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Negri A, Barazzetti A, Rinzivillo A, Mariani R, Di Monte C. Cognitive and Relational Processes Associated to Mental Health in Italian High School Students during COVID-19 and Russian-Ukrainian War Outbreaks. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 21:508. [PMID: 38673420 PMCID: PMC11050012 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21040508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health has been widely demonstrated; however, few studies have investigated the psychological processes involved in this impact, including core beliefs violation, meaning-making disruption, interpersonal support, or one's relational functioning. This study explored the mental health of 215 Italian adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war. By administering a set of questionnaires, several cognitive and emotional variables were investigated, including core belief violation, meaning attribution to the pandemic and war, attachment, and emotion regulation, social media addiction, and relationships with significant others and teachers. We conducted some descriptive, mean difference, correlational, and predictive analyses that revealed a significant association between core belief violation caused by war and pandemic, ability to integrate war and pandemic within personal meaning universe, the relational support received, and mental health. The relationship with teachers during these challenging periods improved significantly according to the respondents' opinion, becoming both more authoritative and empathic. This study offers insights into what cognitive and relational processes are useful to intervene on to reduce the distress of adolescents who are facing significant moments of crisis due to events that challenge their cognitive and emotional balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attà Negri
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy;
| | - Arianna Barazzetti
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy;
| | | | - Rachele Mariani
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies “Sapienza”, University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (R.M.); (C.D.M.)
| | - Cinzia Di Monte
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies “Sapienza”, University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (R.M.); (C.D.M.)
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2
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Albuquerque S, Henriques M, Rosa PJ, Delalibera M, Neimeyer RA, Coelho A, Batista J. Validation of the Portuguese version of the Integration of Stressful Life Experiences Scale (ISLES) in a sample of bereaved individuals. DEATH STUDIES 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38597741 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2024.2334098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
The Integration of Stressful Life Experiences Scale (ISLES) evaluates the ability to integrate stressful experiences into one's meaning system. The present study developed and validated a version of this scale for a bereaved Portuguese-speaking population, utilizing a sample of 242 adults who had lost a significant other to diverse causes of death. The sample was predominantly female, educated, married, or in consensual unions, and actively employed. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure, consisting of 13 items, showing adequate local and global goodness-of-fit and supporting the proposed original structure. Convergent evidence based on internal structure was found for the two dimensions (Comprehensibility and Footing in the World). Regarding reliability, Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega computed for each factor showed good internal consistency and the average inter-item correlation was considered satisfactory. This psychometric support for ISLES underscores its relevance in enhancing the knowledge of meaning-making processes in the Portuguese context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Albuquerque
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Pedro Joel Rosa
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto Superior Manuel Teixeira Gomes (ISMAT), Portimão, Portugal
| | | | | | - Alexandra Coelho
- Social and Life Sciences, ISPA - University Institute of Psychological, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto IPIR Duelo y Pérdidas, Barcelona, Spain
| | - João Batista
- Psychology Research Center, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
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3
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Castiglioni M, Caldiroli CL, Manzoni GM, Procaccia R. Does resilience mediate the association between mental health symptoms and linguistic markers of trauma processing? Analyzing the narratives of women survivors of intimate partner violence. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1211022. [PMID: 37384174 PMCID: PMC10296767 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1211022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious issue for women from all cultures and backgrounds. Studies on the negative consequences of violence suggest that women with a history of abuse are more likely to display depressive and PTSD symptoms. However, recent research has focused on the mechanisms underpinning resilience and the processing of traumatic memories, including linguistic markers and how they may reflect the mental health of traumatized individuals. In this study, we analyzed trauma narratives to investigate whether resilience mediates the impact of PTSD and depression symptoms on five trauma-processing mechanisms (cognitive processing, emotional processing, perceived threat to life, self-perspective, and integration of traumatic memories). Forty-three abused women (mean age = 38.74 years; SD = 9.41) wrote about their traumatic experiences and completed instruments assessing their levels of PTSD, depression, and resilience. We used LIWC software to analyze the women's narratives in terms of linguistic markers of psychological processing. Mediation analysis indicated that resilience fully mediated the impact of mental health symptoms on emotional processing, perceived threat to life, and integration of traumatic memories and partially mediated cognitive processing and self-perspective. We discuss the clinical implications of these findings, emphasizing the need to focus on the resources and strengths of women survivors of abuse in designing targeted psychological interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Castiglioni
- Department of Human Sciences “R. Massa, ” University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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4
