A short-form measure of loneliness

How Much Is It Weighing on You? Development and Validation of the Secrecy Burden Scale

Keeping a secret is often considered burdensome, with numerous consequences for well-being. However, there is no standardized measure of secrecy burden, and most studies focus on individual/cognitive burden without considering social/relational aspects. This research aimed to develop and validate a secrecy burden measure tapping both intrapersonal and interpersonal components. Study 1 used exploratory factor analysis to reveal a four-factor model of secrecy burden: Daily Personal Impact, Relationship Impact, Pull to Reveal, and Anticipated Consequences. Study 2 used confirmatory factor analysis to replicate this factor structure and found that each factor was uniquely associated with different emotional and well-being outcomes. Study 3 employed a longitudinal design and found that higher scores on each factor predicted lower authenticity and higher depression and anxiety 2 to 3 weeks later. Altogether, this research is the first step in standardizing a secrecy burden measure and applying it to real-world secrets and well-being outcomes.

Assessment of Sexual Violence Risk Perception in Men Who Have Sex With Men: Proposal for the Development and Validation of "G-Date"

BACKGROUND

Sexual violence (SV) is a significant problem for sexual minorities, including men who have sex with men (MSM). The limited research suggests SV is associated with a host of syndemic conditions. These factors tend to cluster and interact to worsen one another. Unfortunately, while much work has been conducted to examine these factors in heterosexual women, there is a lack of research examining MSM, especially their SV risk perception. Further, MSM are active users of dating and sexual networking (DSN) mobile apps, and this technology has demonstrated usefulness for creating safe spaces for MSM to meet and engage partners. However, mounting data demonstrate that DSN app use is associated with an increased risk for SV, especially given the higher likelihood of using alcohol and other drugs before sex. By contrast, some researchers have demonstrated that DSN technology can be harnessed as a prevention tool for HIV; unfortunately, no such work has progressed regarding SV.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to (1) use qualitative and quantitative methods to tailor an existing laboratory paradigm of SV risk perception in women for MSM using a DSN mobile app framework and (2) subject this novel paradigm to a rigorous validation study to confirm its usefulness in predicting SV, with the potential for use in future prevention endeavors.

METHODS

To tailor the paradigm for MSM, a team of computer scientists created an initial DSN app (G-Date) and incorporated ongoing feedback about the usability, feasibility, and realism of this tool from a representative sample of MSM. We used focus groups and interviews to assist in the development of G-Date, including by identifying relevant stimuli, developing the cover story, and establishing the appropriate study language. To confirm the paradigm's usefulness, we are conducting an experimental study with web-based and face-to-face participants to determine the content, concurrent, and predictive validities of G-Date. We will evaluate whether certain correlates of SV informed by syndemics and minority stress theories (eg, history of SV and alcohol and drug use) affect the ability of MSM to detect SV risk within G-Date and how paradigm engagement influences behavior in actual DSN app use contexts.

RESULTS

This study received funding from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism on September 10, 2020, and ethics approval on October 19, 2020, and we began app development for aim 1 immediately thereafter. We began data collection for the aim 2 validation study in December 2022. Initial results from the validation study are expected to be available after December 2025.

CONCLUSIONS

We hope that G-Date will enhance our understanding of factors associated with SV risk and serve as a useful step in creating prevention programs for this susceptible population.

Predicting hostility towards women: incel-related factors in a general sample of men

Hostility towards women is a type of prejudice that can have adverse effects on women and society, but research on predictors of men's hostility towards women is limited. The present study primarily introduced predictors associated with misogynist involuntary celibates (incels), and then investigated whether loneliness, rejection, attractiveness, number of romantic and sexual partners, right-wing authoritarianism, and gaming predicted hostility towards women among a more general sample of men. A total of 473 men (aged 18-35, single, heterosexual, UK residents) recruited via Prolific answered the hostile sexism subscale, the misogyny scale, the self-perceived sexual attractiveness scale, the right-wing authoritarianism scale, the game addiction scale for adolescents, the adult rejection-sensitivity scale, the UCLA loneliness scale, and self-developed questions regarding number of sexual and romantic partners, and time spent gaming. We found a strong positive relationship between right-wing authoritarianism and hostility towards women, as well as a strong convex curvilinear relationship between attractiveness and hostility towards women. The number of sexual partners showed a moderate concave relationship with hostility towards women. We did not find sufficient support for a relationship between gaming and hostility towards women, and there was no support that loneliness, rejection, or romantic partners predicted hostility towards women among a general sample of men. Our study supports right-wing authoritarianism and self-perceived attractiveness as potential strong predictors in understanding men's hostility towards women in the wider community. Pre-registration: https://osf.io/ms3a4.

Brief report: Social comparison, hypercompetitiveness, and indirect aggression: Associations with loneliness and mental health

Indirect aggression is commonly used in adulthood, but most researchers have focused on this behavior in romantic relationships or from an intrasexual competition perspective. Therefore, we aimed to understand the social characteristics and mental health correlates of indirect aggression by combining perspectives from developmental psychopathology and evolutionary psychology. We examined: (1) whether social characteristics (social comparison, hypercompetitiveness) contributed to indirect aggression (perpetration, victimization) and (2) whether there were indirect effects from indirect aggression (perpetration, victimization) to mental health difficulties through loneliness. In a cross-sectional sample of 475 young adults (57.7% women, 51.6% White, Mage = 20.2, SDage = 2.18), path analyses revealed that social comparison predicted indirect aggression victimization, which indirectly predicted mental health difficulties (depression, anxiety, somatic symptoms) through loneliness. In contrast, indirect aggression perpetration was only predicted by hypercompetitiveness. The findings highlight that reframing cognitions associated with social comparison could help prevent indirect aggression and mental health difficulties among young people.

Ease-of-retrieval mediates the relations of negative emotional states and passage of time judgments

Little research has investigated the relations of emotional states and passage of time judgments over a long period and explored the mechanisms underlying the relations. In this research, we conducted three studies (N = 2010 in total) in the three time points throughout a year including the end of 2020, the beginning and middle of 2021. In each study, we measured participants' negative emotional states that arise in daily life (including loneliness, anxiety, and depression), feelings of how easy/hard to recall the things having done in the last year, and yearly passage of time judgments. The results from the three studies consistently showed that individuals' feelings of ease-of-retrieval mediated the relations of negative emotional states and yearly passage of time judgments. The stronger the negative emotional states, the harder people feel to recall the things from the last year, and the faster people perceive time passing last year. This research provides novel insights for understanding the relations of negative emotional states and passage of time judgments, and importantly, individuals' feelings of ease-of-retrieval plays a significant role on explaining the relations.

Investigating social media addiction and impact of social media addiction, loneliness, depression, life satisfaction and problem-solving skills on academic self-efficacy and academic success among university students

Introduction

The negative effects of post-COVID-19 restrictions have been detected in students' mental well-being due to internet addiction, changing habits, despair and uncertainty. Students' academic success is expected to be affected by social media addiction, loneliness, depression, life satisfaction, problem solving skills and academic self-efficacy factors. This study aimed to determine the level of social media addiction and the effects of these factors on the academic success of university students and define their interactions with each other.

Methods

Four hundred nineteen questionnaires were collected between October-December 2022 at Bingöl University, Türkiye. Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, One-Way ANOVA, correlation and multiple linear regression methods were used to analyze data with the help of the SPSS 22 software.

Results

Middle level grade (GPA) average (71,17 ± 9,69 out of 100), low level social support from friends and family members (34,6%), spending more than 4 h on social media (42,5%), middle level social media addiction, moderate depression level (51,31%-PHQ > 10), mild loneliness and slight dissatisfaction with life were found among students. Furthermore, high academic self-efficacy, moderate agreement with academic performance and good problem-solving skills were indicated in the survey results. Significant differences, such as higher life satisfaction among males and higher depression among females, were measured. Academic self-efficacy scale, problem solving skills and satisfaction with life had a negative correlation with social media addiction and depression, while a positive correlation with academic performance measures. Problem solving skills, satisfaction with life, fourth class vs. others and living alone vs. others were positive predictors of the academic self-efficacy. Meanwhile, loneliness was a negative predictor of the academic self-efficacy, while higher problem-solving skills and being female were positive factors leading to a higher GPA.

