coping. There was a significantly positive relationship between a high level of infodemic and increased overuse of health care (bootstrapped mean 0.21, SD 0.03; 95% CI 0.1581-0.271). The overuse of health care resulted in more severe cyberchondria (bootstrapped mean 0.107, SD 0.032) and higher anxiety levels (bootstrapped mean 0.282, SD 0.032) in all the models. Emotion (bootstrapped mean 0.02, SD 0.008 and 0.037, SD 0.015)- and avoidant (bootstrapped mean 0.026, SD 0.009 and 0.049, SD 0.016)-focused coping strategies significantly moderated the relationship between the overuse of health care and cyberchondria and that between the overuse of health care and anxiety, respectively. Regarding the problem-based model, the moderating effect was significant for the relationship between the overuse of health care and anxiety (bootstrapped mean 0.007, SD 0.011; 95% CI 0.005-0.027).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides empirical evidence about the impact of coping strategies on the relationship between infodemic-related overuse of health care services and cyberchondria and anxiety. Future research can build on the findings of this study to further explore these relationships and develop and test interventions aimed at mitigating the negative impact of the infodemic on mental health.

Health Protection And Improvement Sensitivity For Covid-19 Pandemic: Turkey's Case

This descriptive study was aimed at identifying the anxiety levels of Turkish people in the first three months of the pandemic, the coping methods they use to control this anxiety, and their knowledge and behavior about protection and prevention against COVID-19. The data were collected from 571 individuals. Of the individuals, 84.6% had anxiety. The anxiety levels of those who kept working during the pandemic were significantly higher than were the anxiety levels of those who did not (p < .05). The participants experienced a moderate level of anxiety, and they mostly used relaxation techniques, music therapy, and prayer/worship to cope with anxiety. The knowledge level of the individuals about COVID-19 was moderate.

Between Meanings and Senses-Making Spaces: Agency and Ownership Emergence Formalization from Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Position, for an AI-Friendly Model

Sense of agency and sense of ownership are considered crucial in autonomous systems. However, drawbacks still exist regarding how to represent their causal origin and internal structure, either in formalized psychological models or in artificial systems. This paper considers that these drawbacks are based on the ontological and epistemological duality in mainstream psychology and AI. By shedding light on the cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) and dialectical logic, and by building on and extending related work, this paper attempts to investigate how the noted duality affects investigating the self and "I". And by differentiating between the space of meanings and the sense-making space, the paper introduces CHAT's position of the causal emergence of agency and ownership by stressing the twofold transition theory being central to CHAT. Furthermore, a qualitative formalized model is introduced to represent the emergence of agency and ownership through the emergence of the contradictions-based meaning with potential employment in AI.

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Depressive Symptoms, Including Clinical and Subthreshold Levels, and Eating Behaviors in First-Year University Students

Introduction

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, university students experienced unusual environmental stresses, and the number of university students with depressive symptoms increased. The pandemic had a profoundly negative impact on the mental health of first-year students because they were not prepared to face academic and social stresses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on depressive symptoms, eating behaviors, and stress-coping ability among first-year university students.

Methods

A total of 8,424 first-year students, 2,043 males and 1,636 females who entered university in Japan in 2021-2022 (during the pandemic) and 2,912 males and 1,833 females who entered university in Japan in 2018-2019 (before the pandemic), participated. We investigated the differences in depressive symptoms (using Beck Depression Inventory II [BDI-II]), eating behaviors (using Eating Attitudes Test-26 [EAT-26] and Bulimic Inventory Test, Edinburgh [BITE]), and stress coping (using Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations [CISS], which has three subscales) between first-year students before and during the pandemic. We divided the students into three categories (clinical, subthreshold, and nonsymptomatic) according to depressive symptoms and eating behaviors based on BDI-ll and EAT-26 scores and compared the frequencies of the three categories at two time points.

Results

First-year students during the pandemic showed a higher percentage of depressive symptoms, including clinical and subthreshold levels, than first-year students before the pandemic but did not show disordered eating behaviors. Additionally, the CISS task-oriented score was significantly lower for students with depressive symptoms, including clinical and subthreshold levels, during the pandemic than before the pandemic in females.

Conclusions

This study suggests that it may be important to provide first-year university students with more information about depressive symptom awareness, including clinical and subthreshold levels, and to provide appropriate ways for stress coping from many angles and early support in pandemic conditions.

"I thought I was going to die": Experiences of COVID-19 patients managed at home in Uganda

BACKGROUND

In Uganda, approximately 170,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 3,630 deaths have been reported as of January 2023. At the start of the second COVID-19 wave, the Ugandan health system was overwhelmed with a sudden increase in the number of COVID-19 patients who needed care, and the Ministry of Health resorted to home-based isolation and care for patients with mild to moderate disease. Before its rollout, the COVID-19 home-based care strategy had neither been piloted nor tested in Uganda.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the experiences of COVID-19 patients managed at home in Uganda.

METHODS

This was a qualitative study that was conducted to explore the lived experiences of COVID-19 patients managed at home. The study was carried out among patients who presented to three hospitals that were designated for treating COVID-19 patients in Uganda. COVID-19 patients diagnosed at these hospitals and managed at home were followed up and contacted for in-depth telephone interviews. The data were analysed using thematic content analysis with the aid of NVIVO 12.0.0 (QRS International, Cambridge, MA).

RESULTS

Participants experienced feelings of fear and anxiety: fear of death, fear of losing jobs, fear of infecting loved ones and fear of adverse events such as loss of libido. Participants also reported feelings of loneliness, hopelessness and depression on top of the debilitating and sometimes worsening symptoms. In addition to conventional medicines, participants took various kinds of home remedies and herbal concoctions to alleviate their symptoms. Furthermore, COVID-19 care resulted in a high economic burden, which persisted after the COVID-19 illness. Stigma was a major theme reported by participants. Participants recommended that COVID-19 care should include counselling before testing and during and after the illness to combat the fear and stigma associated with the diagnosis. Another recommendation was that health workers should carry out home visits to patients undergoing home-based care and that COVID-19 treatment should be free of charge.

CONCLUSION

COVID-19 home-based care was associated with fear, anxiety, loneliness, depression, economic loss and stigma. Policymakers should consider various home-based follow-up strategies and strengthen counselling of COVID-19 patients at all stages of care.

Factors Associated With Psychological Distress of Individuals With COVID-19 Isolating at Home: A Cross-Sectional Correlational Study

The purpose of the current study was to clarify the effects of illness perceptions, coping styles, and social support on psychological distress of individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) isolating at home. A cross-sectional study was performed in a state hospital in Turkey with 112 individuals with confirmed cases of COVID-19. Data were collected online using self-report scales between June 8, 2020, and December 25, 2020. Regression models were used to determine predictors of psychological distress. Significant predictors were cognitive and emotional illness representations, self-blame, and positive reinterpretation coping methods. Health care providers should consider individuals' illness perceptions and coping methods and their effect on psychological distress when providing in-home and follow-up care. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 61(12), 27-36.].

