Creativity and Leisure During COVID-19: Examining the Relationship Between Leisure Activities, Motivations, and Psychological Well-Being

Taking emic and etic to the family level: interlinking parents' and children's COVID-19 views and experiences in Germany

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 impacted families globally, restricting movement, and changing daily routines and family dynamics. In order to explore and contrast children's and parents' experiences and perceptions of life during COVID-19, we used Pike's distinction of emic (an insider's view) and etic (an outsider's view) and adapted the concept to the family level to differentiate between children's and parents' own perspectives (emic) and their view of other family members (etic).

METHODS

Our qualitative study is based on face-to-face in-depth individual interviews with parents (n = 13) and their children (n = 16) and included migrant families as a hitherto underrepresented group in COVID-19 research in Germany. Interviews were recorded, transcribed in NVivo and quality-checked. We employed thematic analysis to explore similarities and differences in perceptions and experiences of children and parents at the family level and across the entire data set.

RESULTS

We identified the following major themes in parents' and children's experiences: managing role and relationship changes within the nuclear family, coping with social expectations and demands, and re-evaluations of life's priorities. Parents' etic views on children showed strong overlap with children's emic view in terms of physical movement restrictions, experiencing good and tense family times, and internalizing rules. For issues such as experiencing stigma, divorce or language acquisition, parents' views were not reflected in children's accounts. Children's testing experience, by contrast, was more nuanced than parents' perceptions of it. Children's etic views of parents, a perspective rarely found in qualitative research with children, overlapped with mothers' experiences of role strain.

CONCLUSIONS

The consideration of parents' and children's emic and etic perspectives provided deeper insights into family members' experiences, navigation, and views of COVID-19 measures. Applying the emic/etic distinction to the family context enriches the sociology of childhood studies and enables a more nuanced understanding of diverging experiences within families and should thus be further explored within and beyond epidemics in order to guide future pandemic measures.

Heterogeneous trajectories of perceived stress and their associations with active leisure: a longitudinal study during the first year of COVID-19

Introduction

There is a plethora of literature on the dynamics of mental health indicators throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, yet research is scarce on the potential heterogeneity in the development of perceived stress. Furthermore, there is a paucity of longitudinal research on whether active leisure engagement, which typically is beneficial in reducing stress, might have similar benefits during times of major disruption. Here we aimed to extend previous work by exploring the dynamics of change in stress and coping, and the associations with active leisure engagement over the first year of COVID-19.

Methods

Data from 439 adults (Mage = 45, SD = 13) in Estonia who participated in a longitudinal online study were analyzed. The participants were assessed at three timepoints: April-May 2020; November-December 2020; and April-May 2021.

Results

Mean stress and coping levels were stable over time. However, latent profile analysis identified four distinct trajectories of change in stress and coping, involving resilient, stressed, recovering, and deteriorating trends. Participants belonging to the positively developing stress trajectories reported higher active leisure engagement than those belonging to the negatively developing stress trajectories.

Discussion

These findings highlight the importance of adopting person-centered approaches to understand the diverse experiences of stress, as well as suggest the promotion of active leisure as a potentially beneficial coping resource, in future crises.

Effects of working from home on lifestyle behaviors and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey study

The COVID-19 outbreak has led to relevant changes in everyday life worldwide. One of these changes has been a rapid transition to and an increasing implementation of working from home (WH) modality. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of mandatory WH during the COVID-19 pandemic on lifestyle behaviors, Mediterranean diet adherence, body weight, and depression. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted in the early 2022 at the National Research Council of Italy using ad hoc questions and validated scales collecting information on physical activity, sedentary behavior, hobbies/pastimes, dietary habits including adherence to the Mediterranean diet, body weight, and depression during WH compared with before WH. 748 respondents were included in the study. An increased sedentary lifetime was reported by 48% of respondents; however, the subsample of workers who previously performed moderate physical activity intensified this activity. Body weight gain during WH was self-reported in 39.9% of respondents. Mediterranean diet adherence increased (p≪0.001) during WH compared with before WH. The average level of mental health did not record an overall variation; however, the proportion of subjects with mild and moderate depression increased (p = 0.006), while workers who reported values indicative of depression before the transition declared an improvement. These findings highlight health-related impact of WH during the COVID-19 pandemic that may inform future strategies and policies to improve employees' health and well-being.

