Resilience: Safety in the Aftermath of Traumatic Stressor Experiences

Psychosocial and neurobiological aspects of the worldwide refugee crisis: From vulnerability to resilience

Anisman, H., Doubad, D., Asokumar, A. & Matheson, K. Psychosocial and neurobiological aspects of the worldwide refugee crisis: From vulnerability to resilience. NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV, XXXX. Immigration occurs between countries either to obtain employment, for family reunification or to escape violence and other life-threatening conditions. Refugees and asylum seekers are often obligated to overcome a uniquely challenging set of circumstances prior to and during migration. Settlement following immigration may pose yet another set of stressors related to acculturation to the host country, as well as financial insecurity, discrimination, language barriers, and social isolation. Here we discuss the multiple consequences of immigration experiences, focusing on the health disturbances that frequently develop in adults and children. Aside from the psychosocial influences, immigration-related challenges may cause hormonal, inflammatory immune, and microbiota changes that favor psychological and physical illnesses. Some biological alterations are subject to modification by epigenetic changes, which have implications for intergenerational trauma transmission, as might disruptions in parenting behaviors and family dysfunction. Despite the hardships experienced, many immigrants and their families exhibit positive psychological adjustment after resettlement. We provide information to diminish the impacts associated with immigration and offer strength-based approaches that may foster resilience.

Transgenerational hormesis in healthy aging and antiaging medicine from bench to clinics: Role of food components

Neurodegenerative diseases have multifactorial pathogenesis, mainly involving neuroinflammatory processes. Finding drugs able to treat these diseases, expecially because for most of these diseases there are no effective drugs, and the current drugs cause undesired side effects, represent a crucial point. Most in vivo and in vitro studies have been concentrated on various aspects related to neurons (e.g. neuroprotection), however, there has not been focus on the prevention of early stages involving glial cell activation and neuroinflammation. Recently, it has been demonstrated that nutritional phytochemicals including polyphenols, the main active constituents of the Mediterranean diet, maintain redox balance and neuroprotection through the activation of hormetic vitagene pathway. Recent lipidomics data from our laboratory indicate mushrooms as strong nutritional neuronutrients with strongly activity against neuroinflammation in Meniere' diseaseas, a model of cochleovestibular neural degeneration, as well as in animal model of traumatic brain injury, or rotenone induced parkinson's disease. Moreover, Hidrox®, an aqueous extract of olive containing hydroxytyrosol, and Boswellia, acting as Nrf2 activators, promote resilience by enhancing the redox potential, and thus, regulate through hormetic mechanisms, cellular stress response mechanisms., Thus, modulation of cellular stress pathways, in particular vitagenes system, may be an innovative approach for therapeutic intervention in neurodegenerative disorders.

Protective and Risk Factors for Suicidal Ideation and Behavior Among Sexual Minority Women in the United States: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the factors associated with suicidal ideation and behavior and serious suicidal ideation and behavior among sexual minority women (SMW), including resilience, discrimination, mental health, and sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: Web-based surveys were conducted with SMW from across the United States during January-February, 2022 using psychometric valid tools. Bivariate, hierarchical regression, and logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Results: Of 497 participants, 70% were identified as bisexual and 30% as lesbian. The mean scores for anxiety, depression, and stress were significantly higher among bisexual women compared to their lesbian counterparts (p < 0.05). The proportion of serious suicidal ideation and behavior was higher among bisexual women compared to lesbian women (53.9% vs. 41.2%, p = 0.012). Conversely, the mean scores of resilience were lower among bisexual women compared to lesbian women (139.7 ± 33.4 vs. 147.5 ± 33.6, p = 0.024). Lesbian women had nearly 57.4% lower odds of having serious suicidal ideation and behavior as compared to bisexual women (adjusted odds ratio = 0.426; p = 0.023). Experiencing anxiety, depression, victimization distress, and family discrimination distress were positively associated with serious suicidal ideation and behavior, whereas personal resilience and family cohesion were negatively associated with serious suicidal ideation and behavior. Conclusions: Tackling structural inequities such as racism and homophobia remains vital to improving the mental health of SMW. Interventions to strengthen social and familial supports may be particularly impactful, especially at the family level.