Psychological effect of COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare professionals of Yemen and coping strategies

COVID-19 pandemic has triggered psychological stress such as anxiety and depression among people around the globe. Due to the nature of the job, healthcare professionals (HCPs) are at high risk of infection and are facing social stigma as well. This research was conducted with the objective to evaluate the psychological influence of the COVID-19 pandemic among HCPs in Yemen and the coping strategies adopted thereof. A web-based, as well as face-to-face cross-sectional study was carried out from July to December 2021 among HCPs of Yemen. The generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7), patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Brief-COPE scales were applied for the evaluation of anxiety, depression, and coping strategies. A total of 197 HCPs participated in the study where 28.4% and 43.1% had anxiety and depression respectively. The prevalence of both anxiety and depression in the majority were found of the minimal to none and mild categories (71.6% vs. 56.9% respectively). The respondents who had received training on COVID-19 had statistically significant lower GAD-7 scores than those who did not (6.32 vs. 8.02 respectively). A significant statistical difference was observed between physicians versus nurses regarding depression based on the working area (p < 0.05). The physician and pharmacist had a significant positive association with brief COPE scores at the 50th centile compared to other HCPs. The female respondents had statistically significant higher mean Brief COPE scores than male respondents (78.11 vs. 69.50 respectively). Our findings illustrate the requirement for efficient policies through administrative, clinical, and welfare perspectives from the regulatory body in preparedness and preventive measures towards such a pandemic that aids HCPs to provide service in a stress-free condition and assurance of a better healthcare system..

The positive effects of positive coping on mental health in college students during the COVID-19 campus lockdown

Objectives

Isolation has been an effective method to control the spread of COVID-19 over the past 3 years. However, lifestyle changes may have a negative impact on mental health. To examine the effects of positive coping on mental health in college students during the COVID-19 campus lockdown, this study conducted an online cross-sectional survey.

Methods

In October 2022, following a prolonged campus lockdown of nearly 3 years, 313 university students from a university in Shandong Province, China, were invited to complete an online questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised a self-administered general situation questionnaire, the Simple Coping Style Scale, and the Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale.

Results

(1) The analysis of variance revealed a significant main effect of coping Style on depression [F(4,300) = 2.446, p = 0.047] during the COVID-19 campus lockdown. A post-hoc test indicated that college students who engaged in study (p = 0.012) or sports (p = 0.027) during their free time had significantly lower depression scores than those who used the Internet. (2) Independent sample t-tests showed significant differences in positive and negative coping styles among college students in terms of depression (t = 6.891, p < 0.001) and anxiety scores (t = 7.745, p < 0.001). (3) Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated a negative correlation between positive coping style and anxiety (r = -0.378, p < 0.001), and between positive coping style and depression (r = 0.427, p < 0.001). Positive correlations were also found between the negative coping style and anxiety (r = 0.155, p = 0.007), and between the negative coping style and depression (r = 0.190, p < 0.001).

Discussion

The study suggested that fostering positive coping in students can mitigate mental health issues during crises, providing a blueprint for university mental health initiatives during epidemics.

Young people's happiness in the context of negative life events and coping strategies: a latent profile and latent class analysis

Young people have to cope with many negative life events and stress factors to maintain their happiness. Although there are studies on how they benefit from different coping strategies and their results, there is no study that profiles/groups young people according to negative life events and coping styles. From this point of view, the study aims to determine different life events classes and stress coping profiles in young people, and to examine the differences in happiness among the new groups created according to the discovered classes and profiles. Participants consisted of 1093 young people (M = 21.08) from different state universities in Turkey. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted, resulting in a 3 profile solution characterizing coping strategies: Positive-oriented (26.8%), slightly positive-oriented (50%), and negative-oriented (23.2%) coping strategy profiles. Latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted, resulting in a 2 class solution characterizing negative life events: More negative (40.1%) and less negative (59.9%) life events classes. For the purpose of the study, the profiles created with the latent profile analysis and the latent class analysis were considered together and the participants were divided into 6 groups. These groups differed significantly in terms of happiness. The group with the highest level of happiness is the group with positive-oriented coping strategies and less negative life conditions (μ = 4.35, p < .001), and the group with the lowest level of happiness is the group with negative-oriented coping strategies and more negative life conditions (μ = 3.48, p < .001). However, the findings indicated that a positive-oriented coping strategy profile (the profile that scored high on positive coping strategies and low on negative coping strategies) offers the most promising route to happiness whether experienced negative life events are less or more.

Mental health of Scandinavians during the first lockdown in the COVID-19 pandemic: Psychosocial resources and coping strategies as protective or risk factors for anxiety and depression

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic was a global health and economic crisis. In the early phase of the pandemic, studies found that populations were reporting lower levels of mental well-being and high levels of distress and worry. This study investigated potential protective and risk factors such as sociodemographics and psychological factors such as adaptation/coping.

METHODS

Two convenience samples from Norway and Denmark were recruited during the early phase of the first lockdown in May 2020 using snowball sampling primarily by social media. Measures included the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) for screening anxiety and depression, COVID-19 distress, and coping strategies applied during the lockdown. Descriptive analyses were applied as well as bivariate correlations for associations between coping and mental health measures.

RESULTS

Levels of anxiety and depression were not alarmingly high, but being young, single, and female constituted a higher risk for poorer mental health. Applying positive reframing strategies was negatively associated with poor mental health and high COVID-19 stress, whereas distraction coping strategies were positively correlated with poor mental health and high COVID-19 stress.

CONCLUSION

Applying positive reframing as a coping strategy may constitute a protective factor for mental health in the early phase of a crisis such as a pandemic. This knowledge may inform public health agencies on how to promote mental health in similar situations in the future. However, longitudinal and qualitative studies are needed to investigate the long-term effects of the different coping strategies applied.

A first look at self-reported growth in undergraduate students during COVID-19

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore self-reported growth areas during Fall 2020 in a sample of undergraduate juniors and seniors.Participants and methods: Undergraduate students (N = 124, 65% female, 78% white) completed an online survey responding to the following question, "Reflecting back on Fall 2020, how have you grown during this semester?"Results: A majority of students (94.4%) gave at least one positive area of growth during Fall 2020. 62.1% of students reported personal growth during the pandemic with leading areas of increased adaptability, increased self-awareness, increased ability to overcome adversity, and greater appreciation of life. 32.3% of students reported improvements as students with top areas of improved time management, improved motivation, improved responsibility, and improved organization.Conclusions: With concerns about how to best help students transition from the COVID-19 pandemic, universities should consider providing simple, low-cost opportunities for students to engage in self-reflection in supportive campus environments.

The "Creativity Crisis" as a Mind in Crisis: A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Position

Creativity is considered a global ability and crucial for ordinary-daily and special (e.g., science, aesthetic) activities. In this paper, from the position of Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), we expand the debate about the creativity crisis and hypothesize that the noted crisis is only the tip of the iceberg represented by the crisis of the postmodern' incoherent mind, reflecting the crisis of self-realization as a leading activity in the individualistic epoch. By investigating creativity as an original functionality of the mind, two key titles are stressed. One is the halting of the activity system; two, it is the inconsistency between the objective meanings sphere and the subjective sense-making sphere. Both titles represent the epistemological rupture embedded in the mainstream culture and praxis rooted in the internal contradictions of individualism and post-modernism as worldview and practices, leading the mind to close its eyes on the contradictions which are the crucial source of grasping the internal content (abstraction and generalization) of the given experience, hence, a crucial source of creativity. Thus, it is considered that not only creativity is in crisis, but also the coherence of the mind as well, as an extreme result of the shattered postmodern existence.