Comprehensive analysis of power tool injuries: implications for safety and injury prevention

BACKGROUND

Power tools are essential for productivity but carry significant injury risks. Addressing power tool injuries across diverse age groups is vital, as existing research predominantly focuses on specific occupational or non-occupational groups, leaving a gap in understanding various age cohorts within the diverse American population. This study aims to comprehend power tool injury epidemiology, raising awareness about the importance of targeted safety measures for enhancing public health.

METHODS

Using a ten-year retrospective approach, this study analyzed National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) data from US hospital emergency departments (2013-2022). Demographic and temporal trends were examined, and associations between injury occurrence and categorical variables, including injured body parts, gender, and race, were explored.

RESULTS

In 2013, power tool injuries were highest in the "51-60″ age group (23.70 %), followed by "41-50″ (17.31 %) and "61-70″ (19.38 %). Injury rates varied across age groups over the years. Notably, the "41-50″ age group showed a significant decrease in injuries over time (χ² = 17.12, p < .05), indicating a notable temporal trend. Hand injuries were predominant (39.08 %), followed by finger (19.19 %), lower arm (11.25 %), upper arm (8.79 %), and face (4.04 %). Lacerations constituted the most frequent injury type (60.89 %), alongside fractures, amputations, foreign body insertions, and contusions/abrasions. Significant associations emerged between injury occurrence and gender (χ² = 6.19, p < .001), as well as race (χ² = 7.42, p < .001). Males accounted for the majority of injuries (95.97 %), while white individuals constituted the largest proportion (91.84 %). Females and domestic settings exhibited increasing proportions of power tool injuries.

CONCLUSIONS

The higher incidence among middle-aged individuals in domestic settings, coupled with evolving gender dynamics, underscores the need for targeted safety measures. Our findings contribute crucial novel insights, emphasizing tailored preventive strategies to enhance safety outcomes in the multifaceted landscape of power tool use.

Implementing Longitudinal Wellbeing Interventions and Evaluation Among Midwestern Healthcare Workers During COVID-19

BACKGROUND

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers throughout the world has been reported, but most studies have been cross-sectional and excluded the Midwestern U.S. healthcare workforce.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to longitudinally assess the psychological wellbeing and wellness strategies used by a Midwestern academic health system's workforce at multiple points throughout waves of the COVID-19 pandemic to inform ongoing implementation of appropriate wellness activities.

METHODS

An anonymous REDCap survey linked within our team-developed wellness education was posted in the employee online newsletter in April (T1), July (T2), October 2020 (T3), and May 2021 (T4). Surveys were open to all employees (approx. 9000) for approximately 12 days at each time point. Anxiety, depressive symptoms, stress, self-efficacy, and self-care activities were assessed. Following each data collection, team members discussed findings and planned wellness education implementation.

RESULTS

Response ranged from n = 731 (T1) to n = 172 (T4). Moderate to severe stress was reported by 29.5% (n = 203) of respondents at T1 and 34.0% (n = 108) at T2. At T3, all psychological symptoms significantly increased (p < .001) as COVID-19 surged, with 48.5% (n = 141) of respondents reporting moderate to severe stress. At T4, stress significantly declined (p < .001). Exercise was the most frequently reported coping strategy.

CONCLUSIONS

Mental health symptoms reported by a Midwestern healthcare workforce increased during surges of COVID-19 hospitalizations. Individuals in non-patient contact roles experienced symptom levels similar to and at times with greater severity than healthcare personnel with patient contact roles.