Discussion

The fact that the participants were only students from Bingöl University limits the ability to generalize the results. Policymakers could implement social and problem-solving skills training to develop better academic programs and cognitive-behavioral therapy for students' academic success.

My Dog, My Hero: Assessing the Feasibility of a Cross-Generational Digital Storytelling Intervention for Veterans

During the COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation had a devastating effect on well-being. Veterans were among the most vulnerable given their high rates of military trauma-related conditions. Research supports that dogs can provide veterans with a sense of purpose, social support, and stress management. Digital storytelling provided a unique perspective with focus on a recognized hero, the veteran's dog, and an opportunity for engagement with other veterans during COVID-19. The purpose of the study was to assess the feasibility of this digital storytelling intervention based on Story Theory framework and tailored to encompass components of cross-generational collaboration in combination with individual and group virtual sessions as a mechanism to promote social engagement. The research was conducted using a descriptive exploratory design. Veterans (N = 8) were paired with a trained student and grouped in sets of four. There were eight guided 1-hour weekly virtual sessions to create their digital story. Demographic and pre-post intervention survey data were also collected. Based on eight established criteria, this article systematically evaluates the feasibility of the digital storytelling intervention for veterans. The findings suggest practical considerations to ensure viability of digital storytelling as a therapeutic intervention for veterans and other populations at-risk for suboptimal well-being.

Keyboard coercion: Online and face-to-face sexual aggression in a college sample

Objective: This work sought to assess relationships between sexually aggressive behavior occurring through the use of technology and social media, perceived social norms of sexually aggressive behavior, and face-to-face sexual aggression and coercion. Participants: Participants were 663 undergraduate students (73.1% Female). Methods: Participants completed measures assessing perceived social norms of sexually aggressive strategies, personal sexual strategies used, alcohol use, cyberbullying, sexual victimization, personal wellbeing, and socially desirable responding. Results: Thirty percent of participants reported engaging in some form of sexually aggressive behavior offline; 15.6% endorsed engaging in sexual cyberbullying. However, 100% of participants endorsed the belief that their peers were engaging in some form of sexually aggressive behavior either online or offline. Conditional process modeling revealed a significant indirect effect of perceived social norms of sexually aggressive behavior on face-to-face sexual aggression via sexual cyberbullying (b = .0015, p < .001, 95% CI [.0030, .0110]), indicating mediation. Conclusions: The present work highlights the importance of further research in the domain of sexual cyberbullying.

Intergenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment and offspring behavioral adjustment problems and competence

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have consistently highlighted that exposure to childhood maltreatment adversely affects the developmental domains of subsequent generations. Little, however, is known about the relationship between maternal childhood maltreatment history and adolescent development, as well as the mediator role of offspring childhood maltreatment.

OBJECTIVE

The current study attempts to investigate the mediating role of offspring childhood maltreatment in the relationship between maternal childhood maltreatment history and offspring behavioral adjustment problems and competence.

METHODS

Participants were 1102 adolescents aged 10-15 years (Mage = 12.14, SD = 1.22) and their mothers (Mage = 39.40, SD = 5.31). Participating adolescents filled out self-report instruments assessing their childhood maltreatment by their mothers, self-esteem, academic performance, loneliness, and prosocial and aggressive behaviors between October 2018 and May 2019. In addition, we collected data from mothers on their childhood maltreatment history.

RESULTS

We analyzed the data through a structural equation model. The findings revealed insignificant direct effects of maternal childhood maltreatment history on offspring behavioral adjustment problems and competence. Yet, indirect effects demonstrated that offspring maltreatment by mothers mediated the relationship between maternal childhood maltreatment history and offspring behavioral adjustment problems and competence. Maternal childhood maltreatment history was significantly associated with offspring maltreatment (β = 0.30; p < .001), which in turn was linked to a higher level of behavioral adjustment problems (β = 0.40; p < .001) and a lower level of competence (β = -0.71; p < .001).

CONCLUSION

The research findings extend our understanding of the relationship between maternal childhood maltreatment history and offspring behavioral adjustment problems and competence, identifying the mediating role of offspring maltreatment.

Who Benefits from Acute Psychiatric Home Treatment? A Systematic Review

Home treatment (HT) treats patients in an acute crisis through an interdisciplinary team with daily appointments for a short treatment period. The effectiveness of HT has already been confirmed. However, only few studies addressed specific patient characteristics associated outcome of treatment. This study aimed to identify patient characteristics associated with successful outcomes of HT. A systematic literature search was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. A total of 13 studies were included in the systematic review. Being employed, having a regular income, having an anxiety disorder and family involvement were associated with a successful treatment outcome in HT. High symptom severity and former hospital admissions were associated with unsuccessful treatment outcome in HT in the selected studies. HT seems to be especially beneficial for patients with paid employment or regular income, patients with anxiety disorders, and patients with familial or other social support.

Facing the Next "Geriatric Giant"-A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis of Interventions Tackling Loneliness and Social Isolation Among Older Adults

OBJECTIVES

Loneliness and social isolation are associated with adverse health outcomes, especially within the older adult population, underlining the need for effective interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to summarize all available evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions for loneliness and social isolation, to map out their working mechanisms, and to give implications for policy and practice.

DESIGN

Systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Older adults (≥65 years).

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL for studies quantitively or qualitatively assessing effects of interventions for loneliness and social isolation in older adults, following predefined selection criteria. Risk of bias as well as small study effects were assessed and, wherever appropriate, information about effect sizes of individual studies pooled using random-effects meta-analyses. Sources for between-study heterogeneity were explored using meta-regression.

RESULTS

Of n = 2223 identified articles, n = 67 were eventually included for narrative synthesis. Significant intervention effects were reported for a proportion of studies (55.9% and 50.0% for loneliness and social isolation, respectively) and 57.6% of studies including a follow-up measure (n = 29) reported sustained intervention effects. Meta-analysis of n = 27 studies, representing n = 1756 participants, suggested a medium overall effect of loneliness interventions (d = -0.47; 95% CI, -0.62 to -0.32). Between-study heterogeneity was substantial and could not be explained by differences in study design, year of publication, outcome measures, intervention length, participant demographics, setting, baseline level of loneliness, or geographic location. However, non-technology-based interventions reported larger effect sizes on average (Δd = -0.35; 95% CI, -0.66 to -0.04; P = .029) and were more often significant. Qualitative assessment of potential intervention mechanisms resulted in 3 clusters of effective components: "promoting social contact," "transferring knowledge and skills," and "addressing social cognition".

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Interventions for loneliness and social isolation can generally be effective, although some unexplained between-study heterogeneity remains. Further research is needed regarding the applicability of interventions across different settings and countries, also considering their cost-effectiveness.

Mental health and the overall tendency to follow official recommendations against COVID-19: A U-shaped relationship?

This paper investigates the association between several mental health indicators (depression, anxiety, stress, and loneliness) and the overall tendency to follow official recommendations regarding self-protection against COVID-19 (i.e., overall compliance). We employ panel data from the COME-HERE survey, collected over four waves, on 7,766 individuals (22,878 observations) from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden. Employing a flexible specification that allows the association to be non-monotonic, we find a U-shaped relationship, in which transitions to low and high levels of mental health are associated with higher overall compliance, while transitions to medium levels of mental health are associated with less overall compliance. Moreover, anxiety, stress, and loneliness levels at baseline (i.e., at wave 1) also have a U-shaped effect on overall compliance later (i.e., recommendations are followed best by those with lowest and highest levels of anxiety, stress, and loneliness at baseline, while following the recommendations is lowest for those with moderate levels of these variables). These U shapes, which are robust to several specifications, may explain some of the ambiguous results reported in the previous literature. Additionally, we observe a U-shaped association between the mental health indicators and a number of specific health behaviours (including washing hands and mask wearing). Importantly, most of these specific behaviours play a role in overall compliance. Finally, we uncover the role of gender composition effects in some of the results. While variations in depression and stress are negatively associated with variations in overall compliance for men, the association is positive for women. The U-shaped relation in the full sample (composed of males and females) will reflect first the negative slope for males and then the positive slope for females.