Predictors of mental well-being over the first lockdown period due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France. A repeated cross-sectional study

Introduction

Numerous studies have investigated the positive and negative effects of potential predictors of well-being during lockdowns due to COVID-19. Yet, little is known on whether these effects significantly changed with time spent in lockdown. In the current study, we described the association of mental well-being with a large number of background characteristics (e.g., socio-demographic or health-related factors), COVID-related factors, and coping strategies, over the duration of the first lockdown due to COVID-19 in France.

Methods

A nationwide online survey was conducted over 7 of the 8 weeks of the 1st lockdown in France, i.e., from 25 March 2020 to 10 May 2020. The level of mental well-being was reported using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS). We also measured various background characteristics (e.g., age, sex, education, health issues), COVID-related factors (e.g., health and economic risks, agreement with lockdown), and coping strategies. Our analytical strategy enabled us to disentangle effects aggregated over the study period from those that linearly vary with time spent in lockdown.

Results

Our final dataset included 18,957 participants. The level of mental well-being dropped gradually from the third to the eighth week of lockdown [49.7 (sd 7.9) to 45.5 (sd 10.6)]. Time in lockdown was associated with a decrease in well-being (for each additional 10 days of lockdown: B = -0.30, 95%CI: -0.62, -0.15). Factors that showed significantly negative and positive effects on well-being as time in lockdown progressed were (for each additional 10 days of lockdown): having current psychiatric problems (B = -0.37; 95%CI: -0.63, -0.04), worries about having access to personal protective equipment (B = -0.09; 95%CI: -0.18, -0.01), coping by having positive beliefs about the future of the pandemics (B = 0.29; 95%CI: 0.04, 0.62), being supported by neighbors (B = 0.24; 95%CI: 0.04, 0.44), and being involved in collective actions (B = 0.23; 95%CI: 0.04, 0.46).

Discussion

Participants from our sample saw a drop in their mental well-being throughout the first period of COVID-19 lockdown. Policymakers should be mindful of factors contributing to greater deterioration of mental well-being over time, such as having current psychiatric issues. Promoting collective actions and local support from neighbors may alleviate the deterioration of mental well-being over time.

Mental health status and related influencing factors in patients with COVID-19

BACKGROUND

The outbreak of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-2019) has resulted in a significant number of diagnosed patients requiring treatment in designated hospitals. However, limited evidence exists regarding the prevalence of mental health problems and associated psychological factors in COVID-19 patients.

OBJECTIVES

This study investigated the prevalence rates of anxiety, depression, and insomnia among COVID-19 patients, as well as explored the associations between these mental health problems and psychological factors.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 387 COVID-19 patients in a designated shelter hospital. Online measures were used to assess anxiety, depression, insomnia, social support, coping styles, and emotional regulation. Data were analyzed to determine the prevalence rates of mental health problems and examine the associations between these problems and the psychological factors.

RESULTS

The results revealed high prevalence rates of anxiety (21.80%), depression (49.0%), and insomnia (63.70%) among COVID-19 patients. Objective social support scores and positive coping style scores were significantly associated with lower levels of anxiety, depression, and insomnia, respectively. Conversely, high negative coping style scores, higher education level, and self-perceived illness severity, were significantly related to higher levels of anxiety, depression, or insomnia symptoms. Emotional regulation scores did not show a significant association with any of the examined mental health problems.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings have implications for guiding psychological interventions tailored to COVID-19 patients in future outbreaks. By targeting social support and promoting adaptive coping strategies, psychological interventions can address the psychological distress experienced by COVID-19 patients.

A comparative study of subjective well-being, interpersonal relationship and love forgiveness among Chinese college students before and after the COVID-19 epidemic

During the period that COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, Chinese universities have adopted a new teaching method combining online and offline and banned students from entering and leaving campus at will in line with the epidemic prevention policy. As a result, college students' learning and life styles have been greatly changed. In order to explore how the epidemic and specific prevention policies have influenced the psychology and behavior of Chinese college students, this study used three questionnaires of college students' subjective well-being, interpersonal relationship and love forgiveness to collect the data after the epidemic and compared with the data of college students before the epidemic. The result showed that before and after the epidemic, college students had obvious changes in their level of interpersonal relationship, subjective well-being and love forgiveness. Relationships among the three variables had changed. Meanwhile, the demographic variables of college students had certain changes in the three questionnaires. College students with and without romantic experience also had significant differences in the three questionnaires. It can be seen that the epidemic and specific prevention policies have a certain impact on the physical and mental health of college students, and there is also a gap in the forgiveness level of college students with and without romantic experience. These findings remind relevant departments that it should give greater consideration to the physical and mental health of college students, provide some references for dealing with new outbreaks and formulating the epidemic prevention policies subsequently, and suggest psychological counselors to change the way of dealing with the intimate relationship of college students.

Physical activity and mental health in children and youth during COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and universal mitigation strategies have fundamentally affected peoples' lives worldwide, particularly during the first two years of the pandemic. Reductions in physical activity (PA) and increased mental health (MH) problems among children and youth have been observed. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the relationship between physical activity (PA) and mental health (MH) among children and youth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Four electronic databases (EMBASE, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science) were systematically searched to identify studies that (1) examined the relationship between PA and MH among children and youth (aged 2-24 years old) and (2) were published in peer-reviewed journals in English between January 2020 and December 2021. Relationships between PA and two MH aspects (i.e., negative and positive psychological responses) among children and youth at different age ranges and those with disabilities or chronic conditions (DCC) were synthesized. Meta-analyses were also performed for eligible studies to determine the pooled effect size.

RESULTS

A total of 58 studies were eventually included for variable categorization, with 32 eligible for meta-analyses. Our synthesis results showed that greater PA participation was strongly related to lower negative psychological responses (i.e., anxiety, depression, stress, insomnia, fatigue, and mental health problems) and higher positive psychological responses (i.e., general well-being and vigor) in children and youth during COVID-19. The pattern and strength of relations between PA and MH outcomes varied across age ranges and health conditions, with preschoolers and those with DCC receiving less attention in the existing research. Meta-analysis results showed that the magnitude of associations of PA with negative (Fisher's z = - 0.198, p < 0.001) and positive (Fisher's z = 0.170, p < 0.001) psychological responses among children and youth was weak. These results were linked to age of participants, study quality, and reporting of PA-related information.

CONCLUSIONS

PA participation and MH among children and youth deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic and were closely associated with each other. For the post-COVID-19 era, additional research on age- and health condition-specific relationships between PA and MH outcomes from a comprehensive perspective is warranted. (Word count: 344 words).

A predictive model of perceived stress during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in university students Ecuadorians

Background and objectives

The situation caused by the confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the mobility restriction implemented by governments worldwide had a significant impact on people's routines. Stressors are known to increase emotional imbalance, uncertainty, and frustration in the general population. This study explores the factors that predispose to the risk of perceived stress from COVID-19 and determines the underlying mediating mechanisms in the Ecuadorian population.

Method

The cross-sectional study an incidental non-probabilistic sample of n = 977 participating student volunteers from the four regions of the Republic of Ecuador (68.6% women and 31.4% men). Data on emotional regulation (ERQ), perceived stress (PSS), active procrastination (APS), diagnosis and symptoms related to COVID-19, social isolation, coexistence, and a sociodemographic questionnaire (biological sex, marital status, and age) were recruited. Statistical analysis was based on a structural equation model.