Exposure to urban green spaces and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from two low and lower-middle-income countries

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on mental health globally, with limited access to mental health care affecting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) the most. In response, alternative strategies to support mental health have been necessary, with access to green spaces being a potential solution. While studies have highlighted the role of green spaces in promoting mental health during pandemic lockdowns, few studies have focused on the role of green spaces in mental health recovery after lockdowns. This study investigated changes in green space access and associations with mental health recovery in Bangladesh and Egypt across the pandemic.

Methods

An online survey was conducted between January and April 2021 after the first lockdown was lifted in Bangladesh (n = 556) and Egypt (n = 660). We evaluated indoor and outdoor greenery, including the number of household plants, window views, and duration of outdoor visits. The quantity of greenness was estimated using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). This index was estimated using satellite images with a resolution of 10x10m during the survey period (January-April 2021) with Sentinel-2 satellite in the Google Earth Engine platform. We calculated averages within 250m, 300m, 500m and 1000m buffers of the survey check-in locations using ArcGIS 10.3. Multiple linear regression models were used to evaluate relationships between changes in natural exposure and changes in mental health.

Results

The results showed that mental health improved in both countries after the lockdown period. People in both countries increased their time spent outdoors in green spaces after the lockdown period, and these increases in time outdoors were associated with improved mental health. Unexpectedly, changes in the number of indoor plants after the lockdown period were associated with contrasting mental health outcomes; more plants translated to increased anxiety and decreased depression. Refocusing lives after the pandemic on areas other than maintaining indoor plants may assist with worrying and feeling panicked. Still, indoor plants may assist with depressive symptoms for people remaining isolated.

Conclusion

These findings have important implications for policymakers and urban planners in LMICs, highlighting the need to increase access to natural environments in urban areas to improve mental health and well-being in public health emergencies.

Prosociality predicts changes in leisure activities during the COVID-19 pandemic

Several studies suggest that leisure activities enhance well-being. In line with this perspective, a recent study indicates that augmenting indoor leisure activities to compensate for diminished outdoor pursuits could sustain or enhance well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study was designed to identify personality traits that predict such behavioral shifts in indoor versus outdoor leisure activities during the pandemic. The present study included 657 participants (Mage = 41.08) and measured 12 personality traits that a previous study reported were associated with health-protective behaviors during COVID-19. Our findings indicate that the rise in indoor leisure activities correlated with prosocial tendencies toward family and friends/acquaintances (but not strangers), self-centered interest, resilience, and Big Five personality traits. Conversely, the decline in outdoor activities was linked solely to prosociality toward family and friends/acquaintances. Further interaction analysis uncovered that prosocial tendencies toward close relations predicted increased indoor activities as an alternative to outdoor engagements. We concluded that prosociality promoted behavioral changes that significantly prevented infections in intimate others, and it could maintain personal well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic by facilitating behavior change.

Association between intentional behavioral changes and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic

The enforcement of nationwide lockdowns and social distancing measures severely restricted behavior and led to increases in stress, anxiety, and depression during the COVID-19 Pandemic. However, contrary to expectations, studies show that well-being did not decrease significantly during the Pandemic. The present study examined whether intentional increases in alternative behaviors contributed to maintaining well-being. We predicted an increase in indoor activities as alternatives to outdoor activities and that these behavioral changes contribute to maintaining well-being. Focusing on leisure activities, transport mode, and working environments, we tested these predictions in an online survey of 1,000 participants (M = 40.4 years; SD = 10.9). The results demonstrated that the decrease in outdoor leisure activities (e.g., traveling and shopping), use of public transportation, and working at office led to a reduction in well-being. It was also demonstrated that the subsequent increase in indoor leisure activities (e.g., exercising at home and online shopping) and use of a private car led to an increase in well-being, which supported our predictions. These results suggest that increasing alternative behaviors can maintain overall well-being during pandemics. These findings highlight the significance of intentional behavioral changes in maintaining well-being during pandemics.