Daily Loneliness Affects Quality of Life in Sickle Cell Disease

BACKGROUND

Loneliness is related to psychosomatic challenges in chronic illnesses; however, very little research focuses on loneliness in sickle cell disease (SCD), the most common genetic blood disorder. This study used a daily diary method to illustrate how loneliness and quality of life co-occur in the day-to-day lives of people living with SCD.

METHOD

Seventy-nine adults living with SCD (63 women; mean age = 31.76 years) completed daily electronic surveys comprised of a brief loneliness scale and a single-item measure of quality of life. Participants completed each survey once per day for up to 42 consecutive days. We evaluated the effects of daily changes in loneliness on next-day quality of life through multilevel regression models.

RESULTS

Central findings indicated that there were significant between-person (b = - .993, p < .001, 95% CI = - 1.26, - .725) and within-person (b = - .202, p < .005, 95% CI = .327, - .089) effects. Specifically, participants who reported higher mean levels of loneliness also reported lower quality of life. Further, days on which participants reported higher loneliness were followed by days on which they reported lower quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS

These results may be the first to suggest a connection between loneliness and psychological outcomes in adults living with SCD. Daily fluctuations in loneliness appear to be associated with decrements in next-day quality of life. Future studies should elucidate the clinical relevance and broader health-related implications of these findings.

Facebook Use and Cyberbullying by Students with Learning Disabilities: The Role of Self-Esteem and Loneliness

The present study aimed to investigate the perceived intensity of Facebook use and the involvement in cyberbullying among elementary school students with learning disabilities, who attend General Education classrooms. Furthermore, the role of students' self-esteem and sense of loneliness in the manifestation of the above behaviors was examined. A self-report questionnaire, which included a scale on perceived intensity of Facebook use, cyberbullying, self-esteem, and sense of loneliness was completed by 211 sixth grade students (119 boys, 92 girls) from randomly selected schools located in economically diverse districts of Thessaloniki (Greece). Students had been diagnosed with learning disabilities in the past. According to the results, students and mainly girls seemed to make intense Facebook use and experience cyberbullying (as victims/bullies). Additionally, students' self-esteem and sense of loneliness predicted indirectly (negatively and positively, respectively) their involvement in cyberbullying, through the mediating role of their perceived intensity of Facebook use. The findings imply the need to implement school prevention actions aimed at strengthening psycho-emotional state of students with learning disabilities and promoting a prudent use of social media. These initiatives may prevent students with learning disabilities from future engagement in cyberbullying incidents.

Identification of distinct symptom profiles in prostate cancer patients with cancer-related cognitive impairment undergoing androgen deprivation therapy: A latent class analysis

Objective

To identify latent classes of cognitive impairment and co-occurring symptoms (fatigue, pain, sleep disturbance, depression) as clusters in patients with prostate cancer undergoing androgen deprivation therapy and to explore the predictors among distinct latent classes.

Methods

A total of 228 patients with prostate cancer were recruited in this cross-sectional study. The assessment instrument included the Perceived Cognitive Impairment Scale, the Fatigue Severity Scale, the Athens Insomnia Scale, the Brief Pain Inventory, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form, the Charlson comorbidity index, and General Information questionnaire. The identification of different patient subgroups was done by the latent class analysis.

Results

The study identified three distinct latent classes: all low symptoms (class 1, 32%), high depression symptoms (class 2, 37.7%), and high physical symptoms (fatigue, sleep disturbance, and pain) with high cognitive impairment (class 3, 30.3%). Patients who had higher Charlson comorbidity index (P = 0.003) scores were more likely to be classified in class 3. Patients with higher loneliness scores (P < 0.001; P < 0.001) were significantly more likely to fall into class two or three than in class 1. However, having a higher level of physical activity (P = 0.014; P < 0.001) increased the likelihood of being in class 1.

Conclusions

This study exhibited the inter-individual variability of symptom experience in prostate cancer patients with cognitive impairment undergoing androgen deprivation therapy. The result suggests that more emphasis should be placed on screening for fatigue, sleep disturbance, and pain, and future interventions should focus on loneliness and physical activity.

Playing Kioku Reduces Loneliness in Older Adults: A Pilot Study

Introduction: Playing together increases social connectedness, and it may be a tool to reduce loneliness. Research into the mental health benefits of board games is underdeveloped. Objectives: The study aims to examine the effects of the Kioku board game on well-being outcomes. The Kioku board game was developed in order to enable small group interactions with a focus on encouraging participants to create stories through mutual attention and interaction. We hypothesized that following a weekly intervention for 12 weeks, players would report a decrease in loneliness and an increase in well-being, compared with nonplayers. Methods: During the summer of 2022, participants in groups of 4-5 players, chose a cube word and narrated a story. A sample of 151 older adults (Mean age = 75.05 ± 6.46 years) recruited from seven community activity centers in Israel was assigned by block randomization to an intervention (n = 72) or a control group (n = 79), awaiting 4-6 weeks for future participation. Loneliness (UCLA loneliness scale) and well-being (World Health Organization 5-item scale) were evaluated at baseline and at 12 weeks. Results: A two-way repeated measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) (Group × Time) controlling for age, country of origin, and marital status revealed significant interaction effects for loneliness [F(1, 146) = 178.04, n2 = 0.549, P < 0.001] and well-being [F(1, 146) = 69.14, n2 = 0.321, P < 0.001]. Loneliness decreased in the intervention group (mean difference: 0.62 points, P < 0.001), and increased in the control group (mean difference: 0.18 points, P = 0.001). Well-being increased in the intervention group (mean difference: 0.79 points, P < 0.001) and decreased in the control group (mean difference: 0.20 points, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Our findings support the effectiveness of the Kioku board game intervention for decreasing loneliness and promoting well-being in older adults, who might still be coping with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Autistic Traits and Psychosocial Predictors of Depressive Symptoms

Higher rates of depression and of depressed mood are associated with autistic traits, and both are associated with social interaction factors, such as social self-efficacy, social motivation and loneliness. This study examined whether these social factors explain the association between autistic traits and depression. 658 participants (527 women) completed an online survey with measures of autistic traits (AQ), social self-efficacy (Social Self-Efficacy Scale), social motivation (Social Striving Assessment Scale), loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale) and depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-II). A mediation analysis found the relationship between autistic traits and depressive symptoms was fully mediated by the other three factors (β[indirect] = .005, z = 2.63, p < .01; β[direct] = .05, z = 1.58, p > .05), forming a pathway from autistic traits, to social self-efficacy, to social motivation, to loneliness and finally to depressive symptoms. These results suggest that targeting social self-efficacy may break this pathway and disrupt this relationship. Interventions targeting supporting positive social interaction should be considered.

The role of cognitive disengagement syndrome in non-suicidal self-injury among adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

AIMS

We aimed to investigate the relationship between Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (CDS) and non-suicidal self injury (NSSI) in adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

METHODS

A semi-structured psychiatric interview and an NSSI screening questionnaire were conducted. Questionnaires assessing CDS (with daydreamer, sleepy, and slow subdimensions), depression, anxiety, self-esteem, emotion regulation, coping strategies, and loneliness were administered.

RESULTS

Among 104 participants (n: 63, 60.6% girls), the combined type of ADHD was the most common (66.3%), and 35 adolescents (27 girls) were in the NSSI+ group. Although only depression and ADHD were found to be predictors of NSSI in ADHD, CDS was associated with many risk factors of NSSI in ADHD: depression, anxiety, emotion dysregulation, low self-esteem, and emotion-oriented coping ways. After controlling for the effects of cognitive problems/inattentiveness, depression, and anxiety, CDS still correlated with low self-esteem and emotion dysregulation. The daydreamer and slow sub-dimensions of CSD differed between NSSI+ and NSSI- groups, while sleepy did not.

CONCLUSIONS

CDS is associated with several relevant factors, indirectly relating it to self-harm in ADHD. CDS increases the vulnerability to mental health changes that could lead to NSSI in adolescence with ADHD.

Evaluating Workforce Mental Health and Well-Being: A Review of Assessments

OBJECTIVE

Given the importance of mental health and well-being assessments to employers' efforts to optimize employee health and well-being, this paper reviews mental health assessments that have utility in the workplace.

DATA SOURCE

A review of publicly available mental health and well-being assessments was conducted with a primary focus on burnout, general mental health and well-being, loneliness, psychological safety, resilience, and stress.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

Assessments had to be validated for adult populations; available in English as a stand-alone tool; have utility in an employer setting; and not have a primary purpose of diagnosing a mental health condition.