Results

The risk of suffering perceived stress in the COVID-19 pandemic was higher for single women who have lived longer in social isolation, have lived with more people, have poor emotional regulation and high rates of procrastination. This structural model is similar in all Ecuadorian regions χ² = 21.54 (p = 0.760), RMSEA = 0.001 (95%CI, 0.00-0.02), CFI = 0.998; TLI = 0.999; SRMR = 0.020.

Discussion

Although our findings are consistent and revealing for the scientific community, the lack of discrimination of the data due to strict isolation measures, taken at different periods by the Ecuadorian government against positive cases of COVID-19, is discussed. The research was applied to the university population, it would be representative to extend the study to schools and colleges.

Conclusion

We consider this work as a starting point for the creation of preventive models against perceived stress in the university environment in the event of health emergencies.

Negative health impact of tourists through pandemic: hospitality sector perspective

Although the impact of tourism development on residents has received a lot of attention in the literature, the health impact of tourism has not been sufficiently addressed. Due to outbreaks of COVID-19, the importance of recognition of the negative health impact of tourism is relevant. Thus, the present study aims to identify the health impact of tourism through COVID-19 outbreaks considering residents' perspectives. In the current research, we gathered data from semi-structured interviews conducted from 10th August to 30 August 2020 to investigate community perception regarding the negative health impact of tourism through the COVID-19 era. We conducted 30 interviews with some Iranian residents. Data is analyzed by thematic analysis via MAXQDA software. Residents perceived negative health impacts through COVID-19 outbreaks as containing three subthemes including general negative impacts, direct negative impacts, and indirect negative impacts. The results also show that residents use two coping strategies to face these negative health impacts, namely negative coping strategies and positive coping strategies. Perceived negative health impacts, and residents' coping strategies are two major themes regarding Iranian residents' perception toward tourism negative health impacts through COVID-19 outbreaks.

Support- and meaning-focused coping as key factors for maintaining adult quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

Introduction

During the COVID-19 pandemic, questions about both consequences and helpful strategies to maintain quality of life (QoL) have become increasingly important. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of coping factors during the COVID-19 pandemic, their associations with QoL and the moderating role of certain sociodemographic characteristics.

Methods

Analyses were based on cross-sectional self-reports from German adult participants (N = 2,137, 18-84 years, 52.1% female) of the CORONA HEALTH APP Study from July 2020 to July 2021. Multivariate regression analyses were used to predict (a) coping factors assessed with the Brief COPE and (b) QoL assessed with the WHOQOL-BREF while taking measurement time, central sociodemographic, and health characteristics into account.

Results

During the COVID-19 pandemic, German adults mostly pursued problem- and meaning-focused coping factors and showed a relatively good QoL [Mean values (M) from 57.2 to 73.6, standard deviations (SD) = 16.3-22.6], except for the social domain (M = 57.2, SD = 22.6), and with a decreasing trend over time (β from -0.06 to -0.11, ps < 0.01). Whereas, escape-avoidance coping was negatively related to all QoL domains (β = -0.35, p < 0.001 for psychological, β = -0.22, p < 0.001 for physical, β = -0.13, p = 0.045 for social, β = -0.49, p < 0.001 for environmental QoL), support- and meaning-focused coping showed positive associations with various QoL domains (β from 0.19 to 0.45, ps < 0.01). The results also suggested differences in the pursuit of coping factors as well as in the strength of associations with QoL by sociodemographic characteristics. Escape-avoidance-focused coping was negatively associated with QoL levels in older and less educated adults (simple slopes differed at ps < 0.001), in particular.

Conclusions

The results demonstrated what types of coping may be helpful to avoid QoL deterioration (i.e., support- and meaning-focused coping) and provide implications for future universal or targeted health promotion (i.e., older or less educated adults who lack social or instrumental support) and preparedness in the face of unknown challenging societal situations similar to that of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cross-sectional trends of enhanced use of escape-avoidance-focused coping and QoL deterioration point toward a need for increased attention from public health and policy.

Linguistic markers of processing the first months of the pandemic COVID-19: a psycholinguistic analysis of Italian university students' diaries

A longitudinal psycholinguistic study was conducted with 107 students from different Italian universities that produced daily photo-diary entries for two weeks, one at the beginning and the other at the end of the first Italian lockdown period, imposed in view of the rapid dissemination of COVID -19. The task was to take a daily photo accompanied by a short description (text). The texts accompanying the photos were analysed using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software to analyze linguistic markers representing psychological processes related to the experience of the pandemic and the lockdown, identifying potential changes in psycholinguistic variables useful for understanding the psychological impact of such harsh and extended restricted living conditions on Italian students. LIWC categories related to negation, anger, cognitive mechanisms, tentative discourse, past, and future increased statistically significantly between the two time points, while word count, prepositions, communication, leisure, and home decreased statistically significantly. While male participants used more articles at both time points, females used more words related to anxiety, social processes, past, and present at T1 and more related to insight at T2. Participants who lived with their partner showed higher scores on negative emotions, affect, positive feelings, anger, optimism, and certainty. Participants from southern Italy tended to describe their experiences from a collective and social perspective rather than an individual perspective. By identifying, discussing, and comparing these phenomena with the broader literature, a spotlight is shed for the first time on the psycholinguistic analysis of students at the national level who faced the first COVID -19 lockdown in Italy.

Knowledge, attitudes and mental health of sub-Saharan African migrants living in Tunisia during COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic potentially impacted the mental health of migrants. Our objective was to measure the prevalence of psychological distress among a group of sub-Saharan African migrants living in Tunisia, and its association with knowledge about COVID-19. The Questionnaire of Knowledge towards COVID-19 (QK-COVID-19) was used to evaluate the level of Knowledge about COVID-19. The participants were asked about their attitudes for seeking information and healthcare services related to the pandemic using a multiple-choice questionnaire. The Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25)) was used to screen for anxiety and depression. A logistic regression was used to estimate the adjusted odds of having psychological distress across levels of QK-COVID-19 score. Among the 133 participants, 34.6% (95% CI: 26.5, 42.67) had psychological distress, 91% were unemployed and 96% uninsured. Of the respondants, 20% had low QK-COVID-19 score , and 44.36% had medium score. The adjusted odds of psychological distress for those with high and medium QK-COVID-19 scores were respectively 3.9 (95% CI: 1.08, 14.13) and 6.39 (95% CI: 1.79, 22.9) times that of those with low scores. Screening and early treatment of anxiety and depression among migrants during outbreaks is an imperative. Further investigations of the determinants of mental health of sub-Saharan African migrants are needed.

Forced social isolation and lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic: depression, anxiety, trauma-distress and coping mechanisms of a Greek sample

Aim

The COVID-19 outbreak escalated into a global pandemic, pushing many governments around the world to impose measures affecting all aspects of life. Similar to other countries, Greece adopted social restriction, lockdowns, and quarantines to reduce transmission from person-to-person. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between social restriction measures, an mental health and coping strategies employed by a Greek adult sample.

Subject and methods

An online questionnaire was used to collect data during the second national lockdown (February to May 2021). A total of 650 participants (M age 33.13, 71.5% female) comprised the final sample.