Personal and contextual variables predict music consumption during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Canada

The global COVID-19 lockdowns shattered familiar routines, plunging individuals into a disorienting emotional landscape characterized by loss, uncertainty, and a deep yearning for social bonds. Many employed coping strategies such as cleaning, dancing, and mindfulness-based practices to ameliorate negative emotions. Music listening was one of the most widely used coping strategies, moderated by personal and contextual variables. We obtained data from a Canadian national survey conducted in April 2020 to examine the role of personal (sex, age, education level, pre-pandemic income, minority status, feelings about music, and Schwartz's "personal values") and contextual variables (level of worry, changes to income, COVID-19 status and risk, having children at home, and internet access) in predicting music listening for stress relief, changes to music listening, changes to music watching, and music discovery. Our results indicate that women, younger adults, individuals who like or love music, and those reporting high levels of worry were more likely to listen to music to relieve stress. Personal variables were more significantly associated with music listening for stress relief than contextual variables.

The Psychosocial Impact of COVID-19 on an Adult Indian Population

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was a pandemic with many physical, psychological, and socioeconomic effects. COVID-19 caused a global increase in anxiety and depression because of its novelty, high infectivity, varied presentation, and unpredictable mortality. In the face of collapsing healthcare facilities, monetary setbacks, and loneliness because of lockdowns, people were anxious, and this was compounded by media sensationalism. We aimed to study the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on the adult Indian population.

METHODS

An online survey using SurveyMonkey was floated through WhatsApp messages in April 2020, using the 'chain-referral sampling' method. Responses from individuals >18 years were included, and questions included age, sex, occupation, demographics, and socioeconomic conditions. The prevalence of anxiety and depression was assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scales. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS software, and predictors of anxiety and depression were assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 2640 responses from individuals between 18 years and 81 years were analyzed, of which 39% were from females and 85% from those <50 years of age. There were students (15.6%), teachers (10.7%), healthcare workers (16.8%), homemakers (9%), and daily wage laborers (4.1%), among others. Nearly 80% lived in cities, 55% had salaried jobs, 37% were working from home, 22% were temporarily unemployed, 10% were feeling work stress, 11% had increased alcohol intake, and 7.5% saw an increase in domestic violence. The income of 50% was adversely affected. Nearly 50% of our respondents had some symptoms of anxiety, and 23% had significant anxiety (GAD ≥5). The presence of anxiety was significantly higher in females, younger adults, city dwellers, healthcare workers, unemployed people, individuals living away from home, those without fixed salaries, those with work stress, and in people whose incomes had been adversely affected by the pandemic. On logistic regression analysis, female sex, younger age, unemployment, lack of salaried jobs, work stress, being a healthcare worker, and media reports were independent predictors of anxiety. About 60% of our respondents had some symptoms of depression, with 26% having significant depression (PHQ-9 ≥5). The presence of depression was significantly higher in females, younger adults, city dwellers, unemployed people, individuals living away from home without fixed salaries, and people with work stress. On logistic regression analysis, younger age, female sex, unemployment, lack of salaried jobs, work stress, and media reports were independent predictors of depression. Among our respondents, 70% used the time during the lockdown to study, 77% caught up with their families, and 56% reconnected with hobbies. Nearly 88% of our respondents had adjusted to their changing circumstances, helped by their religious beliefs and faith, the support of family and friends, good government measures, and the assurance of healthcare.

CONCLUSIONS

 Significant anxiety and depression were seen in 23% and 26% of respondents, respectively. Being a healthcare worker was an independent predictor of anxiety. Female sex, younger age, unemployment, work stress, and sensational media reports were independent predictors of both anxiety and depression.