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Castiglioni M, Caldiroli CL, Procaccia R, Conte F, Neimeyer RA, Zamin C, Paladino A, Negri A. The Up-Side of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Are Core Belief Violation and Meaning Making Associated with Post-Traumatic Growth? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:5991. [PMID: 37297595 PMCID: PMC10252371 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20115991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health has been extensively documented, while its possible positive impact on the individual, defined as Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG), has been much less investigated. The present study examines the association between PTG and socio-demographic aspects, pre-pandemic psychological adjustment, stressors directly linked to COVID-19 and four psychological factors theoretically implicated in the change processes (core belief violation, meaning-making, vulnerability and mortality perception). During the second wave of the pandemic 680 medical patients completed an online survey on direct and indirect COVID-19 stressors, health and demographic information, post-traumatic growth, core belief violation, meaning-making capacity, feelings of vulnerability and perceptions of personal mortality. Violation of core beliefs, feelings of vulnerability and mortality, and pre-pandemic mental illness positively correlated with post-traumatic growth. Moreover, the diagnosis of COVID-19, stronger violation of core beliefs, greater meaning-making ability, and lower pre-existing mental illness predicted greater PTG. Finally, a moderating effect of meaning-making ability was found. The clinical implications were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Castiglioni
- Department of Human Sciences “R. Massa”, University of Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milano, Italy;
| | | | | | - Federica Conte
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milano, Italy;
| | | | - Claudia Zamin
- Italian Society of Relationship Psychoanalysis, 20135 Milano, Italy
| | - Anna Paladino
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy (A.N.)
| | - Attà Negri
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy (A.N.)
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5
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Castiglioni M, Caldiroli CL, Negri A, Manzoni GM, Procaccia R. Linguistic Predictors of Psychological Adjustment in Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:4482. [PMID: 36901490 PMCID: PMC10002307 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 broke out in China in December 2019 and rapidly became a worldwide pandemic that demanded an extraordinary response from healthcare workers (HCWs). Studies conducted during the pandemic observed severe depression and PTSD in HCWs. Identifying early predictors of mental health disorders in this population is key to informing effective treatment and prevention. The aim of this study was to investigate the power of language-based variables to predict PTSD and depression symptoms in HCWs. One hundred thirty-five HCWs (mean age = 46.34; SD = 10.96) were randomly assigned to one of two writing conditions: expressive writing (EW n = 73) or neutral writing (NW n = 62) and completed three writing sessions. PTSD and depression symptoms were assessed both pre- and post-writing. LIWC was used to analyze linguistic markers of four trauma-related variables (cognitive elaboration, emotional elaboration, perceived threat to life, and self-immersed processing). Changes in PTSD and depression were regressed onto the linguistic markers in hierarchical multiple regression models. The EW group displayed greater changes on the psychological measures and in terms of narrative categories deployed than the NW group. Changes in PTSD symptoms were predicted by cognitive elaboration, emotional elaboration, and perceived threat to life; changes in depression symptoms were predicted by self-immersed processing and cognitive elaboration. Linguistic markers can facilitate the early identification of vulnerability to mental disorders in HCWs involved in public health emergencies. We discuss the clinical implications of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Castiglioni
- Department of Human Sciences “R. Massa”, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Attà Negri
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy
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6
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Gennaro A, Reho M, Marinaci T, Cordella B, Castiglioni M, Caldiroli CL, Venuleo C. Social Environment and Attitudes toward COVID-19 Anti-Contagious Measures: An Explorative Study from Italy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3621. [PMID: 36834315 PMCID: PMC9962379 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Social and cultural aspects (i.e., political decision making, discourses in the public sphere, and people's mindsets) played a crucial role in the ways people responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Framed with the Semiotic-Cultural Psychological Theory (SCPT), the present work aims to explore how individual ways of making sense of their social environment affected individuals' perception of government measures aimed at managing the pandemic and the adherence to such measures. An online survey was administered from January to April 2021 to the Italian population. Retrieved questionnaires (N = 378) were analyzed through a Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) to detect the factorial dimensions underpinning (dis)similarities in the respondents' ways of interpreting their social environment. Extracted factors were interpreted as markers of Latent Dimensions of Sense (LDSs) organizing respondents' worldviews. Finally, three regression models tested the role of LDSs in supporting the individual satisfaction with the measures adopted to contain the social contagion defined at national level, individual adherence to the containment measures and the perception of the population's adherence to them. Results highlight that all the three measures are associated with a negative view of the social environment characterized by a lack of confidence in public institutions (health system, government), public roles and other people. Findings are discussed on the one hand to shed light on the role of deep-rooted cultural views in defining personal evaluations of government measures and adherence capacity. On the other hand, we suggest that taking into account people's meaning-making can guide public health officials and policy makers to comprehend what favors or hinders adaptive responses to emergencies or social crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Gennaro
