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Ramezani N, Taylor BG, Balawajder EF, MacLean K, Pollack HA, Schneider JA, Taxman FS. Predictors of mental health among U.S. adults during COVID-19 early pandemic, mid- pandemic, and post-vaccine eras. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:643. [PMID: 38424510 PMCID: PMC10902933 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-17781-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A collective trauma like COVID-19 impacts individuals differently due to socio-contextual and individual characteristics. Younger adults, minorities, affiliates of certain political parties, and residents of some regions of the United States reported experiencing poorer mental health during the pandemic. Being diagnosed with COVID-19, or losing a friend/family to it, was related to more adverse mental health symptoms. While the negative impact of COVID-19 on health outcomes has been studied, mental health changes during this pandemic need further exploration. METHODS In a study of 8,612 U.S. households, using three surveys collected from a nationally representative panel between May 2020 and October 2021, using a repeated cross-sectional design, a linear mixed effect regression model was performed to investigate factors associated with the mental health status, based on the Mental Health Inventory-5, of individuals throughout different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether an improvement over time, especially after vaccines became available, was observed. RESULTS An overall improvement in mental health was observed after vaccines became available. Individuals with no COVID-related death in their household, those not wearing masks, those identifying as members of the Republican Party, race/ethnicities other than Asian, men, older adults, and residents of the South were less likely than others to report mental health challenges. CONCLUSIONS Our results highlight the need for widespread mental health interventions and health promotion to address challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Due to the worse mental health observed among Asians, younger adults, women, low-income families, those with a higher level of concern for COVID-19, people who lost someone to COVID-19, and/or individuals with histories of opioid use disorder and criminal legal involvement, over the period of this study, targeted attention needs to be given to the mental health of these groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niloofar Ramezani
- Department of Biostatistics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Box 980032, One Capital Square, 830 East Main St, Richmond, VA, 23219, USA.
| | - Bruce G Taylor
- NORC at the University of Chicago, Public Health Department, 4350 East West Highway, 8th floor, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Elizabeth Flanagan Balawajder
- NORC at the University of Chicago, Public Health Department, 4350 East West Highway, 8th floor, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Kai MacLean
- NORC at the University of Chicago, Public Health Department, 4350 East West Highway, 8th floor, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Harold A Pollack
- Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, Department of Public Health Sciences, Urban Health Lab, University of Chicago, 969 E 60th St, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - John A Schneider
- Department of Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, University of Chicago, 5841 South Maryland Avenue MC 5065, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Faye S Taxman
- Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, 3351 Fairfax Drive Van Metre Hall, Arlington, VA, 22201, USA
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Mengzhen L, Lim DHJ, Berezina E, Benjamin J. Navigating Love in a Post-Pandemic World: Understanding Young Adults' Views on Short- and Long-Term Romantic Relationships. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2024; 53:497-510. [PMID: 37985563 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-023-02738-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The uncertain future due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the technological advancements may have altered young adults' experiences of romantic relationships. It is unclear whether individuals will continue to prefer traditional long-term romantic relationships (LTRR) or opt for short-term ones (STRR). This research describes how young adults in Malaysia perceive LTRR and STRR. Using the structured approach of the theory of social representations, data were collected from 512 participants; 238 (46.48%) male; Mage 21.75; majority were heterosexual and students, and analyzed using prototypical analysis to reveal high consensus elements. Five observations were made: (1) females prioritize "love" in both STRR and LTRR, while males prioritize "love" only in LTRR; (2) females prioritize "marriage" in LTRR, while males prioritize "trust," "comfort," and "stability." Males do not consider "marriage" as part of a LTRR; (3) both males and females view STRR positively, while LTRR are viewed more practically; (4) "sex" is a core element in STRR but is absent in LTRR; (5) males differentiate between STRR and LTRR with no overlapping elements. These findings provide insight into the social representations of romantic relationships among young adults in Malaysia and suggest future directions for research in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lim Mengzhen
- Graduate School of Arts and Letters, Meiji University, 1-1 Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-8301, Japan.