Results

The results show 21.3% of respondents reported moderate-to-extremely severe anxiety, 33% moderate-to-extremely severe depression, 31.8% moderate-to-severe stress, and 38% clinically significant trauma-related distress. Hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed that the strongest contributors to adverse mental health outcomes were being female, of younger age, experiencing increases in verbal arguments at home, being separated from family and close friends, and being unable to afford enough or healthy food. Lastly, participants reported moving away from social support and into more individual strength and resilience-based coping strategies to cope with challenges.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that in addition to the detrimental effects on physical health, social restriction measures related to COVID-19 also imposed a heavy psychological burden on the population via forced social isolation, which, by design, increased not only physical distancing but also psychological distancing between people.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10389-023-01907-3.

Perception of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and its relationship with coping strategies and perceived social support in iranian people: a descriptive correlational study

BACKGROUND

Perception of the threatening disease leads to coping behaviors that can affect the treatment process. Social support can be one of the factors influencing the perception of the disease and coping strategies. Our study aimed to determine the perception of the disease, its relationship with coping strategies and social support in COVID-19 patients in Iran.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1014 patients who were hospitalized during October 2020 to May 2021 through multi-stage sampling method. The data-gathering instruments consisted a demographic information checklist, and standard questionnaires including disease perception, social support, and coping strategies. Correlation coefficient, multiple linear regression model, and simple linear regression model were used for data analysis.

RESULTS

The mean age of the participants was 40.87 ± 12.42 and the majority of them were female (67.2%(, married (60.1%), and had relatives who had COVID-19 (82.6%). There was a significant inverse relationship between variables (identity, outcomes, emotional expressions etc.) and social support (> 0.01). Also there was a significant direct relationship between variables (self-control, therapeutic susceptibility etc.) and the coping behavior (p < 0.05). There was an inverse relationship between the variables (outcomes, self-blaming, sex, etc.) (P = 0.0001) and a direct one between the variables (education, disease phase, etc.) and perceived social support (P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

These results show the importance of promoting positive coping strategies and social support in the face of large-scale health crises. The knowledge of nurses about the results of this study, who are responsible for the care and education of the patient, can be effective in the length of hospitalization and reducing costs.

Scrolling Through the COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring the Perceived Effects of Increased Social Media Use on the Mental Health of Undergraduate University Students

Social media has become increasingly integrated into the lives of students for the past decade; however, the public health restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a sharp increase in social media use in a short period of time. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of social media use on university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifteen students from a mid-sized Canadian city were interviewed to share their experiences with social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. Purposive sampling was conducted to gather a diverse sample of participants, including individuals of various ages, gender and sexual identities, and ethnicities. Thematic analysis on the 15 interviews was completed using NVivo (version 12). Participants experienced both advantages and disadvantages associated with social media use. Ease of communication and stress relief were acknowledged as the strongest benefits. Social comparison, loneliness, development of bad habits, and lack of focus were cited as major disadvantages to social media use during the pandemic. Cost-benefit analysis of social media was common, and participants expressed the importance of using social media with moderation, balance, and awareness. Our study indicates that the focus on health with respect to the pandemic should not be solely based on physical health, rather the potential mental health risks associated with social media use during the pandemic should be recognized and addressed by healthcare providers.

The Impact of Event Scale-Revised: Examining Its Cutoff Scores among Arab Psychiatric Patients and Healthy Adults within the Context of COVID-19 as a Collective Traumatic Event

The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) is the most popular measure of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It has been recently validated in Arabic. This instrumental study aimed to determine optimal cutoff scores of the IES-R and its determined six subscales in Arab samples of psychiatric patients (N = 168, 70.8% females) and healthy adults (N = 992, 62.7% females) from Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic as a probable ongoing collective traumatic event. Based on a cutoff score of 14 of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 8-items (DASS-8), receiver operator curve (ROC) analysis revealed two optimal points of 39.5 and 30.5 for the IES-R in the samples (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.86 & 0.91, p values = 0.001, 95% CI: 0.80-0.92 & 0.87-0.94, sensitivity = 0.85 & 0.87, specificity = 0.73 & 0.83, Youden index = 0.58 & 0.70, respectively). Different cutoffs were detected for the six subscales of the IES-R, with numbing and avoidance expressing the lowest predictivity for distress. Meanwhile, hyperarousal followed by pandemic-related irritability expressed a stronger predictive capacity for distress than all subscales in both samples. In path analysis, pandemic-related irritability/dysphoric mood evolved as a direct and indirect effect of key PTSD symptoms (intrusion, hyperarousal, and numbing). The irritability dimension of the IES-R directly predicted the traumatic symptoms of sleep disturbance in both samples while sleep disturbance did not predict irritability. The findings suggest the usefulness of the IES-R at a score of 30.5 for detecting adults prone to trauma related distress, with higher scores needed for screening in psychiatric patients. Various PTSD symptoms may induce dysphoric mood, which represents a considerable burden that may induce circadian misalignment and more noxious psychiatric problems/co-morbidities (e.g., sleep disturbance) in both healthy and diseased groups.

Coping with COVID-19 Pandemic and Sustained Health Behavior: A Cross-Sectional Study in Bangladesh

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people's health behavioral changes have been transposed into a new dimension. Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic may have an impact on sustained health behavior (SHB). Therefore, this study aimed to explore the validity and reliability of the COVID-19 Coping Scale among working-age individuals and to assess whether coping with COVID-19-related stress could influence SHB in this population. A cross-sectional study was conducted based on the population of the city of Dhaka in Bangladesh. A total of 263 working-age individuals (19-65 years) participated in the study. The present study results confirmed the COVID-19 Coping Scale was a valid and reliable instrument for this population. Moreover, the present finding indicated decreased odds of SHB for individuals who rated lower scores on coping with COVID-19 compared to individuals who rated higher scores; the result remained significant after controlling for gender and education (OR 0.68, 95% CI: 0.54-0.87). The present study suggests two important findings: (i) the instrument used in this study was valid and reliable in this population, and (ii) coping with COVID-19-related stress may be an important aspect of practicing SHB. Policymakers may use the highlighted findings to facilitate sustainable health behavior for long-term health benefits and to tackle future pandemics like COVID-19 or in a similar context.

Conceptual Framework for the Psychosocial Support of Nurses Caring for Patients Diagnosed with COVID-19 Infection in North West Province, South Africa

INTRODUCTION

A conceptual framework provides the detailed components or concepts identifying the interrelationships in and across a project's components. Due to a lack of psychosocial support, nurses caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 are physically, psychologically and socially affected. However, there are no conceptual frameworks for the psychosocial support of nurses caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection in North West Province, South Africa. The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for the psychosocial support of these nurses.

DESIGN

A qualitative, descriptive phenomenological and contextual research design was followed to conduct this study. Six questions were used to classify concepts and develop the proposed framework. These six crucial questions are based on the agent, recipient, context, procedure, dynamics and terminus.

FINDINGS

The results of the framework involved the mobilisation of effective managerial support, the provision of adequate human medical healthcare resources and the mobilisation of support from nurses working in non-COVID wards and family members in the provision of psychological support systems (procedure). The newly developed conceptual framework aims to support nurses caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection in North West Province (terminus) and to improve their wellbeing.