- Department of Dynamic Clinical and Health Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Reho
- Department of Dynamic Clinical and Health Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Tiziana Marinaci
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, Salento University, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Barbara Cordella
- Department of Dynamic Clinical and Health Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Castiglioni
- Department of Human Sciences “R. Massa”, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Claudia Venuleo
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, Salento University, 73100 Lecce, Italy
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7
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Psychological Factors Explaining the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Mental Health: The Role of Meaning, Beliefs, and Perceptions of Vulnerability and Mortality. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:bs13020162. [PMID: 36829391 PMCID: PMC9952304 DOI: 10.3390/bs13020162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
This study tested an expanded version of the explanatory model of the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health proposed by Milman and colleagues. Participants (N = 680) completed an online survey on demographic variables associated with poor pandemic mental health, COVID-19 stressors, mental health symptoms, and pandemic-related psychological processes we hypothesized as mediating mechanisms explaining the negative mental health effects of the COVID-19 stressors. Results indicated that these psychological processes (core belief violation, meaning made of the pandemic, vulnerability, and mortality perception) explained the severity of mental health symptoms to a far greater extent than COVID-19 stressors and demographics combined. In addition, these psychological processes mediated the impact of COVID-19 stressors on all mental health outcomes. Specifically, COVID-19 stressors were associated with increased core belief violation, decreased meaning making, and more intense perceived vulnerability and mortality. In turn, those whose core beliefs were more violated by the pandemic, who made less meaning of the pandemic, and who perceived a more pronounced vulnerability and mortality experienced a worse mental health condition. This study's results suggest some possible ways of intervention in pandemic-like events useful for limiting such impact at the individual, group, social and political levels.
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8
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Vildekilde T, Connelly JJ, van Houten CS, Hansen JT, Sørensen JB, Meyrowitsch DW, Konradsen F. Making Sense or Non-Sense? Communicating COVID-19 Guidelines to Young Adults at Danish Folk High Schools. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2557. [PMID: 36767917 PMCID: PMC9916156 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about young people's behaviors and responses under outbreaks of infectious diseases such as the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in institutional settings. This research investigated the reactions of young adults residing at Danish folk high schools (FHSs) towards COVID-19 guidelines and the communicative styles used to enforce COVID-19 guidelines. The qualitative data consists of focus group discussions (FGDs) with students, interviews with staff, and participant observations, as well as survey data from 1800 students. This study showed that young adults reacted negatively when first faced with the new reality of COVID-19 restrictions. They expressed distress over the loss of meaning (non-sense), loss of sense of community, as well as uncertainty. Hygiene guidelines, however, made immediate sense and were socially well accepted. Most FHSs actively involved students in risk communication and creative examples of community-building communication were identified. This study demonstrates that successful risk communication at educational institutions must take into consideration how young adults make sense of and cope with the uncertainties of life during crisis situations including epidemics.
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Confinement : construction d’une nouvelle représentation sociale chez les étudiants et les salariés. PSYCHOLOGIE FRANCAISE 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.psfr.2022.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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10
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Sherman AC, Williams ML, Amick BC, Hudson TJ, Messias EL, Simonton-Atchley S. Adjustment to the COVID-19 pandemic: associations with global and situational meaning. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 43:1-16. [PMID: 35813567 PMCID: PMC9256532 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03354-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 has created pervasive upheaval and uncertainty in communities around the world. This investigation evaluated associations between discrete dimensions of personal meaning and psychological adjustment to the pandemic among community residents in a southern US state. In this cross-sectional study, 544 respondents were assessed during a period of reopening but accelerating infection rates. Validated measures were used to evaluate theoretically distinct dimensions of perceived global meaning (Meaning-in-Life Questionnaire) and pandemic-specific meaning (Meaning in Illness Scale). Adjustment outcomes included perceived stress, pandemic-related helplessness, and acceptance of the pandemic. In multivariate models that controlled for demographic and pandemic-related factors, stronger attained global meaning (i.e., perceptions that life is generally meaningful) and attained situational meaning (i.e., perceptions that the pandemic experience was comprehensible) were related to better adjustment on all three outcomes (all p's < .001). In contrast, seeking situational meaning (i.e., ongoing efforts to find coherence in the situation) was associated with poorer adjustment on all indices (all p's < .001). Results offer novel information regarding theoretically salient dimensions of meaning, which may have direct relevance for understanding how community residents adapt to the challenges of a major public health crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allen C. Sherman
- Behavioral Medicine Division, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, #756, 4301 W. Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA
| | - Mark L. Williams
- Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR USA
| | - Benjamin C. Amick
- Department of Epidemiology, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR USA