- Psychological Studies Program, Temple University, Tokyo, Japan.
| | | | | | - Jaime Benjamin
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
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Buenconsejo JU, Fincham FD, Datu JAD. The perks of being grateful to partners: Expressing gratitude in relationships predicts relational self-efficacy and life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Appl Psychol Health Well Being 2023; 15:1472-1489. [PMID: 37195635 DOI: 10.1111/aphw.12447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Being grateful to one's partner matters for a diverse range of interpersonal and individual well-being outcomes. However, there is little investigation on the psychological benefits of expressing gratitude to partners during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Using a short-term longitudinal design, this study of undergraduate students (Mage = 20.31; SDage = 1.81; n = 268) in the United States explores the link between expressing gratitude in romantic relationships, subsequent relationship self-efficacy, life satisfaction, psychological well-being, and the COVID-19 anxiety. Results demonstrated that expressing gratitude in relationships positively predicted subsequent relationship self-efficacy and life satisfaction even after controlling for age, gender, ethnic background, trait gratitude, and auto-regressor effects. These findings show that relational gratitude had incremental validity in predicting relational self-efficacy and subjective well-being above and beyond the effects of demographic factors and dispositional gratitude. This research emphasizes the psychological payoffs of cultivating gratitude in relational contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jet U Buenconsejo
- Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Frank D Fincham
- FSU Family Institute, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Jesus Alfonso D Datu
- Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Prati G, Mancini AD. Happiness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: A population-based longitudinal study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION : IJDRR 2023; 91:103711. [PMID: 37123218 PMCID: PMC10122958 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2023.103711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The aims of the present study were to investigate (1) whether the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictive measures to control its spread were associated with changes in happiness before and after the pandemic and (2) whether household size, living with a partner/spouse, living with at least one son/daughter, financial support, income loss, and job loss following the pandemic were associated with happiness after controlling for previous levels of happiness. We use data from the Italian Survey on Household Income and Wealth (SHIW). Specifically, we used longitudinal data from 2283 respondents who participated in the SHIW 2016 and SHIW 2020. Results revealed a small but significant increase in happiness from 2016 to 2021. In addition, living with a partner/spouse predicted higher happiness with a medium effect size, and total income loss predicted lower happiness with a small to medium effect size. Household size, living with at least one son/daughter, financial support, partial income loss, and job loss following the pandemic were unrelated to happiness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Prati
- Department of Psychology, University of Bologna (Italy), Piazza Aldo Moro, 90, 47521, Cesena, FC, Italy
| | - Anthony D Mancini
- Department of Psychology, Pace University, Marks Hall, Rm 33, 861 Bedford Road, Pleasantville, NY, 10570, USA
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Choi Y, Pauly T, Zambrano Garza E, Broen T, Gerstorf D, Hoppmann CA. Having time to oneself in times of extended togetherness: Solitude experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Appl Psychol Health Well Being 2023; 15:217-237. [PMID: 36135342 DOI: 10.1111/aphw.12401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated how time to oneself (solitude) is experienced under conditions of extended togetherness with household members during the pandemic. Both structural (living arrangements) and qualitative characteristics (relationship quality and conflict) were examined for their association with solitude desire and daily solitude-affect links. We expected that people living with others and those with more high-quality as well as those with more conflictual relationships would report better affect quality when experiencing solitude. A Canadian adult lifespan sample (N = 141; Mage = 38.43 years, SDage = 17.51; 81% female; 73% White; data collected from April to August 2020) provided information on household size and relationship characteristics and completed repeated daily life assessments of solitude desire, solitude, and affect. Findings show that living arrangements were not associated with an increased desire for solitude or better affect quality from solitude. Individuals reporting higher relationship quality and individuals reporting more conflict showed more favorable affect quality on days when they had time in solitude than individuals reporting lower quality relationships and lower conflict. Findings add to the growing solitude literature by delineating who seeks and benefits from solitude, and under what conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoonseok Choi
- Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Theresa Pauly
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Elizabeth Zambrano Garza
- Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Tiana Broen
- Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Denis Gerstorf
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christiane A Hoppmann
- Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Trajectories of resilience and mental distress to global major disruptions. Trends Cogn Sci 2022; 26:1171-1189. [PMID: 36302711 PMCID: PMC9595401 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a major societal disruption, raising the question of how people can maintain or quickly regain their mental health (i.e., be resilient) during such times. Researchers have used the pandemic as a use case for studying resilience in response to a global, synchronously starting, and chronic set of stressors on the individual and societal level. Our review of this recent literature reveals that mental distress trajectories during the pandemic largely resemble mental distress responses to individual-level macro-stressors, except for a lower prevalence of recovery trajectories. Results suggest more resilient responses in older adults, but trajectories are less consistent for younger and older ages compared with middle-aged adults. We call for more research integrating state-of-the-art operationalizations of resilience and using these to study resilience over the lifespan.
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