To Be Frail or Not to Be Frail: This Is the Question-A Critical Narrative Review of Frailty

Many factors have contributed to rendering frailty an emerging, relevant, and very popular concept. First, many pandemics that have affected humanity in history, including COVID-19, most recently, have had more severe effects on frail people compared to non-frail ones. Second, the increase in human life expectancy observed in many developed countries, including Italy has led to a rise in the percentage of the older population that is more likely to be frail, which is why frailty is much a more common concern among geriatricians compared to other the various health-care professionals. Third, the stratification of people according to the occurrence and the degree of frailty allows healthcare decision makers to adequately plan for the allocation of available human professional and economic resources. Since frailty is considered to be fully preventable, there are relevant consequences in terms of potential benefits both in terms of the clinical outcome and healthcare costs. Frailty is becoming a popular, pervasive, and almost omnipresent concept in many different contexts, including clinical medicine, physical health, lifestyle behavior, mental health, health policy, and socio-economic planning sciences. The emergence of the new "science of frailty" has been recently acknowledged. However, there is still debate on the exact definition of frailty, the pathogenic mechanisms involved, the most appropriate method to assess frailty, and consequently, who should be considered frail. This narrative review aims to analyze frailty from many different aspects and points of view, with a special focus on the proposed pathogenic mechanisms, the various factors that have been considered in the assessment of frailty, and the emerging role of biomarkers in the early recognition of frailty, particularly on the role of mitochondria. According to the extensive literature on this topic, it is clear that frailty is a very complex syndrome, involving many different domains and affecting multiple physiological systems. Therefore, its management should be directed towards a comprehensive and multifaceted holistic approach and a personalized intervention strategy to slow down its progression or even to completely reverse the course of this condition.

An assessment of appraisals of dating relationship conflicts and perceptions of appropriate coping strategies with psychologically abusive interactions

Introduction

Stemming from a stress appraisal and coping perspective, the present investigation developed a methodology for assessing how individuals appraise abusive dating relationship conflicts (Study 1) and the implications of such appraisals for informing coping responses to abusive interactions (Study 2).

Methods

Participants ranging in age from 17 to 29 years (Study 1: 102 males, 339 females; Study 2: 88 males, 362 females) completed a survey in which they were presented with a series of 10 scenarios that conveyed relationship conflict cues that were ostensibly aligned with various forms of psychological abuse.

Results

Factor analyses indicated that blatant actions conducted in privacy were differentiated from more ambiguous public forms of psychological abuse, in that the latter were appraised by both males and females as more abusive. Females were further likely to appraise blatant conflicts as more threatening but at the same time more resolvable. Participants who had encountered abuse in their own intimate relationships were especially likely to appraise conflicts as abusive, threatening and uncontrollable. Such appraisals were associated with greater endorsement of avoidant coping strategies in response to an abusive encounter, irrespective of personal relationship experiences.

Discussion

It is suggested that how individuals appraise relationship conflicts may be key to their ability to cope effectively with such encounters or to provide appropriate support to those experiencing psychologically abusive relationships.

Believing in science: Linking religious beliefs and identity with vaccination intentions and trust in science during the COVID-19 pandemic

Despite evidence supporting numerous scientific issues (e.g. climate change, vaccinations) many people still doubt the legitimacy of science. Moreover, individuals may be prone to scepticism about scientific findings that misalign with their ideological beliefs and identities. This research investigated whether trust in science (as well as government and media) and COVID-19 vaccination intentions varied as a function of (non)religious group identity, religiosity, religion-science compatibility beliefs, and/or political orientation in two online studies (N = 565) with university students and a Canadian community sample between January and June 2021. In both studies, vaccination intentions and trust in science varied as a function of (non)religious group identity and beliefs. Vaccine hesitancy was further linked to religiosity through a lack of trust in science. Given the ideological divides that the pandemic has exacerbated, this research has implications for informing public health strategies for relaying scientific findings to the public and encouraging vaccine uptake in culturally appropriate ways.

Race, everyday discrimination, and cognitive function in later life

Discrimination is pernicious in many ways, but there are inconsistent findings regarding whether it is harmful to cognitive function in later life. To address the inconsistency, we use two closely related concepts of everyday discrimination to predict cognitive trajectories in a diverse sample. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we examine whether the frequency of discrimination, measured at baseline with six questions, is related to poorer cognitive function and change in function over time (2008-2016). Age at baseline ranged from 53 to 100. Growth curve models of initial cognitive function and change in function were estimated. Everyday global discrimination was associated with poorer initial cognition and slower declines over time, and these relationships were not moderated by race and ethnicity. By contrast, the relationship between everyday racial discrimination and cognition was moderated by race: more frequent everyday racial discrimination was associated with better initial cognitive function among Black adults but not among Hispanic and White adults. Discrimination is a multifaceted concept, and specific types of discrimination manifest lower or higher cognitive function during later life for White, Black, and Hispanic adults.