CONCLUSION

The developed framework provides information that can assist nurses in providing quality care to patients. Contribution: The framework will provide solutions for healthcare institutions to respond effectively to similar pandemics in the future, improving the psychosocial wellbeing of nurses caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

“Pandemic Fatigue” in South America: A Multi-Center Report from Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a heavy impact on daily life, leading to physical and psychosocial consequences. Nowadays, clinicians and health researchers are particularly interested in describing and facing the long-term effects of COVID-19, also known as “long-COVID syndrome”. Pandemic fatigue has been defined as a cluster of demotivation, tiredness, and psychological effects that emerge gradually over time after the infection or through the adoption of the recommended measures to combat it. In this study, we report the findings of a large survey conducted in South America involving 1448 participants (mean age: 33.9 ± 11.2 years old) from Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, Peru, and Paraguay. An online survey was launched through the common social media based on a specific assessment aimed to detect the prevalence of pandemic fatigue and associated factors. Socio-demographic characteristics, medical, and personal information were collected; the Pandemic Fatigue Scale (PFS) and the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) were also administered. We found mid-levels of pandemic fatigue among respondents (21.7 ± 7.95 score at PFS) as well as significant anxiety related to the COVID-19 pandemic (1.56 ± 2.76 score at CAS). In addition, pandemic fatigue was significantly associated with the experience of the loss of a relative/friend due to COVID-19, anxiety related to the infection, and reliance on social media as a primary source of information on the pandemic. Vaccination significantly reduced the levels of fatigue among respondents. Our findings may add to the international debate regarding the long-term health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and strategies to manage them in the general population of South America.

Global occurrence of depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to estimate the occurrence of depressive symptoms in a global population of young, middle-aged and older adults amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Study data also assessed the impact of the social restrictions caused by the pandemic on depressive symptomatology.

METHODS

A self-administered internet-based survey was completed by 111,225 individuals residing in 176 countries (March-April 2020). We retained: demographic data, depressive symptoms (PHQ8), anxieties specific to the COVID-19, personality traits (Big-Five Personality Questionnaire), comorbidity frequency, health quality, behavioral variables (i,e., staying at home, avoiding social gatherings, social distancing in the past week). Occurrence of depressive symptoms was estimated using standard cut-offs (total PHQ8 score ≥ 10). Hierarchical regression modeling examined correlates of depressive symptoms (PHQ8 score) in three groups stratified by age, i.e., 18-34, 35-54 and 55+ years.

RESULTS

Moderate to severe depressive symptoms were present in 27% of young, 15% middle-aged and 9% older adults. Younger age, female gender, not partnered, higher anxiety, and poorer health were associated with elevated depressive symptoms. Staying at home/not attending social gatherings were minor contributors to depressive symptoms in young and middle-aged adults. These were not significant in older adults. Social distancing was a marginal contributor in middle-aged and near significant in older adults, but not significant in young adults.

CONCLUSIONS

The occurrence of depressive symptoms is decreasing with advancing age. Increased risk of depressive symptoms was associated with being a younger adult, females, single/divorced, poorer health and higher anxiety. In all age groups, the presence of depressive symptoms was greater than global estimates preceding the COVID-19 pandemic. Social restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic were marginal risks for depressive symptoms.

Mental Health Disorders and Coping Strategies in Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study in Southeastern Mexico

Mental health disorders are relatively common in the general population and were already an important issue for the healthcare sector before COVID-19. COVID-19, being a worldwide crucial event and evidently a great stressor has increased both the prevalence and incidence of these. Therefore, it is evident that COVID-19 and mental health disorders are closely related. Moreover, several coping strategies exist to endure said disorders such as depression and anxiety, which are used by the population to confront stressors, and healthcare workers are not the exception. This was an analytical cross-sectional study, conducted from August to November 2022, via an online survey. Prevalence and severity of depression, anxiety, and stress were assessed via the DASS-21 test, and coping strategies were assessed via the CSSHW test. The sample consisted of 256 healthcare workers and of those, 133 (52%) were males with a mean age of 40.4 ± 10.35, and 123 (48%) were females with a mean age of 37.28 ± 9.33. Depression was prevalent in 43%, anxiety in 48%, and stress in 29.7%. Comorbidities were a significant risk factor for both depression and anxiety with an OR of 10.9 and 4.18, respectively. The psychiatric background was a risk factor for depression with an OR of 2.17, anxiety with an OR of 2.43, and stress with an OR of 3.58. The age difference was an important factor in the development of depression and anxiety. The maladaptive coping mechanism was prevalent in 90 subjects and was a risk factor for depression (OR of 2.94), anxiety (OR of 4.46) and stress (OR of 3.68). The resolution coping mechanism was a protective factor for depression (OR of 0.35), anxiety (OR of 0.22), and stress (OR of 0.52). This study shows that mental health disorders are highly prevalent among healthcare workers in Mexico and that coping strategies are associated with their prevalence. It also implies that not only occupations, age, and comorbidities might affect mental health, but also the way patients confront reality and the behavior and decisions they take towards stressors.

We Are Not Islands: The Role of Social Support in the Relationship between Perceived Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Psychological Distress

COVID-19 containment measures, including social distancing, quarantine, and confinement, significantly impacted social connectedness and contributed to heightened levels of perceived stress. Prior research has established that protective factors can mitigate emotional distress. This study investigated the protective role of social support in the relationship between perceived stress and psychological distress among a sample of university students. Participants (n = 322) completed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Perceived Stress Scale, short forms of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, the trait scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale. The results indicated that high levels of perceived stress were associated with high levels of hopelessness, depression, and anxiety. In terms of direct and mediating effects, social support was significant for depression and hopelessness but not for anxiety. Furthermore, the relationship between perceived stress and depression was higher for those with high levels of social support than for those with lower levels of social support. The findings suggest that in addition to enhancing social support resources, interventions must assist students in managing the uncertainty and anxiety associated with the pandemic. Furthermore, students' appraisals of support and the extent to which support is experienced as beneficial must also be examined prior to the implementation of interventions.

Anxiety and Depression during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Coping Strategies

BACKGROUND

Evidence suggests increased anxious-depressive symptoms in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic, also in its second wave. High symptom variability across individuals suggests that risk and protective factors, including coping strategies, can play a mediating role.

METHODS

General Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Brief-COPE questionnaires were administered to people attending a COVID-19 point-of-care. Univariate and multivariate methods were used to test the association of symptoms with risk and protective factors.

RESULTS

A total of 3509 participants (27.5% with moderate-severe anxiety; 12% with depressive symptoms) were recruited. Sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, including age, sex, sleep, physical activity, psychiatric treatments, parenthood, employment, and religiosity were associated with affective symptoms. Avoidant (self-distraction, venting, behavioral disengagement) and approach (emotional support, self-blame but not positive reframing and acceptance) coping strategies predicted greater anxiety. Avoidant strategies, including venting, denial, behavioral disengagement, substance use, and self-blame, and the humor strategy were associated with more severe depressive symptoms, while the planning predicted the opposite.

CONCLUSIONS

Coping strategies, in addition to socio-demographic and life-habit factors, could have contributed to modulating anxious and depressive symptoms during the second-wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, thus advocating for interventions aimed at promoting positive coping strategies to reduce the psychosocial toll of the pandemic.