Empowering Communities During the COVID-19 Pandemic Through Mothers' Support Groups: Evidence From a Community Engagement Initiative in Sri Lanka

Community empowerment has previously been used to mitigate the effects of health emergencies, such as outbreaks of Ebola virus disease and Zika virus. In Sri Lanka, mothers' support groups (MSGs) aim to promote community health, well-being, and nutrition practices through community engagement. With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, MSGs were mobilized by the Health Promotion Bureau in response to the pandemic. Key activities MSGs engaged in during the COVID-19 response included establishing communication networks, creating a supportive environment for preventive behaviors, organizing vaccination clinics, distributing essential food and medicine, organizing recreational activities, promoting home gardening, and monitoring community activities. We examine how these community-based empowerment initiatives successfully assisted in the pandemic response. Health officials can help to build more resilient communities that are better prepared for future health emergencies by valuing the community-level methods used in overcoming COVID-19 and further strengthening the skills of community group members.

The influence of Twitch and sustainability on the stock returns of video game companies: Before and after COVID-19

The covid-19 pandemic has shocked society greatly, causing many changes in people's lives. One of these changes relates to leisure and how we relate to others. Videogames became one of the first entertainment options during the pandemic, making the video game industry and the pharmaceutical industry-one of the least affected by economic slowdown. This study analyzes how Twitch and sustainability jointly influence the stock returns of major videogame companies before and during Covid-19 using panel fsQCA analysis. The results show a positive relationship between Twitch, sustainability, and stock returns in video game companies, but this relationship differs yearly, being stronger during the Covid-19 period.

Creative leisure activities, mental health and well-being during 5 months of the COVID-19 pandemic: a fixed effects analysis of data from 3725 US adults

INTRODUCTION

We investigated whether changes in engagement in home-based creative activities were associated with changes in depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to replicate findings from the UK in a USA sample.

METHODS

3725 adults were included from the COVID-19 Social Study in the USA, a panel study collecting data weekly during the COVID-19 pandemic. We measured engagement in eight types of creative leisure activities on the previous weekday between April and September 2020. Data were analysed using fixed effects regression models.

RESULTS

Increased time spent gardening was associated with reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms and enhanced life satisfaction. Spending more time doing woodwork/DIY and arts/crafts were also associated with enhanced life satisfaction. However, more time watching television, films or other similar media (not for information on COVID-19) was associated with increased depressive symptoms. Other creative activities were not associated with mental health or well-being.

CONCLUSION

Some findings differ from evidence obtained in the UK, demonstrating the importance of replicating research across countries. Our findings should also be considered when formulating guidelines for future stay-at-home directives, enabling individuals to stay well despite the closure of public resources.

Changes in Community-Dwelling Elderly's Activity and Participation Affecting Depression during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

We determined the changes in the activity or participation of the community-dwelling elderly in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic and identified the activities leading to depression. This will allow us to evaluate rehabilitation interventions that can be used to minimize or eliminate the negative impact of COVID-19 on today's community-dwelling elderly. Herein, demographics, activity or participation (Activity Card Sort-Japan version: ACS-JPN), the number of social networks (Lubben Social Network Scale: LSNS), and depression (Geriatric Depression Scale: GDS) were examined in 74 community-dwelling elderly in Japan from August to October 2020. A statistical analysis was conducted to determine the effect of demographics on GDS, LSNS, and ACS-JPN, to compare the activity retention rates of the four domains using ACS-JPN, and to extract the activities that might affect depression using a generalized linear model. The results show that the retention of leisure activity with a high physical demand (H-leisure) and sociocultural activities was significantly lower than instrumental activities of daily living and leisure activity with a low physical demand (L-leisure). L-leisure and the number of social networks were possible risk factors for depression during the pandemic. This study highlighted the importance of maintaining the number of L-leisure and social networks at home to prevent depression in community-dwelling elderly when they could not perform outdoor activities and direct interpersonal interaction.