DATA EXTRACTION

All assessments were reviewed by a minimum of two expert reviewers to document number of questions, subscales, fee structure, international use, translations available, scoring/reporting, respondent (ie, employee or organization), and the target of the assessment (ie, mental health domain and organizational or individual level assessments.

DATA SYNTHESIS & RESULTS

Sixty-six assessments across the six focus areas met inclusion criteria, enabling employers to select assessments that meet their self-identified measurement needs.

CONCLUSION

This review provides employers with resources that can help them understand their workforce's mental health and well-being status across multiple domains, which can serve as a needs assessment, facilitate strategic planning of mental health and well-being initiatives, and optimize evaluation efforts.

Post-traumatic stress in older, community-dwelling adults with hypertension during the COVID-19 pandemic: An investigation of pre-pandemic sociodemographic, health, and vascular and inflammatory biomarker predictors

COVID-19 pandemic-related traumatic stress (PRTS) symptoms are reported in various populations, but risk factors in older adults with chronic medical conditions, remain understudied. We therefore examined correlates and pre-pandemic predictors of PRTS in older adults with hypertension during COVID-19. Participants in California, aged 61-92 years (n = 95), participated in a pre-pandemic healthy aging trial and later completed a COVID-19 assessment (May to September 2020). Those experiencing ⩾1 PRTS symptom (n = 40), and those without PRTS symptoms (n = 55), were compared. The PRTS+ group had poorer mental and general health and greater impairment in instrumental activities of daily living. Pre-pandemic biomarkers of vascular inflammation did not predict increased odds of PRTS; however, greater pre-pandemic anxiety and female gender did predict PRTS during COVID-19. Our findings highlight PRTS as a threat to healthy aging in older adults with hypertension; targeted approaches are needed to mitigate this burden, particularly for females and those with pre-existing anxiety.

Approachability and Credibility of Virtual Character Faces: The Role of the Horizontal Viewing Angle

OBJECTIVE

The present work explores how the horizontal viewing angle of a virtual character's face influences perceptions of credibility and approachability.

BACKGROUND

When encountering virtual characters, people rely both on credibility and approachability judgments to form a first impression of the depicted virtual character. Research shows that certain perceptions are preferred either on frontal or tilted faces, but not how approachability or credibility judgments relate to horizontal viewing angles in finer granularity between 0° and 45°.

METHOD

52 participants performed a two-alternative forced choice (2AFC) task rating 240 pairwise comparisons of 20 virtual character faces shown in four horizontal viewing angles (0°, 15°, 30°, and 45°) on approachability and credibility. They also rated scales on individual differences based on the BIS-BAS framework (behavioral inhibition system, drive, and reward responsiveness), self-esteem, and personality traits (neuroticism, loneliness).

RESULTS

Both approachability and credibility were negatively related to the horizontal viewing angle, but the negative relationship was less pronounced for approachability. Notably, 15° tilted faces were associated with higher approachability than frontal faces by people scoring high in reward responsiveness, drive, and self-esteem, and scoring low in neuroticism and loneliness.

CONCLUSION

Our findings highlight the conditions under which showing a virtual character's face is preferred in a horizontally 15° tilted over a frontal position.

APPLICATION

The differential impact of the horizontal viewing angle on approachability and credibility should be considered when displaying virtual character faces.

Relationship between smartphone addiction, loneliness, and depression in adolescents: A correlational structural equation modeling study

PURPOSE

This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between smartphone addiction, loneliness, and depression in adolescents.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This study was designed in a correlational-cross-sectional-descriptive model and was conducted with 1041 adolescents attending high schools in a provincial center in Eastern Turkey. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a personal information form, Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version for Adolescents, UCLA Loneliness Scale, and Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale.

RESULTS

The average scores for smartphone addiction were found to be higher among females, individuals with low academic success, and those with a high-income level. Similarly, the average scores for loneliness were higher among individuals residing in broken families and those with parents who have limited literacy. Additionally, the mean scores for depression were higher among individuals with low academic success and those with a high-income level. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was observed between the duration of smartphone use and levels of smartphone addiction, loneliness, and depression.

CONCLUSION

Smartphone addiction, loneliness, and depression were found to be prevalent above the moderate level in adolescents. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was observed between the depression and loneliness scores of adolescents.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Pediatric and school nurses should assess children's phone use. Nurses are well-positioned to establish a follow-up program aimed at monitoring adolescents' efforts in managing smartphone use, offering continuous support, and providing guidance when necessary. The implementation of such programs enables prompt intervention in addressing any arising issues.

Evidence-based health messages increase intention to cope with loneliness in Germany: a randomized controlled online trial

Loneliness poses a formidable global health challenge in our volatile, post-pandemic world. Prior studies have identified promising interventions to alleviate loneliness, however, little is known about their effectiveness. This study measured the effectiveness of educational entertainment ("edutainment") and/or evidence-based, written health messages in alleviating loneliness and increasing intention to cope with loneliness. We recruited 1639 German participants, aged 18 years or older. We compared three intervention groups who received: (A) edutainment and written health messages, (B) only edutainment, or (C) only written health messages, against (D) a control group that received nothing. The primary outcomes were loneliness and intention to cope with loneliness. Participants were also invited to leave comments about the interventions or about their perception or experiences with loneliness. We found a small (d = 0.254) but significant effect of the written messages on increased intention to cope with loneliness (b = 1.78, t(1602) = 2.91, P = 0.004), while a combination of edutainment and written messages significantly decreased loneliness scores (b = -0.25, t(1602) = -2.06, P = 0.04) when compared with the control, even after adjusting for covariables including baseline values, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and hope. We also observed significantly higher self-esteem scores after exposure to a combination of edutainment and written messages (b = 0.821, t(1609) = 1.76, one-tailed P = 0.039) and significantly higher hope scores after exposure to edutainment-only (b = 0.986, t(1609) = 1.85, one-tailed P = 0.032) when compared with the control group. Our study highlights the benefits of using written messages for increasing intention to cope with loneliness and a combination of edutainment and written messages for easing loneliness. Even in small "doses" (less than 6 min of exposure), edutainment can nurture hope, and edutainment combined with written messages can boost self-esteem.

Measuring social determinants of health in the All of Us Research Program

To accelerate medical breakthroughs, the All of Us Research Program aims to collect data from over one million participants. This report outlines processes used to construct the All of Us Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) survey and presents the psychometric characteristics of SDOH survey measures in All of Us. A consensus process was used to select SDOH measures, prioritizing concepts validated in diverse populations and other national cohort surveys. Survey item non-response was calculated, and Cronbach's alpha was used to analyze psychometric properties of scales. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine associations between demographic categories and item non-response. Twenty-nine percent (N = 117,783) of eligible All of Us participants submitted SDOH survey data for these analyses. Most scales had less than 5% incalculable scores due to item non-response. Patterns of item non-response were seen by racial identity, educational attainment, income level, survey language, and age. Internal consistency reliability was greater than 0.80 for almost all scales and most demographic groups. The SDOH survey demonstrated good to excellent reliability across several measures and within multiple populations underrepresented in biomedical research. Bias due to survey non-response and item non-response will be monitored and addressed as the survey is fielded more completely.

War-related stress scale

BACKGROUND

The current war in Ukraine has affected the well-being of people worldwide. In order to understand how difficult the situation is, specific stressors associated with war need to be measured. In response, an inventory of war-related stressors including its short form, has been developed.

METHODS

A list of potential war-related stressors was created, and the content validity of each item assessed. The list, along with other validated scales, was administered to a representative sample of the Slovak population (effective N = 1851). Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity analysis and network analysis were carried out to determine the optimal scale (long and short form) focused on war-related stressors.

RESULTS

The full version of the scale consists of 21 items, further divided into three factors: society-related stressors, person-related stressors, and security-related stressors. The short version of the scale comprises nine items loaded onto one factor. These items cover concerns for one's safety and future, access to necessities, potential worsening of the economic situation, and the risk of conflict escalation, including a nuclear threat. The results of the network analysis indicate that concern about escalation and fear of an economic crisis play a central role.