Toward a Positive Life beyond COVID-19: Problem-Solving Appraisal as a Resistance Resource in the Relationship between Stress and Well-Being in Students

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major global stressor that has been associated with elevated risk of negative mental health symptoms. As a helping profession, our main task should be identifying factors that may shield individuals from the negative consequences of stress, rather than only focusing on the causes and symptoms of stress. One such factor, identified in the literature, is an individual's perception of their problem-solving skills. In this study we investigate the role of problem-solving appraisal in the association between perceived stress and psychological well-being. Participants were students (n = 322) who completed the Problem Solving Inventory, the Perceived Stress Scale, the short forms of the trait scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale. The results demonstrate the health-sustaining benefits of problem-solving appraisal, as all dimensions of problem-solving appraisal (problem-solving confidence, approach-avoidance style, and problem-solving control) were directly associated with hopelessness and anxiety. The stress-buffering role of problem-solving appraisal with respect to hopelessness was demonstrated through the interaction between perceived stress and problem-solving appraisal. However, problem-solving appraisal did not buffer the effects of stress on anxiety. The findings indicate that problem-solving appraisal may be an important protective resource that could be beneficial for coping with other negative events and experiences beyond COVID-19. The implications of these findings for interventions are discussed.

A qualitative study of positive psychological experiences and helpful coping behaviours among young people and older adults in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic

While much research has focused on challenges that younger and older people have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, little attention has been given to the capacity for resilience among these groups. We therefore explored positive psychological experiences and coping behaviours that protected mental health and well-being. Participants were 40 young people (aged 13-24) and 28 older adults (aged 70+) living in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interviews were held between May 2020 and January 2021. We generated six themes using qualitative thematic analysis, including: engagement in self-fulfilling activities, increased sense of social cohesion, personal growth, use of problem-focused strategies to manage pandemic-related stressors, giving and receiving social and community support, and utilising strategies to regulate thoughts and emotions. While all six themes were relevant both to younger and older adults, there were nuances in how each was experienced and enacted. For example, many older adults adjusted their routines given worries about virus vulnerability, while some young people experienced greater personal growth amidst increased awareness of mental health as they navigated the various lockdown restrictions.

Italian University Students' Resilience during the COVID-19 Lockdown-A Structural Equation Model about the Relationship between Resilience, Emotion Regulation and Well-Being

Over the past two years, the consequences of the severe restrictions imposed by the rapid spread of COVID-19 among the global population have been a central focus of scientific research. The pandemic has been a singular and unexpected event that found people unprepared and vulnerable in responding to its emergence, resulting in substantial psychological distress. Scientific evidence has highlighted that adolescents and emerging adults have been among those populations at greatest risk of adverse psychological outcomes, even in the long term. In particular, more than one-third of young adults reported high levels of loneliness, and nearly half of 18- to 24-year-olds felt lonely during the pandemic, experiencing both psychological and emotional distress. The lockdown, the consequent suspension of face-to-face academic activities and the severe restriction of social life have disrupted the daily routines of students already involved in coping with developmental tasks related to identity formation and the relational experience. Under such conditions, emotions and emotional regulation skills are crucial in adapting behavior to reach academic goals and face mounting levels of distress. Therefore, several studies have investigated resilience mechanisms and coping strategies of emerging adults during the pandemic. The present study focuses on university students and explores the impact of resilience and emotional regulation on adverse psychological outcomes related to persistent distress conditions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Students were administered a self-report assessment battery through an online platform at the beginning (T0) and the end of the lockdown (T1). A structural equation model (SEM) was used to explore the relationship between resilience, emotional regulation difficulties and psychological distress (depression, anxiety and stress). The findings indicate that psychological resilience and emotion regulation are protective factors that buffer the extent of possible distress resulting from an adverse condition such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Living with the Threat of Covid-19: Exploring the Psychological Impact of Covid-19 in Those who Conceived Through ART Versus Spontaneously

OBJECTIVES

To explore and compare anxiety relating to the threat of Covid-19 in pregnancy by women who conceived through assisted reproductive technology (ART) and spontaneously. We also examined the psychological coping strategies used and lived experience for both groups.

METHODS

A total of 21 women who conceived through ART at a private university based IVF and a matched sample of women who conceived spontaneously were enrolled from July 2020 to February 2021. This was a mixed methods study. Covid-19-specific anxiety was measured using the coronavirus anxiety scale (CAS) as well as a validating qualitative data model with the use of open-ended questions to expand on quantitative findings.

RESULTS

In both groups of women the level of anxiety detected by the CAS was low and mixed coping strategies (emotion-focused and problem-solving) were utilized. The ART group expressed more positive feelings towards pregnancy during the Covid-19 pandemic.

CONCLUSION

The vulnerable ART group is no more at risk for negative emotional well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, healthcare providers ought to be knowledgeable of various Covid-19 coping strategies that may provide emotionally protective measures for all women of reproductive age. This is of particular importance as effective coping may ultimately prevent disruptions that could compromise prenatal care during the covid-19 pandemic.

Psychological Distress, Fear and Coping Strategies among Hong Kong People During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to potential adverse effects on the mental health status of a wide range of people. This study aimed to identify factors associated with psychological distress, fear and coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among general population in Hong Kong. Psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale; level of fear was evaluated using the Fear of COVID-19 scale; and coping strategies were assessed using the Brief Resilient Coping Scale. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify key factors associated with these mental health variables. Of the 555 participants, 53.9% experienced moderate to very high levels of psychological distress, 31.2% experienced a high level of fear of COVID-19, and 58.6% showed moderate to high resilient coping. Multivariable logistic regression indicated that living with family members, current alcohol consumption, and higher level of fear were associated with higher levels of psychological distress; perceived stress due to a change in employment condition, being a frontline worker, experiencing 'moderate to very high' distress, and healthcare service use to overcome the COVID-19 related stress in past 6 months were associated with a higher level of fear; and perceived better mental health status was associated with a moderate to high resilient coping. This study identified key factors associated with distress, fear and coping strategies during the pandemic in Hong Kong. Mental health support strategies should be provided continuously to prevent the mental impact of the pandemic from turning into long-term illness.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-021-02338-7.

Emociones, afrontamiento y autorregulación del aprendizaje en universitarios

Durante la pandemia por COVID-19 las universidades han mostrado preocupación por el estado emocional y el aprendizaje eficaz del estudiantado. El afrontamiento y la autorregulación del aprendizaje constituyen factores protectores para reducir el estrés y para lograr óptimos aprendizajes, siendo afectados por distintas condiciones personales y contextuales. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la relación de distintas características sociodemográficas con las emociones, el afrontamiento al estrés y la autorregulación del aprendizaje en universitarios mexicanos durante el confinamiento por COVID-19. Participaron 854 estudiantes de las regiones Centro, Sur-Sureste y Noroeste del país, quienes respondieron un cuestionario de autoinforme en línea. Se observaron diferencias significativas en las emociones en función del sexo, periodo académico, entorno, espacio de estudio y recursos tecnológicos disponibles. El afrontamiento fue mayor en las mujeres, estudiantes de períodos académicos iniciales y aquellos con más dispositivos electrónicos. A su vez, las mujeres y los estudiantes en entornos rurales indicaron mayor autorregulación del aprendizaje. Estos hallazgos muestran que las características sociodemográficas, traducidas en condiciones de vivienda y distintivos académicos y personales, inciden en el afrontamiento al estrés y la autorregulación del aprendizaje; por lo tanto, requieren ser consideradas en las propuestas educativas a fin de promover un mejor aprendizaje en los universitarios.