Physicians' Resilience as a Positive Effect of COVID-19

People devoid of COVID-19 may exhibit mental health problems, such as anxiety disorders, depression, panic attack, insomnia, emotional disorder, and suicidal actions. Healthcare workers (HCWs) may also exhibit these problems. Physicians should be careful an "at-risk" population. Physicians revealed higher levels of resilience than the popular workers. Humans with stronger resilience have lower feeling of anxiety and depression. We investigated the risk to physicians from an infected environment to infected patients during the pandemic. The social and psychological support of all HCWs, particularly physicians, is significant in the fight against this pandemic. Physicians working with patients with COVID-19 should set enough time to relax, sleep, and spend time with family. Resilience in physicians facing COVID-19 can induce post-traumatic growth in the future.

Protective effects of physical activity on mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has been linked with increased reports of depression, anxiety, and stress. Stay-at-home directives during the pandemic-imposed lifestyle changes, including eating and sedentary behaviors that can further undermine mental health outcomes. Physical activity is a vital component for metabolic health, as well as for mental health by serving as an active coping strategy to manage stress and promote resilience. Global reports of increased sedentary leisure behaviors have been associated with feelings of depression and anxiety, but it unclear whether the relationship between physical activity and depression or anxiety persists over time. In this longitudinal study, we investigated (i) whether physical activity at the onset of the pandemic was related to feelings of depression or anxiety over time and (ii) whether this relationship was mediated by stress appraisals during the pandemic. We surveyed 319 adults living in Canada or the United States to assess physical activity, stress appraisals, and mental health outcomes at two time points over a 6-month period. We found a reduction in leisure-time physical activity that was linked to subsequent feelings of depression. Furthermore, individuals with lower levels of physical activity were more likely to appraise their COVID-19 situation to be uncontrollable at pandemic onset and as the pandemic continued. Stress appraisals of threat and uncontrollability were also positively related to feelings of depression. Modelling these three factors together showed that appraising a situation as uncontrollable mediated the relationship between initial physical activity and subsequent depressive feelings. Although correlational, these data highlight the protective role of leisure-time physical activity against worsened mental health outcomes during periods of prolonged stress.

Validation of the Indonesian resilience evaluation scale in an undergraduate student population

BACKGROUND

Psychological resilience is an important factor in coping with Potentially Traumatic Events (PTEs) and might mitigate the development of trauma-related disorders. Due to the high risk of natural disasters, criminal activity, and transportation accidents among the Indonesian population, it is critical to assess psychological resilience as a protective factor. This study aimed to validate the Resilience Evaluation Scale (RES) in Indonesian undergraduate students.

METHODS

We recruited 327 students (78% female, the mean age is 19.61 (SD = 1.24)) between March and June 2020 using convenience sampling, 256 (78.28%) of whom completed the RES twice with an interval of 2 weeks for test-retest reliability purposes. Parallel Analysis and Exploratory Factor Analysis were performed to examine the construct validity of the RES. The internal consistency and the test-retest reliability were assessed using Cronbach Alpha, Pearson Correlations, and Interclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC). Convergent and divergent validity were examined using Pearson Correlations.

RESULTS

EFA analysis yielded a two-factor structure for the final eight-item Indonesian version of RES, which reflected two underlying constructs of resilience: self-confidence and self-efficacy. The Indonesian version of RES demonstrated good internal consistency (α = 0.74-0.82) and test-retest reliability (r = 0.68-0.78; ICC = 0.67-0.78). The result showed that the RES total and subscale scores positively correlated with all criterion variables (resilience, self-efficacy, self-esteem, level of global functioning, and adaptive coping strategy; r = 0.27-0.73). RES total and subscale scores negatively correlated with opposite constructs (PTSD, depression, social/work impairment, and maladaptive coping strategy; r = - 0.27- -0.46).