CONCLUSIONS

The scale attempts to encompass a wide spectrum of areas that are affected by war and its potential consequences on individuals who reside outside the conflict zone. Given the complexity of the issue, researchers are invited to modify the scale, tailoring it to specific cultural, geographical, and temporal contexts.

A controlled evaluation of social prescribing on loneliness for adults in Queensland: 8-week outcomes

Introduction

There have been few controlled evaluations of Social Prescribing (SP), in which link workers support lonely individuals to engage with community-based social activities. This study reports early outcomes of a trial comparing General Practitioner treatment-as-usual (TAU) with TAU combined with Social Prescribing (SP) in adults experiencing loneliness in Queensland.

Methods

Participants were 114 individuals who were non-randomly assigned to one of two conditions (SP, n = 63; TAU, n = 51) and assessed at baseline and 8 weeks, on primary outcomes (loneliness, well-being, health service use in past 2 months) and secondary outcomes (social anxiety, psychological distress, social trust).

Results

Retention was high (79.4%) in the SP condition. Time × condition interaction effects were found for loneliness and social trust, with improvement observed only in SP participants over the 8-week period. SP participants reported significant improvement on all other outcomes with small-to-moderate effect sizes (ULS-8 loneliness, wellbeing, psychological distress, social anxiety). However, interaction effects did not reach significance.

Discussion

Social prescribing effects were small to moderate at the 8-week follow up. Group-based activities are available in communities across Australia, however, further research using well-matched control samples and longer-term follow ups are required to provide robust evidence to support a wider roll out.

The Longitudinal Relationship between Cyberbullying Victimization and Loneliness among Chinese Middle School Students: The Mediating Effect of Perceived Social Support and the Moderating Effect of Sense of Hope

Compared with traditional forms of bullying (e.g., physical bullying, verbal bullying), cyberbullying victimization can bring heavy psychological damage to the victim of bullying. Studies have found that cyberbullying victimization leads to higher levels of depression and causes anger and emotional problems. Nevertheless, existing studies mainly focus on traditional bullying while affording scant consideration to the longitudinal impact of cyberbullying on mental well-being. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of cyberbullying victimization on middle school students' loneliness while simultaneously investigating the mediating role of perceived social support and the moderating role of feelings of hope. A total of 583 middle school students were surveyed using four self-report questionnaires. Cyberbullying victimization predicts loneliness. Perceived social support mediates the role of cyberbullying victimization in influencing cyberbullying. Sense of hope moderated the direct pathway and the second half of the mediating role pathway. First, many mediating and moderating variables of cyberbullying victimization affect loneliness, and different mediating and moderating variables can be studied in the future. Second, future studies could expand this study's sample to validate the results of this study. Third, this study only collected data at two time points, and future studies could collect data at multiple time points. Cyberbullying victimization can increase loneliness over time. Perceived social support and a sense of hope can mitigate the effects of cyberbullying victimization on an individual's mental health.

The relationship between gender, psychosocial factors, pain, health literacy and health-related quality of life in parents of Norwegian adolescents one year into the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Stress impacts healthy behaviours and may influence life and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). A stressful event occurred when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020. The present study aims to explore possible gender differences in stress, psychosocial factors (self-efficacy, self-esteem, loneliness), pain, HL, and HRQOL in parents of adolescents one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, and to explore possible associations between gender, demographic and psychosocial factors, pain, HL, and HRQOL.

METHODS

Parents of adolescents aged 16-17 took part in the study from January to February 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic was ongoing. Data on socio-demographics, stress, self-efficacy, self-esteem, pain, HL, loneliness, and HRQOL were collected. HRQOL was assessed using RAND-36.

RESULTS

Among the 320 parents from the general population, the mean age was 47.6 (standard deviation (SD) = 4.6) years, 81% were mothers, 79% were married or cohabiting, 81% had a university degree, and the majority worked full time (78%) or part time (13%). The average pain score was low, 0.48 (95% CI [0.43-0.54]). However, 50% of the parents reported persistent pain and more mothers reported persistent pain compared to fathers (53% vs. 37%). The parents' mean (SD) score for RAND-36 was 52.1 (95% CI [51.2-53.0]) for the physical component summary (PCS) score and 51.0 (95% CI [50.0-52.1]) for the mental component summary (MCS) score. Mothers reported significantly lower scores for all the eight RAND-36 domains and the PCS and MCS scores. Adjusting for gender, age, living condition, education, pain, HL, self-efficacy and loneliness, we revealed no associations between stress and RAND-36-PCS. University education of four years or more was positively associated (B = 3.29, 95% CI: [0.78-5.80]) with RAND-36-PCS, while persistent pain was negatively associated (B = -7.13, CI: [-9.20- -5.06]). We identified a strong negative association between RAND-36-MCS and stress (B = -43.11, CI: [-48.83- -37.38]) and a positive association with older age (B = 0.21, CI: [ 0.04, 0.39)].

CONCLUSION

One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, we identified a strong negative association between stress and mental HRQOL, while pain was strongly negatively associated with physical HRQOL.

Solitary Cannabis Use and Related Consequences Among College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Solitary cannabis use has been associated with greater cannabis problems than social use and may be increasingly prevalent due to pandemic-related isolation. However, little is known about patterns, correlates, and consequences of solitary cannabis use. This study sought to characterize solitary cannabis use since pandemic onset, examine psychosocial risk factors, and examine interactions between solitary and social cannabis use frequency on cannabis consequences. College students (N = 168) who were lifetime cannabis users at a private, northeastern university in the US completed an online cross-sectional survey in fall of 2020. Past-year solitary cannabis use was common among life-time cannabis users (42% past year, 29% monthly or more), especially among past-year regular cannabis users (85% monthly or more). Solitary use frequency was associated with interpersonal sensitivity and pandemic-related stress. Further, solitary use attenuated associations of social use frequency with cannabis consequences, such that social use frequency was associated with greater consequences only among exclusively social users. In contrast, regardless of social use frequency, solitary users reported greater cannabis consequences than exclusively social users. Findings suggest solitary cannabis use is concurrently associated with greater cannabis consequences, and affective risk factors (interpersonal sensitivity, pandemic stress) should be considered for prevention and intervention strategies.

The relationship between fear of missing out and mobile phone addiction among college students: the mediating role of depression and the moderating role of loneliness

Background

Mobile phone addiction has adverse influences on the physical and mental health of college students. However, few studies shed light on the effect of fear of missing out on mobile phone addiction and the underlying mechanisms among college students.

Methods

To explore their associations, the present study used the Fear of Missing Out Scales (FoMOS), Loneliness Scale (USL-8), Mobile Phone Addiction Index Scale (MPAI), and Depression-Anxiety-Stress Questionnaire (DASS-21) to investigate 750 college students.

Results

The results suggested that fear of missing out significantly positively predicted mobile phone addiction. This direct effect could be mediated by depression, and the indirect effect of fear of missing out on mobile phone addiction could be moderated by loneliness. Specifically, the indirect effect was stronger for students with high levels of loneliness.

Conclusion

This study provides a theoretical basis for developing future interventions for mobile phone addiction in higher education students.

The association between neighborhood social and built environment on loneliness among young adults with cancer

PURPOSE

Young adults with cancer (YAs, aged 18-39) are at increased risk of experiencing loneliness due to their unique challenges of coping with a cancer diagnosis and treatment during young adulthood. Understanding factors that impact loneliness is critical to improving survivorship outcomes for this vulnerable YA population. Neighborhoods are key determinants of health. However, little is known about how such neighborhood characteristics are associated with loneliness among YA survivors.

METHODS

YA survivors (N = 181) drawn from the National Institutes of Health All of Us Research Program completed measures of neighborhood social environment (e.g., shared values), aspects of their neighborhood built environment (e.g., access to transit, recreational activities), and loneliness. Two total scores were calculated with higher scores reflecting higher neighborhood social cohesion and higher neighborhood walkability/bikeability (i.e., built environment). Hierarchical linear regression examined associations between the social and built environment on loneliness.