Relationship between Health Status and Daily Activities Based on Housing Type among Suburban Residents during COVID-19 Self-Isolation

COVID-19 significantly impacted residents' health status and daily activities in suburban residential areas. This study elucidated the relationship between health scores, daily activities, and housing types. The method was a questionnaire survey of 378 residents of suburban residential estates in Teraikedai, Kongo District, Japan, during the COVID-19 self-isolation period. Since the survey cohort was New Town, the suburban residential area identified by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism was targeted. The questions included participant demographics, the Basic Survey on Japanese Social Life, and the SF-12v2. The Tukey-Kramer HSD test and stepwise decreasing logistic regression were used for the statistical analysis of the responses. The COVID-19 self-isolation led to lower physical and mental health scores than usual, and the health scores of residents living in detached houses were better than those of residents in apartments, both those over the age of 65 and those under the age of 65. There was also a correlation between residents' daily activities and their health scores. For those aged under 65 years, the health scores of residents living in detached houses were significantly better than those living in apartments, indicating that daily activities such as sports and recreational hobbies may contribute to health scores.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Nursing Homes: Study Design and Population Description

Nursing homes for the elderly in Spain have experienced high rates of infection and mortality from COVID-19, although rates have varied from one region to another. Madrid is the region where most institutionalized older adults have died from the coronavirus. However, there is little known about the psychosocial and environmental factors involved in the high incidence of COVID-19 among the institutionalised population in this region. This article describes the protocol of a study on nursing homes during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in the Autonomous Community of Madrid (hereafter: Region of Madrid or Madrid Region) and provides information on the study design, measures used, and characteristics of the population studied. A questionnaire about life in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic was designed and a total of 447 persons over 60 years of age without cognitive impairment-220 in private nursing homes and 227 in public nursing homes-participated by answering questions about different topics: personal situations during the pandemic, feelings and methods of coping, residential environment, health, quality of life, ageism, and self-perception of ageing. The institutionalised person profile discussed in this study was an old woman, widowed, without children, with a low level of education, with multimorbidity, and who perceived her health and quality of life positively. Most of the participants were very concerned about COVID-19 and its effects. In fact, 38% had been diagnosed with COVID-19, of whom 20% were admitted to hospital and 20% had suffered negative impacts, such as pain and neurological problems. In addition, 70% of the residents remained confined to their rooms, which increased their perceptions of loneliness and social isolation. The worst-rated aspects of the nursing home resulted from the restrictive measures imposed on nursing homes during the pandemic. This research offers useful material for understanding the pandemic and its consequences from the perspective of the older institutionalised population, which could provide insights for designing public policies.

Prevalence of Psychopathological Symptoms and Their Determinants in Four Healthcare Workers' Categories during the Second Year of COVID-19 Pandemic

Highly stressful situations, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, induce constant changes in the mental state of people who experience them. In the present study, we analyzed the prevalence of some psychological symptoms and their determinants in four different categories of healthcare workers during the second year of the pandemic. A total of 265 physicians, 176 nurses, 184 other healthcare professionals, and 48 administrative employees, working in different Italian healthcare contexts, answered a questionnaire including variables about their mental status and experience with the pandemic. The mean scores for anxiety and depressive symptoms measured more than one year after the onset of the pandemic did not reach the pathological threshold. In contrast, post-traumatic and burnout symptoms tended toward the critical threshold, especially in physicians. The main determinant of psychological distress was perceived stress, followed by job satisfaction, the impact of COVID-19 on daily work, and a lack of recreational activities. These results increase the knowledge of which determinants of mental distress would be important to act on when particularly stressful conditions exist in the workplace that persist over time. If well-implemented, specific interventions focused on these determinants could lead to an improvement in employee well-being and in the quality of care provided.