| | - Teresa J. Hudson
- Center for Health Services Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR USA
| | - Erick L. Messias
- Faculty Affairs and Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR USA
- Present Address: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Stephanie Simonton-Atchley
- Behavioral Medicine Division, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, #756, 4301 W. Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA
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De Vincenzo C, Serio F, Franceschi A, Barbagallo S, Zamperini A. A "Viral Epistolary" and Psychosocial Spirituality: Restoring Transcendental Meaning During COVID-19 Through a Digital Community Letter-Writing Project. PASTORAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 71:153-171. [PMID: 35034983 PMCID: PMC8749114 DOI: 10.1007/s11089-021-00991-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
This article outlines the results of a three-month-long community letter-writing and letter-sharing project called "Viral Epistolary" (VE), which we completed online in Italy during the first wave of COVID-19 lockdowns. In it, we collected 340 digital letters from all over the country and connected thousands of people through epistolary exchanges. We used the genre of letters as a mediating, meaning-making, and (auto)biographical tool whereby people could share their experiences of domestic isolation and physical distancing, thus creating a community of support. Based on a well-documented understanding of meaning-making as a core human endeavor, especially in times of social disruption and personal crisis, this article frames sense-making as a transcendental and even spiritual process that yields broad principles for organizing life. Thus, the research adopts a psychosocial perspective on spirituality and applies thematic analysis to qualitatively analyze written narratives. The results reveal that many respondents underwent a three-part, not-necessarily-sequential process of collapsing, self-distancing, and transcending during lockdown, which allowed them to rearrange themselves according to the new total social fact of the pandemic. Through this process, respondents negotiated themes of semiotic crisis, striving for meaning, and beyond meaning (the essential). Finally, the article discusses the role of meaning as a transcendental component of psychosocial meaning-making coping processes and tries to highlight how shared writing experiences can stimulate personal and communal healing processes in the wake of social crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciro De Vincenzo
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Flavia Serio
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Anita Franceschi
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Simone Barbagallo
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Adriano Zamperini
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Dipartimento FISPPA - Sezione Psicologia Applicata, Via Venezia 14, Padua, Italy
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12
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Winter DA, Brunet A, Rivest-Beauregard M, Hammoud R, Cipolletta S. Construing Worst Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the USA: A Thematic Analysis. JOURNAL OF CONSTRUCTIVIST PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/10720537.2021.2012544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David A. Winter
- Department of Psychology, Sport and Geography, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK
| | - Alain Brunet
- Psychiatry Department, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Clinical Division, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Canada
| | - Marjolaine Rivest-Beauregard
- Psychiatry Department, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Clinical Division, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Canada
| | - Razan Hammoud
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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13
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Todorova I, Albers L, Aronson N, Baban A, Benyamini Y, Cipolletta S, del Rio Carral M, Dimitrova E, Dudley C, Guzzardo M, Hammoud R, Fadil Azim DH, Hilverda F, Huang Q, John L, Kaneva M, Khan S, Kostova Z, Kotzeva T, Fathima M, Anto MM, Michoud C, Awal Miah MA, Mohr J, Morgan K, Nastase ES, Neter E, Panayotova Y, Patel H, Pillai D, Polidoro Lima M, Qin DB, Salewski C, Sankar KA, Shao S, Suresh J, Todorova R, Tomaino SCM, Vollmann M, Winter D, Xie M, Xuan Ning S, Zlatarska A. "What I thought was so important isn't really that important": international perspectives on making meaning during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Psychol Behav Med 2021; 9:830-857. [PMID: 34650834 PMCID: PMC8510597 DOI: 10.1080/21642850.2021.1981909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The global COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the physical and mental health of people everywhere. The aim of the study is to understand how people living in 15 countries around the globe experience an unexpected crisis which threatens their health and that of loved ones, and how they make meaning of this disruption in their narratives. METHODS Data were collected through an anonymous online survey during May-September 2020, which was during or just after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, depending on the country. The questionnaire included demographic and three open-ended questions as prompts for stories about experiences during the initial months of the pandemic. The text was analyzed through inductive thematic content analysis and quantified for full sample description, demographic and subsequently international comparisons. RESULTS The final qualitative dataset included stories from n = 1685 respondents. The sample was 73.6% women and 26.4% men. The mean age of participants was 39.55 years (SD = 14.71). The identified four groups of overarching themes were: The presence and absence of others; Rediscovering oneself; The meaning of daily life; Rethinking societal and environmental values. We discuss the prevalence of each theme for the sample as a whole and differences by demographic groups. The most prevalent theme referred to disruptions in interpersonal contacts, made meaningful by the increased appreciation of the value of relationships, present in (45.6%) of stories. It was more prevalent in the stories of women compared to men (χ² = 24.88, p = .001). CONCLUSIONS The paper provides a detailed overview of the methodology, the main themes identified inductively in the stories and differences according to select demographic variables. We identify several major ways of making meaning of the pandemic. The pandemic has impacted many aspects of people's lives which give it meaning, no matter where they live.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Todorova