RESULTS

Higher levels of neighborhood social cohesion (β =  - 0.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) =  - 0.44, - 0.11) and neighborhood walkability/bikeability (β =  - 0.15, 95% CI =  - 0.31, - 0.006) were significantly associated with lower levels of loneliness.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that living within a cohesive social environment with neighborhood walkability/bikeability to built environment amenities such as green space, grocery stores, and public transportation is protective against loneliness among YA survivors. More longitudinal research is necessary to understand the dynamic changes in loneliness among YA survivors living in diverse social and built environments.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

YA survivors may benefit from cultivating neighbor relationships and living within neighborhoods with walkability/bikeability.

Totally All Alone with My Thoughts: Development, Psychometric Properties and Correlates of the Loneliness Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire

Introduction

The current article introduces the Loneliness Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (LATQ) and describes research evaluating its psychometric properties and correlates.

Methods

Two separate samples of university student participants (Study 1; N = 282, Study 2; N = 289) were administered the LATQ along with a battery of other measures. Whereas Study 1 involved a preliminary investigation of the psychometric properties of the LATQ, Study 2 provided an opportunity to further expand on this aim by assessing the concurrent validity of the measure across studies.

Results

Overall, psychometric analyses confirmed that the LATQ items are measured with an adequate degree of internal consistency and confirmatory factor analyses established that the nine items loaded significantly on one replicable factor. Concurrent validity was established in terms of links with other loneliness measures and a measure of persistent and intrusive negative thoughts. Furthermore, LATQ scores were associated with anti-mattering, social hopelessness, anxiety, depression, and unbearable psychache. Moreover, regression analyses established that the LATQ predicted significant unique variance in depression and psychache beyond the variance attributable to measures of loneliness and adaptability to loneliness.

Discussion

Collectively, results indicate that loneliness-related automatic thoughts represent a unique and important element of the loneliness construct. Future research applications and additional psychometric issues to address in future research are discussed and a need for a greater focus on the cognitive aspects of loneliness is explored.

Social support, attitudes toward own aging, loneliness and psychological distress among older Chinese adults: a longitudinal mediation model

The current study aimed to explore the protective factors and underlying mechanisms associated with loneliness and psychological distress among older Chinese adults within the framework of a longitudinal design. This investigation specifically focused on the mediating role of attitudes toward own aging (ATOA) in the relationship between social support and the experience of loneliness and psychological distress (comprising depression, anxiety, and stress) amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cohort of 345 elderly individuals (mean age = 83.84 years, standard deviation = 8.49 years; 55.1% females) participated in this research endeavor. The participants were required to complete self-report instruments measuring their perceived levels of social support at Time 1 (T1), attitudes towards own aging, ATOA at Time 2 (T2), and their experiences of loneliness, and psychological distress (including depression, anxiety, and stress) at T1 and Time 3 (T3). The data collection timeline encompassed baseline data collection at T1 in September 2020, a subsequent six-month follow-up at T2 in March 2021, and a one-year follow up at T3 in September 2021. The findings of this investigation unveiled a negative predictive relationship between social support at T1 and psychological distress (encompassing depression, anxiety, and stress) at T3. Furthermore, it was discerned that ATOA at T2 acted as a mediating mechanism, elucidating the longitudinal association between social support at T1 and the manifestation of loneliness and psychological distress (including depression, anxiety, and stress) at T3. The discussion section of this paper delves into an exploration of the limitations and implications inherent in these conclusions, particularly concerning their relevance to potential intervention strategies.

Investigation of daily patterns for smartphone keystroke dynamics based on loneliness and social isolation

This study examined the relationship between loneliness levels and daily patterns of mobile keystroke dynamics in healthy individuals. Sixty-six young healthy Koreans participated in the experiment. Over five weeks, the participants used a custom Android keyboard. We divided the participants into four groups based on their level of loneliness (no loneliness, moderate loneliness, severe loneliness, and very severe loneliness). The very severe loneliness group demonstrated significantly higher typing counts during sleep time than the other three groups (one-way ANOVA, F = 3.75, p < 0.05). In addition, the average cosine similarity value of weekday and weekend typing patterns in the very severe loneliness group was higher than that in the no loneliness group (Welch's t-test, t = 2.27, p < 0.05). This meant that the no loneliness group's weekday and weekend typing patterns varied, whereas the very severe loneliness group's weekday and weekend typing patterns did not. Our results indicated that individuals with very high levels of loneliness tended to use mobile keyboards during late-night hours and did not significantly change their smartphone usage behavior between weekdays and weekends. These findings suggest that mobile keystroke dynamics have the potential to be used for the early detection of loneliness and the development of targeted interventions.

Longitudinal associations between loneliness and online game addiction among undergraduates: A moderated mediation model

Online gaming addiction (OGA) has become a noteworthy public concern, especially among university students, thereby requiring in-depth scrutiny. Although previous cross-sectional studies have established a positive link between loneliness and OGA, there is a lack of longitudinal evidence within this field. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms that elucidate the connection between loneliness and OGA are still poorly understood, underscoring a crucial research gap that requires further investigation. Our study utilized a longitudinal approach and developed a moderated mediation model. From September 2021 to September 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic, data were collected from a sample of Chinese undergraduate students, with 367 participants at T1, 352 at T2, and 340 at T3. Participants completed online self-report surveys, providing valuable data on their levels of loneliness at T1, fear of missing out (FoMO) at T2, sensation seeking at T2, and OGA at T3. Our findings found that loneliness was positively linked to OGA. Further analysis demonstrated that FoMO partially mediated the link between loneliness and OGA. Meanwhile, sensation seeking moderated the pathway from FoMO to later OGA. Specifically, the effect of FoMO on OGA was significant for college students with high sensation seeking. This study offers longitudinal evidence linking loneliness and OGA, which has implications for the development of interventions to reduce OGA.

Bidirectional associations between loneliness and problematic internet use: A meta-analytic review of longitudinal studies

BACKGROUND

Loneliness and problematic Internet use (PIU) are both major public health concerns around the world. These two constructs have long been linked, but there is conflicting evidence regarding the temporal nature of the loneliness-PIU relationship.

METHOD

We searched 8 databases to identify studies examining longitudinal associations between loneliness and PIU published on or before August 2023. From the 316 articles identified, 26 studies were included with a total of 23,382 participants.

RESULTS

Moderate, positive, and significant prospective pathways were found from loneliness to PIU (r = 0.287, p < 0.001, 95 % CI [0.241, 0.331]), and from PIU to loneliness (r = 0.255, p < 0.001, 95 % CI [0.205, 0.303]). Moderator analyses suggested that the association of loneliness with PIU was stronger in samples from Eastern countries, with more males, more young adults, less time passed, and in more recent years. The association of PIU with loneliness was stronger in samples from Eastern countries, with more males, more young adults, and in more recent years.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analytic review provided the first estimation for the overall bidirectional longitudinal associations between loneliness and PIU. A deeper comprehension of the relations has implications for loneliness and PIU intervention programs, where interventions targeting both constructs might be fruitfully applied.

Life After Traumatic Brain Injury: Effects on the Lifestyle and Quality of Life of Community-Dwelling Patients

Persons who have experienced traumatic brain injury (TBI) may encounter a range of changes in their physical, mental, and cognitive functions as well as high fatigue levels. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by persons after TBI, we conducted multi-domain assessments among community-dwelling persons with a history of TBI and compared them with age- and sex-matched controls from the Northeastern Taiwan Community Medicine Research Cohort between 2019 and 2021. A total of 168 persons with TBI and 672 non-TBI controls were not different in terms of demographics, comorbidities, and physiological features. However, compared with the non-TBI group, the TBI group had a distinct lifestyle that involved increased reliance on analgesics (6.9% vs. 15.0%, respectively; p = 0.001) and sleep aids (p = 0.008), which negatively affected their quality of life. Moreover, they consumed more coffee (p < 0.001), tea (p < 0.001), cigarettes (p = 0.002), and betel nuts (p = 0.032) than did the non-TBI group. Notably, the use of coffee had a positive effect on the quality of life of the TBI group (F = 4.034; p = 0.045). Further, compared with the non-TBI group, the TBI group had increased risks of sarcopenia (p = 0.003), malnutrition (p = 0.003), and anxiety (p = 0.029) and reduced blood levels of vitamin D (29.83 ± 10.39 vs. 24.20 ± 6.59 ng/mL, respectively; p < 0.001). Overall, the TBI group had a reduced health-related quality of life, with significant challenges related to physical health, mental well-being, social interactions, pain management, and fatigue levels. Moreover, the TBI group experienced poorer sleep quality and efficiency than did the non-TBI group. In conclusion, persons who have sustained brain injuries that require comprehensive and holistic care that includes lifestyle modification, mental and physical healthcare plans, and increased long-term support from their communities. ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT04839796).