A review of common mental health problems in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Asia

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has negatively impacted people's lives, neurobiological health, and general well-being throughout the world. South Asian countries have experienced high frequencies of psychiatric concerns that have worsened during the pandemic. This review aimed to determine the aggregated prevalence of common mental health problems (e.g., depression, fear, anxiety, stress, insomnia, and suicidal tendencies) and their associated factors among community populations in South Asian countries. Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was undertaken using multiple databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Global Health, Google Scholar and ResearchGate to retrieve articles. Overall, 22 articles were included. The prevalence of concerns ranged widely with respect to estimates of symptoms of depression (10.2-85.9%), fear (38.5-88.8%), anxiety (8.1-62.5%), stress (10.56-91.77%), and insomnia (13.32-53.45%). In addition, the prevalence of suicidal ideation was estimated to range between 5% and 8%. Factors associated with mental health concerns included socio-demographic, behavioral and health-related measures, and COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors. The findings suggest poor mental health among general populations in South Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, identifying individuals with mental health concerns and implementing interventions including mental health counseling appear warranted among these populations.

Adaptability favors positive academic responses and posttraumatic growth under COVID-19: a longitudinal study with adolescents

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted an abrupt adoption of online learning worldwide challenging students’ scholastic engagement and their ability to self-regulate their learning. Under these unexpected conditions, adaptability (one’s capacity to adjust thoughts, behaviors, and emotions in new and uncertain situations) might have sustained students to maintain high engagement and find new learning solutions. Students with high adaptability might also interpret COVID-19-related novelty as an opportunity and show higher posttraumatic growth levels. A longitudinal path analysis showed that in a sample of 435 Italian students (11–18 years old), adaptability at Time 1 positively related to engagement, self-regulated learning, and posttraumatic growth at the end of the school year, indirectly favoring academic achievement, through the mediation of engagement and self-regulated learning. These findings highlight the unique role that adaptability could play in supporting students in unexpected and stressful situations. Fostering students’ adaptability could therefore have beneficial effects on their personal growth and academic success.

Aging in Place: Connections, Relationships, Social Participation and Social Support in the Face of Crisis Situations

OBJECTIVES

We seek to identify active coping strategies used by older adults to face the pandemic and to deal with daily stressors, and to clarify which factors had an effect on stress, positive emotions and depression in active and healthy community-dwelling older adults in the first and second year of the pandemic in Costa Rica.

METHODS

Participants were living in their own homes in Costa Rica (n = 218, mean age 69.96, 82.1% women). Participants were interviewed by phone and answered an online survey, which included socio-demographic information, mental health variables such as stressors (perceived health and fear of COVID-19, illness, perception of pandemic gravity), loneliness (whether they felt lonely and how often they felt lonely), access to Information and Communication Technologies, socio-emotional coping variables, social participation and physical activity level during the pandemic.

RESULTS

Positive socio-emotional indicators related to well-being such as self-efficacy, social support, perceived health and proactive behavior were high. Negative well-being indicators such as perceived stress, emotional COVID-19 fear and loneliness showed low values in the sample studied during both years. We found significant relations across the dependent variables (perceived stress, positive emotions and depression) by studying the psychological well-being coping strategies.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight the importance of coping strategies and social participation in the capacity of older adults to mitigate the negative psychological consequences of crisis situations and provide evidence of "aging in place".

The Rising of the Shield hero. Development of the Post-Traumatic Symptom Questionnaire (PTSQ) and Assessment of the Protective Effect of self-esteem from trauma-related Anxiety and Depression

Background

Adverse life events such as life-threatening accidents, domestic and/or sexual violence, organic diseases (i.e., cancer), or COVID-19 can have a strong traumatic impact - generating reactions as intrusive thoughts, hyperarousal, and avoidance. Indeed, the traumatic impact of COVID-19 seems to lead individuals to experience anxiety and depression. However, the Anxiety-Buffer Hypothesis suggests that self-esteem could be considered a shield (buffer) against traumatic experiences and their outcomes (i.e., anxiety and depression). The present study has two objectives. First, to develop a measure of the impact of the traumatic event considering the aforementioned reactions. Second, to test the process - triggered by COVID19-related traumatic experience - in which self-esteem buffers the path that leads to anxiety and depression.

Method

In Study 1 (N = 353), the Post-Traumatic Symptom Questionnaire (PTSQ) was developed and a deep investigation of its psychometric properties was conducted. In Study 2 (N = 445), a structural equation model with latent variables was performed to assess the buffering effect of self-esteem.

Results

The PTSQ has excellent fit indices and psychometric properties. According to the ABH, results confirm the buffering effect of self-esteem in the relationships between traumatic symptoms and both anxiety and depression.

Conclusion

On the one hand, the PTSQ is a solid and reliable instrument. On the other hand, that self-esteem is a protective factor against anxiety and depression related to a traumatic experience - such as COVID-19. Targeted psychological interventions should be implemented to minimize the psychological burden of the illness while promoting adaptation and positive aspects of oneself.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40653-022-00503-z.

Posttraumatic growth related to the COVID-19 pandemic among individuals with lived experience of psychiatric disorder

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has been shown to be detrimental to mental health, it may hold a parallel potential for positive change. Little is known about posttraumatic growth (PTG) as a potential outcome for individuals with lived experience of psychiatric disorders following trauma exposure, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were 1,424 adults with lived experience of a psychiatric disorder who took part in a longitudinal study of mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic conducted by the National Centre for Mental Health. PTG was measured using the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form (PTGI-SF). Factors hypothesized to be associated with PTG were investigated using linear regression. The mean participant PTGI score was 12.64 (SD = 11.01). On average, participants reported the highest scores on items related to appreciation of life and lowest on those related to spiritual change subscale. We found the strongest evidence of associations between higher levels of PTG and higher scores on assessment items related to perceived social support, B = 2.86; perceptions of the pandemic as traumatic, B = 4.89; and higher psychological well-being, B = 0.40. Taken together, we did not observe evidence of widespread PTG related to the COVID-19 pandemic among individuals with lived experiences of psychiatric disorders.

Effects of COVID-19-related psychological distress and anxiety on quality of sleep and life in healthcare workers in Iran and three European countries

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has considerably affected human beings most of whom are healthcare workers (HCWs) combating the disease in the front line.

Methods

This cross-sectional study aims to explore the effects of stress and anxiety caused by COVID-19 on the quality of sleep and life in HCWs, including physicians, nurses, and other healthcare staff. In this global study, we asked 1,210 HCWs (620 and 590 volunteers from Iran and European countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy, respectively), who age 21-70, to participate in the test. Several measures of COVID-related stress, anxiety, sleep, and life quality, including the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) are recorded.

Results

Volunteers reported high rates of stress and anxiety and poor sleep quality as well as lower quality of life. The correlation analysis between the measures is reported. According to the results, regardless of the location, HCWs, predominantly female nurses, developed anxiety and stress symptoms which consequently resulted in lower sleep and life quality. Both for Iranian and the European HCWs, significant differences existed between nurses and the other two groups, with the p-values equal to 0.0357 and 0.0429 for GHQ-12, 0.0368, and 0.714 for BAI measure. Even though nurses reported the most stress, anxiety, fear of COVID-19, lower quality of life and sleep in both countries, and also an increase in other measures as well, there existed no statistically significant difference in FCV-19S, PSQI, and WHOQOL-BREF.

Discussion

This study helps to expand our knowledge the effects of pandemics on HCWs and also for healthcare management to predict HCW's mental health conditions in similar situations.