- Department of Applied Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Nicole Aronson
- Department of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adriana Baban
- Department of Psychology, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Yael Benyamini
- Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sabrina Cipolletta
- Department of General Psychology, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Maria del Rio Carral
- Research Center for Psychology of Health, Aging and Sport Examination (PHASE), Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Elitsa Dimitrova
- Institute for Population and Human Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Claire Dudley
- Department of Psychology, St. Lawrence University Canton, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mariana Guzzardo
- Department of Human Development and Women's Studies, California State University, East Bay, CA, USA
| | - Razan Hammoud
- Department of General Psychology, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Darlina Hani Fadil Azim
- Perdana University Royal College of Surgeons School of Medicine (PURCSI), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Femke Hilverda
- Department of Socio-Medical Sciences, Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Qi Huang
- Human Development and Family Studies, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Liji John
- Department of Psychology, Prajyoti Niketan College, Thrissur, India
| | - Michaela Kaneva
- Department of Clinical, Neuro-, and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sanjida Khan
- Department of Psychology, Jagannath University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Zlatina Kostova
- University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Tatyana Kotzeva
- Institute for Population and Human Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - M.A. Fathima
- Department of Psychology, Prajyoti Niketan College, Thrissur, India
| | - Milu Maria Anto
- Department of Psychology, Prajyoti Niketan College, Thrissur, India
| | - Chloé Michoud
- Research Center for Psychology of Health, Aging and Sport Examination (PHASE), Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Julia Mohr
- Fakultät für Psychologie, Fernuniversität, Hagen, Germany
| | - Karen Morgan
- School of Health Psychology, RCSI, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | | | | | - Hemali Patel
- School of Pharmacy, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dhanya Pillai
- Perdana University Royal College of Surgeons School of Medicine (PURCSI), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Manuela Polidoro Lima
- Hospital da Liga Norte Riograndense Against Cancer in Natal, and INSA Institute Prepares - CESAC, Natal, Brazil
| | - Desiree Baolian Qin
- Human Development and Family Studies, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | | | - K. Anu Sankar
- Department of Psychology, Prajyoti Niketan College, Thrissur, India
| | - Sabrina Shao
- Department of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jeevanisha Suresh
- Perdana University Royal College of Surgeons School of Medicine (PURCSI), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Ralitsa Todorova
- Department of Psychology, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Manja Vollmann
- Department of Socio-Medical Sciences, Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - David Winter
- Centre for Research in Psychology and Sport Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK
| | - Mingjun Xie
- Institute of Developmental Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Sam Xuan Ning
- Perdana University Royal College of Surgeons School of Medicine (PURCSI), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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14
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Rudnik A, Anikiej-Wiczenbach P, Szulman-Wardal A, Conway P, Bidzan M. Offering Psychological Support to University Students in Poland During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned From an Initial Evaluation. Front Psychol 2021; 12:635378. [PMID: 34707526 PMCID: PMC8542708 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.635378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
This perspective article aims to present insights into an initiative to provide free psychological support to students at the University of Gdańsk (UG) - one of the first universities in Poland to offer such help - during the first major COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in March 2020. We begin by introducing key psychological consequences of the pandemic, with particular emphasis on university students, according to Pandemic Management Theory (PMT). Next, we highlight the most significant challenges reported to us by the students in response to the support initiative and applied psychological interventions (including psychoeducation, relaxation, arranging day plans, taking care of relationships, and "just" talking). We conclude by reflecting on the challenges for mental health posed by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the outcome of our initiative - the creation of the Academic Psychological Support Centre at the University of Gdańsk. These insights and lessons learned from developing our practice can help enhance the effectiveness of future psychological support programs through the pandemic and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Rudnik
- Institute of Psychology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
- Department of Gastroenterology, Independent Public Health Care of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs in Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
- Academic Psychological Support Center, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Paulina Anikiej-Wiczenbach
- Institute of Psychology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
- Academic Psychological Support Center, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Szulman-Wardal
- Institute of Psychology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
- Academic Psychological Support Center, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
- The Specialist Hospital in Koscierzyna, Koscierzyna, Poland
| | - Paul Conway
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mariola Bidzan
- Institute of Psychology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
- Academic Psychological Support Center, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
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15