An Examination of Social Support and Mental Health in Nursing Students During COVID-19

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic limited social interactions and potential social support among residential nursing students. This study used a cross-sectional design to explore students' social living conditions and resources and their correlations with student mental health. Results demonstrated higher than expected levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. However, social living situation did not affect mental health. Both parental education and mental health therapy (used as a control) were significantly related to student-reported mental health.

Prevalence and Factors Associated With Frailty Among Older Adults Living With HIV Compared to Their Uninfected Peers From the Kenyan Coast

Objectives: a) To document the prevalence and correlates of frailty among older adults living with HIV (OALWH) and their uninfected peers, and b) Investigate HIV status as an independent predictor of frailty. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between 2020 and 2021 at the Kenyan coast among 440 older adults aged ≥50 years (257 OALWH). Frailty was assessed using the Reported Edmonton Frail Scale. Logistic regression was used to examine the correlates of frailty. Results: The prevalence of frailty was significantly higher among OALWH (24%) than their uninfected peers (13%). HIV seropositivity was not independently associated with frailty. Sleeping difficulties, ageism, higher waist/hip ratio, visiting traditional healers, HIV treatment change/interruption, prolonged illness following HIV diagnosis, and self-reported diabetes were significantly associated with higher odds of frailty. Residing in larger households, having higher income, having friends, being male and light physical activities were significantly associated with reduced odds of frailty. Conclusion: The prevalence of frailty is elevated among OALWH; however, factors other than HIV are predominant, particularly psychosocial factors. Multicomponent interventions are needed to prevent/delay and manage frailty in this setting.

Emotional responses to climate change in Norway and Ireland: a validation of the Inventory of Climate Emotions (ICE) in two European countries and an inspection of its nomological span

There is an increasing research interest in emotional responses to climate change and their role in climate action and psycho-social impacts of climate change. At the same time, emotional experience of climate change is multidimensional and influenced by a variety of factors, including the local cultural context. Here, we contribute to the scientific debate about this topic with original quality-controlled data from the general populations in Norway (N = 491) and Ireland (N = 485). We investigate the cross-cultural validity and the nomological span of eight distinct emotional responses to climate change - climate anger, climate contempt, climate enthusiasm, climate powerlessness, climate guilt, climate isolation, climate anxiety, and climate sorrow - measured using the recently introduced Inventory of Climate Emotions. We first validate the 8-factor structure of the Norwegian and English language versions of the ICE. Subsequently, we demonstrate a high degree of cross-cultural measurement invariance for these eight climate emotions. Finally, we explore the relationships between these emotional responses and a range of theoretically relevant variables. In this final step, we show that climate emotions are differentially linked to climate change perceptions, support for mitigation policies, socio-demographic factors, feelings of loneliness and alienation, environmental activism, and the willingness to prioritize the natural environment over one's immediate self-interests. Some of these links are also differentiated by the cultural context. This research presents further evidence for the structural, cross-cultural, and concurrent validity of climate emotions as postulated in the ICE framework. Moreover, it provides tools in the form of validated Norwegian and English language versions of the ICE, the complete R code for the validation analysis, as well as an informed basis for cross-cultural research on emotional responses to climate change.

Sleep and rest-activity rhythms for women at different menopausal statuses: the role of mental health

OBJECTIVE

To examine how mental health interplays with menopausal status in relation to sleep patterns and rest-activity rhythms (RARs) among middle-aged women.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study recruited 87 women aged 45 to 60 years from community and a gynecology clinic in Taiwan. Participants wore actigraphy devices for 7 days and were also assessed with self-reported questionnaires. Hierarchical regression was used to examine the effects of menopausal status and mental health on sleep and RARs.

RESULTS

Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women had higher relative amplitude and interdaily stability of RARs than premenopausal women. There were no differences in actigraphy-based sleep parameters across menopausal statuses. There was no difference in depressive symptoms or loneliness across menopausal statuses. Higher levels of depressive symptoms were significantly associated with longer sleep latency ( β = 0.26, P = 0.022) and wake after sleep onset ( β = 0.28, P = 0.012), and lower sleep efficiency ( β = -0.30, P = 0.008) after adjusting for menopausal status and age. In addition, there was marginal significance of the positive association between loneliness and interdaily stability ( β = 0.18, P = 0.079). A moderating effect ( βmenopausal status*loneliness = -0.40, P = 0.025) showed that lonelier premenopausal women exhibited greater relative amplitude (RA) of rest-activity rhythms, but lonelier menopausal women had lower RA of RAR.

CONCLUSION

Mental health plays an important role for middle-aged women with different menopausal statuses in relation to sleep patterns and RARs.

Reliability and validity evaluation of the stigma of loneliness scale in Chinese college students

BACKGROUND

The stigma of loneliness exacerbates the negative effect of loneliness, reduces the willingness to seek help, damages interpersonal relationships, and threatens health status. However, there is currently no valid scale for measuring the stigma of loneliness in China. The study aims to translate the Stigma of Loneliness Scale (SLS) and evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version.

METHODS

The investigation was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the SLS was used to conduct a questionnaire survey on 657 college students aged 17 to 24; in the second phase, the SLS, the UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-8), the Distress Disclosure Index (DDI), the Revised Cheek and Buss Shyness Scale (RCBS), the Self-Concealment Scale (SCS), the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS), the Social Phobia Scale (SPS), the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) were used to conduct the questionnaire survey on 801 college and graduates students aged 18 to 39.

RESULTS

Two dimensions of Self-stigma of Loneliness and Public Stigma of Loneliness were extracted with a cumulative factor interpretation rate of 74.60% when conducting exploratory factor analysis on the first-stage data. The factor loading of each item ranged from 0.585 to 0.890, and the commonality ranged from 0.609 to 0.735. The confirmatory factor analysis and reliability and validity test were carried out on the data gathered in the second phase, indicating that the two-factor model fits well. In addition, the scores of SLS and all dimensions were significantly positively correlated with the total scores of ULS-8, RCBS, SCS, SIAS, SPS, and K10, and negatively correlated with those of DDI and RSES. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for SLS and SSL and PSL dimensions were 0.957, 0.941, and 0.955. The cross-group invariance test found that the SLS was equivalent for males and females. Meanwhile, males scored significantly higher than females on both the total scores of SLS score and each dimension.

CONCLUSIONS

The Chinese version of SLS displayed satisfactory psychometric properties and can be a valid tool to assess the stigma of loneliness among Chinese young people.

Involuntary social isolation and alcohol consumption: an ecological momentary assessment in Germany amid the COVID-19 pandemic

AIMS

Alcohol consumption often occurs in a social setting, which was affected by social distancing measures amid the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this study, we examine how involuntary social isolation (i.e. comparing a no-lockdown stage with a lockdown stage) affects the association between loneliness, social activities, and drinking behavior.

METHOD

We performed an ecological momentary assessment eight times per day for 7 days amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. We recruited 280 participants and assessed their trait loneliness, daily state loneliness, social activities, and drinking behaviors.

RESULTS

We found that a lockdown condition moderates the association between trait and daily state loneliness and alcohol consumption. During a lockdown stage, trait loneliness was positively associated, whereas state loneliness was negatively associated with alcohol consumption. During a no-lockdown stage, trait and state loneliness were both negatively associated with alcohol consumption. For both no-lockdown and lockdown stages, duration of social interaction, male gender, and weekends was positively associated with alcohol consumption.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that an involuntary social isolation condition (i.e. a lockdown stage) changes how trait loneliness is associated with alcohol consumption.

The middle-aged and older Chinese adults' health using actigraphy in Taiwan (MOCHA-T): protocol for a multidimensional dataset of health and lifestyle

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Older adults keep transforming with Baby Boomers and Gen Xers being the leading older population. Their lifestyle, however, is not well understood. The middle-aged and older Chinese adults' health using actigraphy in Taiwan (MOCHA-T) collected both objective and subjective data to depict the health and lifestyle of this population. The objectives, design, and measures of the MOCHA-T study are introduced, and the caveats and future directions related to the use of the data are presented.