CONCLUSIONS

The current study showed that the Indonesian RES is a valid and reliable measurement of psychological resilience in Indonesian undergraduate students. The final 8-item Indonesian RES, a freely available resilience instrument, is recommended for future studies and public mental health initiatives in the Indonesian population.

The Role of Spirituality and Religiosity in Healthcare During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Integrative Review of the Scientific Literature

The pandemic caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has been affecting populations globally since the end of 2019. Previous studies have indicated that spirituality in these times of crisis serves as a source of hope and well-being that helps people get through the day. This study investigated the role of spirituality and religiosity in healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. An integrative review of the scientific literature available on PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases and a review of the gray literature in the Information System on Gray Literature in Europe (OpenGrey) were carried out. From a total of 1,338 articles searched; 25 articles were included in this review (22 quantitative observational, 2 qualitative and one randomized controlled trial). Our findings revealed the importance of including spirituality in clinical practice for both health professionals and patients. On the one hand, spirituality can be considered a good coping strategy used by healthcare professionals to promote mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting in greater patient satisfaction with the care given. On the other hand, addressing spiritual needs of individuals leads to a reduction in stress, anxiety, depression, and an increase in resilience and hope among patients.

Bearing Witness as Social Action: Religious Ethics and Trauma-Informed Response

Written from a standpoint of religious ethics, this article interprets the work of trauma response and recovery in transcendent and moral terms not always apparent to the practitioner or institution. This article provides a broad understanding of spirituality, transcendence, and faith as these concepts relate to Judith Herman’s stages of trauma healing and the characteristics of trauma-informed response articulated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. These features are then mapped onto specific modes of transcendence and moral themes identifiable in a wide range of religious traditions. The connective framework for this mapping is provided by utilizing the concept “bearing witness,” as synthesized from a wide range of disciplinary perspectives, to describe the work of trauma-informed response. This article concludes by recognizing bearing witness as a form of social action, a moral response with implied if not explicit religious dimensions and spiritual implications, for which an understanding of religious ethics is a helpful ally. Thus, this article concludes that religious ethics can be a valuable resource and partner in addressing the personal, systemic, and political aspects of trauma response and recovery, enabling attention to spiritual well-being of both the trauma survivor and the one responding to the survivor.

Living with parents with problematic substance use: Impacts and turning points

BACKGROUND

Growing up in an environment where substance use is prevalent creates a climate for adverse childhood experiences. These experiences can contribute to mental and psychological problems later in life.

METHODS

This study used an exploratory study design to explore the experiences of individuals whose upbringing was influenced by substance use at home or who had parents with addiction problems.

RESULTS

Four themes shaped the participants' lives: (1) impact of substance use at home on children; (2) school influences on substance use; (3) aggravating traumatic life experiences, and d) rebuilding a battered life.

CONCLUSION

Growing up in homes with addictions created an environment for traumatic events and encounters. Participants adopted diverse strategies to cope with these experiences, such as leaving home, using substances early in life, and dropping out of school. Screening and intervention for childhood trauma should be encouraged both in schools and community health settings. Such interventions can reduce substance use among school children to deal with ensuing trauma.

Cross-Sectional Study of Resilience, Positivity and Coping Strategies as Predictors of Engagement-Burnout in Undergraduate Students: Implications for Prevention and Treatment in Mental Well-Being

In a population of young adults, this study analyzes possible linear relations of resilience and positivity to coping strategies and engagement-burnout. The aim was to establish a model with linear, associative, and predictive relations, to identify needs and make proposals for therapeutic intervention in different student profiles. A population of 1,126 undergraduate students with different student profiles gave their informed, written consent, and completed validated questionnaires (CD-RISC Scale; Positivity; Coping Strategies of Stress; Engagement, and Burnout). An ex post-facto design involved bivariate association analyses, multiple regression and structural predictions. The results offered evidence of associations and predictive relationships between resilience factors, positivity, coping strategies and engagement-burnout. The factors of resilience and positivity had significant differential associations (positive and negative) with factors of coping strategies. Their negative relationship to burnout factors, and positive relation to engagement factors, is especially important. Results of structural analysis showed an acceptable model of relationships between variables. We conclude with practical implications for therapeutic intervention: (1) the proactive factors of resilience reflect a perception of self-efficacy and the ability to change adaptively; (2) the reactive factors of resilience are usually associated with withstanding experiences of change, uncertainty or trauma.