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Reno-Chanca S, Van Hoey J, Santolaya-Prego de Oliver JA, Blasko-Ochoa I, Sanfeliu Aguilar P, Moret-Tatay C. Differences Between the Psychological Symptoms of Health Workers and General Community After the First Wave of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Spain. Front Psychol 2021; 12:644212. [PMID: 34539479 PMCID: PMC8446452 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.644212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has worsened the physical and mental health of the general population. Healthcare workers have a high risk of suffering a mental disorder after the first wave. In this way, psychologists, who deal with mental health issues and are considered as healthcare workers in many countries, are of interest in this context. The present study aimed to examine anxiety, depression, stress, and obsessions and compulsions across psychologists, healthcare professionals, and the general community. These variables were measured through the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), as well as the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), which are related to different sociodemographic variables. The study was carried out after the first wave in Spain through an online questionnaire. Structural equation modeling and a multigroup analysis were carried out across the groups and variables under study. The results suggested that; (i) healthcare workers and general community depicted similar results in anxiety and stress, as well as obsessions; (ii) the group of psychologists depicted better scores than the other groups under study; (iii) stress and anxiety did not predict compulsions in the group of psychologists; (iv) anxiety predicted obsessions for all the professions, while the relationship of this variable with stress was different for each group; and (v) invariance reached a full metric level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Reno-Chanca
- Facultad de Psicología, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, València, Spain.,Kayros Rresearch Group, València, Spain
| | - Julie Van Hoey
- Kayros Rresearch Group, València, Spain.,Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Europea de Valencia, València, Spain.,Mind, Emotion and Behavioural Research Laboratory (MEB Lab), Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, València, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Carmen Moret-Tatay
- Mind, Emotion and Behavioural Research Laboratory (MEB Lab), Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, València, Spain.,Dipartimento di Neuroscienze Salute Mentale e Organi di Senso (NESMOS) Università Sapienza di Roma, Rome, Italy
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16
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Misamer M, Signerski-Krieger J, Bartels C, Belz M. Internal Locus of Control and Sense of Coherence Decrease During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey of Students and Professionals in Social Work. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2021; 6:705809. [PMID: 34604376 PMCID: PMC8479157 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2021.705809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Mental health is severely challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic due to a variety of restrictions in public and private life. Students in particular may face additional and unique stressors: face-to-face classes have been largely replaced by digital formats, leading to further reduced social contacts, thus facilitating the development of psychological symptoms. In this study, we aimed to assess the impact of the current peri-pandemic situation on students' 1) locus of control and 2) sense of coherence, both of which have been linked to mental health in previous work. A total of 403 social work students from Germany participated, providing both retrospective (pre-pandemic) and current (February/March 2021) ratings. Furthermore, 324 social work professionals were included to analyze differences between both groups. Locus of control shifted significantly from internal to external during the pandemic for students and professionals. Furthermore, high mental burden correlated with increased external and decreased internal locus of control. Sense of coherence decreased during the pandemic for the entire sample and correlated with high mental burden. Overall, students showed a stronger drop compared to professionals, primarily due to a more pronounced decrease in perceived meaningfulness (all p < 0.001). In summary, students and professionals responded with increased feelings of powerlessness in the absence of sufficient coping strategies-this could lead to further deterioration of mental health as the pandemic continues. In this context, students appear to be particularly vulnerable to a reduction in sense of coherence. We conclude that interventions to improve coping strategies are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Misamer
- HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Signerski-Krieger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Bartels
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michael Belz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
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17
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Sanchez-Ruiz MJ, Tadros N, Khalaf T, Ego V, Eisenbeck N, Carreno DF, Nassar E. Trait Emotional Intelligence and Wellbeing During the Pandemic: The Mediating Role of Meaning-Centered Coping. Front Psychol 2021; 12:648401. [PMID: 34054650 PMCID: PMC8155707 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.648401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies investigating the COVID-19 pandemic from a psychological point of view have mostly focused on psychological distress. This study adopts the framework of existential positive psychology, a second wave of positive psychology that emphasizes the importance of effective coping with the negative aspects of living in order to achieve greater wellbeing. Trait emotional intelligence (trait EI) can be crucial in this context as it refers to emotion-related personality dispositions concerning the understanding and regulation of one's emotions and those of others. The present study investigated the relationship between trait EI and both wellbeing and psychological distress (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress), while exploring the mediating role of meaning-centered coping (proactive transformative strategies based on meaning in life) and maladaptive coping (i.e., behavioral disengagement and self-blame) during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic. A sample of 326 Lebanese adults completed measures of trait EI, wellbeing, psychological distress, coping, and meaning-centered