METHODS

People aged 50 and over were recruited from the community, with a subset of women aged 45-49 invited to supplement data on menopause and aging. Four instruments (i.e., self-reported questionnaires, diary, wrist actigraphy recorder, and GPS) were used to collect measures of sociodemographic, health, psychosocial, behavioral, temporal, and spatial data.

RESULTS

A total of 242 participants who returned the informed consent and questionnaires were recruited in the MOCHA-T study. Among them, 94.6%, 95.0%, and 25.2% also completed the diary, actigraphy, and GPS data, respectively. There was almost no difference in sociodemographic characteristics between those with and without a completed diary, actigraphy, and GPS data, except for age group and educational level for those who returned completed actigraphy data.

CONCLUSION

The MOCHA-T study is a multidimensional dataset that allows researchers to describe the health, behaviors, and lifestyle patterns, and their interactions with the environment of the newer generation of middle-aged and older adults in Taiwan. It can be compared with other countries with actigraphy and GPS-based lifestyle data of middle-aged and older adults in the future.

Association between social integration and loneliness among the female migrant older adults with children: the mediating effect of social support

BACKGROUND

The number of migrant older adults with children (MOAC) in China has been increasing in recent years, and most of them are women. This study aimed to explore the mediating effect of social support between social integration and loneliness among the female MOAC in Jinan, China.

METHODS

In this study, 418 female MOAC were selected using multi-stage cluster random sampling in Jinan, Shandong Province, China. Loneliness was measured by the eight-item version of the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (ULS-8), and social support was measured by The Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). Descriptive analyses, t-tests, ANOVA, and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to illustrate the relationship between social integration, social support, and loneliness.

RESULTS

The average scores of ULS-8 and SSRS were 12.9 ± 4.0 and 39.4 ± 5.9 among female MOAC in this study. Social integration and social support were found to be negatively related to loneliness, and the standardized direct effect was -0.20 [95% CI: -0.343 to -0.068] and -0.39 [95% CI: -0.230 to -0.033], respectively. Social support mediated the relationship between social integration and loneliness, and the indirect effect was -0.16 [95% CI: -0.252 to -0.100].

CONCLUSION

The female MOAC's loneliness was at a relatively lower level in this study. It was found that social integration was negatively associated with loneliness, and social support mediated the relationship between them. Helping female MOAC integrate into the inflow city and improving their social support could be beneficial for alleviating their loneliness.

Mindfulness and loneliness in retired older adults in China: mediation effects of positive and negative affect

Objectives: Drawing from the mindfulness framework and the broaden-and-build theory, this study investigates the extent to which mindfulness influences loneliness and whether the relation is mediated by positive and negative affect.Method: Data were collected from 748 retired older adults aged 60 and above in Chengdu, China in 2022. Loneliness and mindfulness were measured by the UCLA loneliness scale and by the short-form version of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, while the positive and negative affect was assessed by the International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule.Results: The results of this study show that mindfulness was positively associated with positive affect (β = 0.37, p<.001), negatively related to negative affect (β=-0.21, p<.001) and loneliness (β=-0.13, p<.001), and had an indirect effect on loneliness via positive and negative affect (β=-0.20, p<.001).Conclusion: The findings suggest that mindfulness could be a positive resource for improving mental health and reducing loneliness among retired older adults in China.

Understanding Children's Online Victimization through the Psychosocial Lens: The Roles of Loneliness, Online Social Currency, and Digital Citizenship

This study employed a risk and resilience framework to investigate the influence of multidimensional factors, considering psychosocial and behavioral aspects, on online victimization among fifth-grade children (ages 10-11). Loneliness, online social currency disturbance, and digital citizenship were examined as predictors of online victimization. Data were collected from 196 students through a self-reported online survey conducted on electronic devices provided by the schools. The findings indicated that 78.6% of fifth-graders owned a smartphone, 70.9% had a gaming console, and the most common online activities were playing online gaming (73%), talking with friends (62.8%), and seeking entertainment (62.2%). Online victimization was prevalent, with 30.8% of children reporting they had been called bad names, 24.7% receiving rude comments, 15.9% expressing feelings of worry or threat due to online harassment, and 3.1% experiencing cyberbullying lasting for days. Furthermore, the results revealed a negative association between digital citizenship and online victimization, while loneliness and online social currency disturbance were positively associated with online victimization after accounting for children's gender and time spent online. In conclusion, this study suggests that efforts to prevent and address online victimization should prioritize promoting digital citizenship and increasing awareness of the roles of loneliness and social currency disturbances in online social dynamics.

The effectiveness of nature-based therapy for community psychological distress and well-being during COVID-19: a multi-site trial

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the world population faced various mental health challenges, highlighting a need for new community-based psychosocial interventions. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of Nature-Based Therapy (NBT) for the community experiencing psychological distress during the pandemic. A multi-site trial comparing NBT and control groups was conducted in Korea with 291 participants exhibiting mild to severe depression or anxiety. A total of 192 participated in 30 sessions of therapeutic gardening, while 99 remained in the control group. Psychological distress and well-being were assessed using seven measures of depression, anxiety, daily activity, life satisfaction, mindfulness, stress, and loneliness. The effect sizes (Cohen's d) of NBT compared to the control group were medium to large: depression (0.583), anxiety (0.728), daily activity (1.002), life satisfaction (0.786), mindfulness (0.645), stress (0.903), and loneliness (0.695). Multilevel analysis revealed significant Time × Group interaction effects for all measures. Pearson correlation (r = - 0.28 to 0.71) showed that changes in all variables correlated significantly with each other, with small to large effect sizes. Therapeutic alliance at post-test positively moderated the intervention effects on the outcomes. We concluded that NBT is a promising psychosocial intervention for treating psychological distress for community dwellers.

A Blog-Based Study of Autistic Adults' Experiences of Aloneness and Connection and the Interplay with Well-Being: Corpus-Based and Thematic Analyses

Background

Autistic adults appear to be more vulnerable to mental ill health, with loneliness being a variable associated with multiple outcomes of poorer well-being. However, a description of meaningful social connection that is suitable for autistic adults is missing from this research, along with a missing understanding of the conditions that contribute to well-being.

Methods

In this study, autistic adults' experiences of connectedness and aloneness were systematically searched for within data collected from blogs. This contributed a creative method to hear the viewpoint of autistic adults. Corpus-based and thematic analyses explored the descriptions and contexts of relationships. A total of 16 autistic authors contributed views.

Results

Social connection was desired and was achieved through self-acceptance and rejecting deficit-based views of being autistic, and selectively choosing important relationships. Meaningful social connection changed over time, being more difficult to attain in childhood, and benefiting from self-learning and effortfully applying neuro-normative skills in social communication. Loneliness was only described alongside other causes of unhappiness and was not associated with being autistic.

Conclusions

The findings offer some explanation for the high estimates of both loneliness and mental ill health for autistic adults. We consider the implications for autistic individuals, clinicians, educators, and researchers. We are also cautious not to imply that these views reflect all autistic people. The findings suggest that improvements are needed in society to share communication differences and relationship expectations for autistic individuals to be accepted and valued.

Community engagement and loneliness in older adults in China: mediation effects of social support in the wake of COVID-19

Introduction

Loneliness is a key indicator of well-being in older adults. Drawing from the ecological model of aging, the active aging perspective, and the convoy model of social relations, this study investigates the extent community engagement influences loneliness and whether the relationship is mediated by social support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Data was collected from 1,067 retired older adults in a cross-sectional design in Chengdu, China in 2022. Structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the direct and indirect effects of community engagement on loneliness through the hypothesized mediator of social support.

Results

The results show community engagement was positively associated with social support (β = 0.26, p < 0.001) and social support was negatively related to loneliness (β = -0.41, p < 0.001). Social support fully mediated the relationship between community engagement and loneliness. Additionally, community engagement had an indirect effect on loneliness via social support (β = -0.11, p < 0.001).

Discussion

The findings from the moderation analysis suggests community engagement and social support are likely to have large effects on loneliness for older adults over the age of 70 and who have low educational attainment. The findings suggest community engagement could be an important factor for improving social support and reducing loneliness amongst retired, older adults in China, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic where millions of individuals were isolated for extended periods of time.