coping. Results showed a strong positive correlation between trait EI and meaning-centered coping. Trait EI also correlated positively with wellbeing and negatively with psychological distress. Structural equation modeling showed that meaning-centered coping partially mediated the relationship between trait EI and wellbeing. Maladaptive coping fully mediated the relationship between trait EI and psychological distress. Findings indicate that trait EI is positively related to dealing with a stressful situation such as the pandemic in positive ways at both the cognitive level, by reformulating the situation to see something valuable in it, and behavioral level, by being proactive about it. Trait EI was positively linked to seeing the situation as an opportunity for personal growth, finding personal meaning in this situation, maintaining an attitude of hope and courage, and acting more responsibly with one's self and others during the current crisis. In turn, this coping formula was related to lower psychological distress and improved mental health. These results are consistent with the existential positive psychology framework and can inform implementation programs and policies aiming at raising awareness and promoting healthy and successful coping during the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Natalie Tadros
- Department of Psychology, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Tatiana Khalaf
- Department of Psychology, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Veronica Ego
- Department of Psychology, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | | | | | - Elma Nassar
- Graduate Studies and Research Office, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
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18
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Morgado AM, Cruz J, Peixoto MM. Individual and community psychological experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic: The state of emergency in Portugal. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 42:3213-3223. [PMID: 33821114 PMCID: PMC8012157 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-01676-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Individuals have different ways of coping with crisis. Individual factors, family and contextual features, and community support may influence how individuals feel, think and act during a crisis. COVID-19 was an unexpected pandemic that forced many European countries to take confinement measures and restrict social face to face interactions. This study is an effort to understand how Portuguese residents dealt with the pandemic during the first confinement period, considering different sociodemographic characteristics and trauma exposure perceptions. Five hundred and five adults, between 18 and 79 years old participated in this study via an online self-report assessment protocol. Sociodemographic characteristics such as gender, age, marital status, employment status, and caring responsibilities had an impact on individuals' perceptions regarding their exposure to the pandemic and their quality of life. Perceived exposure to the pandemic was found to predict quality of life in the physical, psychological, and environmental domains. Results have practical implications for European and local policy-making, as well as for targeting psychological interventions for those whose mental health has been negatively affected by the pandemic and for those who may become more affected if confinement measures are implemented again.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Murteira Morgado
- Escola Secundária José Falcão, Avenida Afonso Henriques, 3000-011 Coimbra, Portugal
- grid.410917.a0000 0001 1958 0680Psychology for Positive Development Research Center (CIPD), Universidade Lusíada (Porto), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana Cruz
- grid.410917.a0000 0001 1958 0680Psychology for Positive Development Research Center (CIPD), Universidade Lusíada (Porto), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria Manuela Peixoto
- grid.410917.a0000 0001 1958 0680Psychology for Positive Development Research Center (CIPD), Universidade Lusíada (Porto), Lisbon, Portugal
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19
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Bonsaksen T, Schoultz M, Thygesen H, Ruffolo M, Price D, Leung J, Geirdal AØ. Loneliness and Its Associated Factors Nine Months after the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Cross-National Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:2841. [PMID: 33799497 PMCID: PMC7999676 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18062841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 has been a global healthcare concern impacting multiple aspects of individual and community wellness. As one moves forward with different methods to reduce the infection and mortality rates, it is critical to continue to study the impact that national and local "social distancing" policies have on the daily lives of individuals. The aim of this study was to examine loneliness in relation to risk assessment, measures taken against risks, concerns, and social media use, while adjusting for sociodemographic variables. The cross-sectional study collected data from 3474 individuals from the USA, the UK, Norway, and Australia. Loneliness was measured with the de Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale. Multiple linear regression was used in the analysis of associations between variables. The results showed that concerns about finances were more strongly associated with social loneliness, while concerns about the future was more strongly associated with emotional loneliness. Longer daily time spent on social media was associated with higher emotional loneliness. In conclusion, pandemic-related concerns seem to affect perceptions of loneliness. While social media can be used productively to maintain relationships, and thereby prevent loneliness, excessive use may be counterproductive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tore Bonsaksen
- Department of Health and Nursing Science, Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, 2418 Elverum, Norway
- Faculty of Health Studies, VID Specialized University, 4306 Sandnes, Norway;
| | - Mariyana Schoultz
- Department of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK;
| | - Hilde Thygesen
- Faculty of Health Studies, VID Specialized University, 4306 Sandnes, Norway;
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Faculty of Health Science, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
| | - Mary Ruffolo
- School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (M.R.); (D.P.)
| | - Daicia Price
- School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (M.R.); (D.P.)
| | - Janni Leung
- Faculty of Health and Behavioural Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia;
| | - Amy Østertun Geirdal
- Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway;
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20
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Braun-Lewensohn O, Abu-Kaf S, Kalagy T. Hope and Resilience During a Pandemic Among Three Cultural Groups in Israel: The Second Wave of Covid-19. Front Psychol 2021; 12:637349. [PMID: 33679564 PMCID: PMC7930000 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.637349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore the coping resources of hope and sense of coherence, which are rooted in positive-psychology theory, as potential resilience factors that might reduce the emotional distress experienced by adults from three cultural groups in Israel during the chronic-stress situation of a pandemic. The three cultural groups examined were secular Jews, Ultra-Orthodox Jews, and Arabs. We compared these cultural groups during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, just before the Jewish New Year (mid-September 2020) as a second lockdown was announced. Data were gathered from 248 secular Jews, 243 Ultra-Orthodox Jews, and 203 Arabs, who were 18-70 years old (M = 37.14, SD = 12.62). The participants filled out self-reported questionnaires including the Brief Symptom Inventory as a measure of emotional/psychological distress (i.e., somatization, depression, and anxiety) and questionnaires about sense of coherence and different types of hope (i.e., intrapersonal, interpersonal, and transpersonal) as measures of coping resources and resiliency. Differences were found between the three groups in terms of several variables. The Arab participants reported the highest levels of emotional distress and the lowest levels of interpersonal and transpersonal hope; whereas the Ultra-Orthodox participants revealed the highest levels of sense of coherence and other resilience factors. A structural equation model revealed that, in addition to the sociodemographic factors, only sense of coherence and intrapersonal hope played significant roles in explaining emotional distress, explaining 60% of the reported distress among secular Jews, 41% among Ultra-Orthodox Jews, and 48% among Arabs. We discuss our findings in light of the salutogenic and hope theories. We will also discuss their relevancy to meaning-seeking and self-transcendence theory in the three cultural groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orna Braun-Lewensohn
- Conflict Management & Resolution Program, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
- *Correspondence: Orna Braun-Lewensohn
| | - Sarah Abu-Kaf
- Conflict Management & Resolution Program, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Tehila Kalagy
- Department of Public Policy & Management, Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
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21
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Marinaci T, Carpinelli L, Venuleo C, Savarese G, Cavallo P. Emotional distress, psychosomatic symptoms and their relationship with institutional responses: A survey of Italian frontline medical staff during the Covid-19 pandemic. Heliyon 2020; 6:e05766. [PMID: 33364513 PMCID: PMC7753907 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
With the advent of Covid-19, health workers have been under constant physical and psychological pressure. Italy was among the first countries to face the health emergency in a period of great uncertainty about the virus and the ways to treat patients. The present study aims to analyse the levels of emotional distress (ED) and psychosomatic symptoms (PS) of Italian frontline health workers during the Covid-19 emergency, and their relationship with the evaluation of the institutional responses received. A survey was available online during the peak of health system overload. Health workers' ED, PS and perceived overall wellbeing were assessed, along with the perceived adequacy of the emotional support, hygiene and safety measures, and protection received from the national government, regional administration and local hospital. A total of 103 questionnaires were collected [Women: 51.5%; mean age, 41.8 years; SD: ±10,7; high-risk zone: 41.7%]. Correlation analyses were applied to investigate the relationship between the measures of emotional distress and psychosomatic symptoms; ANOVA was applied to compare these measures among groups from different risk zones and with different perceived emotional and safety protection. About half of the health workers showed medium or high scores on emotional exhaustion, exceeded the cut-off for medium, high or very high psychosomatic symptom burdens, felt they have never or rarely been protected by the institutional responses and judged the emotional support received as inadequate; 32% judged the safety and hygiene measures as insufficient. Significant associations were found between measures of ED, PS and perceived change in personal wellbeing. Differences in perceived institutional support and adequacy of hygiene and safety measures related to significant differences in PS and perceived change in personal wellbeing. ED and PS were widely experienced by frontline health workers. Physical and psychological symptoms were amplified by the perceived lack of institutional support. Ensuring PS and hygiene and safety measures is essential to prevent worsening of health and psychosomatic symptoms in frontline health workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Marinaci
- Department of History, Society and Human Studies, University of Salento, Italy
| | - Luna Carpinelli
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy
| | - Claudia Venuleo
- Department of History, Society and Human Studies, University of Salento, Italy
| | - Giulia Savarese
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Italy
| | - Pierpaolo Cavallo
- Department of Physic "E.R. Caianiello", University of Salerno, Italy
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