Opportunities in Health Education in the Post-COVID-19 Era: Transforming Viral to Vital

Although the current pandemic is associated with many difficulties and social challenges, in parallel, it has been linked with new opportunities. The field of education and, in particular, health education, represent a highlighted example. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) statistics, the education of more than 1.5 billion students in 188 countries around the globe was affected due to the closure of educational institutions following the coronavirus outbreak. In the present study, we examine the development of possibilities, prospects, and opportunities in the post-COVID-19 era in the field of health education. Using reflective observations on what we have gained as knowledge during this pandemic, we summarize five VITAL aspects of health education: the emerging value in health; the power of preventive interventions in health education; the transmission of health messages by students in the context of communication between school, family, and community; the exploitation of contemporary e-learning applications as a mixed hybrid learning mode; and the life examples as projected from the theoretical principles of health education to real scenarios. In conclusion, the global pandemic crisis, serving as a "violent teacher," presents us with hidden potential, promising new prospects in the field of health education that we need to exploit.

Videospiele und Schlaf – negativer Zusammenhang oder unbedenkliches Zocken?

Hintergrund

Das Spielen von Videospielen vor dem Schlafengehen kann einen Einfluss auf die Qualität und Quantität des Schlafs haben.

Fragestellung

Es gilt herauszufinden, welche Faktoren dabei beeinflusst werden und wie diese messbar gemacht werden können.

Material und Methode

Um eine Übersicht zu geben und Handlungsempfehlungen auszusprechen, wurden aktuelle Studien analysiert und gegenübergestellt.

Ergebnisse

Das Spielen von Videospielen vor dem Schlafengehen kann speziell bei Kindern und Jugendlichen zu einer erhöhten Einschlafdauer und insgesamt einer erhöhten Müdigkeit führen. Die Bildschirmhelligkeit (Exposition von blauem Licht) und die Aktivierung des Sympathikus durch das Spielen sind dabei relevante Faktoren. Vor allem actionreiche Videospiele führen zu einer größeren Aktivierung als vergleichbare ruhigere Aktivitäten.

Schlussfolgerung

Zusammenfassend kann gesagt werden, dass der Schlaf grundsätzlich durch das Videospielen negativ beeinflusst werden kann. Eine verlängerte Einschlafdauer und verringerte Tiefschlafphasen können als Folge vom abendlichen Videospielkonsum auftreten. Hierbei scheint die Sympathikotonie eine dominantere Rolle als die Exposition von blauem Licht zu spielen. Kinder, Jugendliche und professionelle Videospielende sind potenzielle Risikogruppen und müssen demnach über ein verantwortungsvolles Videospielverhalten aufgeklärt werden. Zur Quantifizierung der Aktivierung können verschiedene Messparameter dienen. Insbesondere die Herzratenvariabilität stellt einen praktikablen Parameter dar.

The effect of leisure engagement on preschool teachers' job stress and sustainable well-being

The preschool education profession often faces many challenges and preschool teachers, as important members of the preschool education profession must respond to a variety of emergencies with young children, which also leads to high levels of job stress and can have a negative impact on their ongoing well-being. Past research has pointed out that a healthy lifestyle is one of the key factors in enhancing sustainable well-being in high-stress work situations and many studies have found that good leisure activity engagement as a healthy lifestyle is associated with higher levels of well-being. However, the relationship between preschool teachers' leisure engagement and sustainable well-being has been less explored. Therefore, this study proposed seven research hypotheses based on the engagement theory proposed by Fredricks et al. (2004) and developed a research model to explore the relationship between three types of leisure engagement, including behavioral, affective and cognitive, and preschool teachers' job stress and sustainable well-being, using age as a control variable. This study used a cross-sectional web-based questionnaire with a convenience sample of 500 preschool teachers in China. The collected data were analyzed for reliability and validity, model fit testing and structural equation modeling for model validation after removing invalid data and incomplete responses. The results of the study showed that (a) behavioral engagement was not related with either the job stress or sustainable well-being of preschool teachers; (b) Emotional and cognitive engagement were negatively related to job stress but positively related to the sustainable well-being of preschool teachers; and (c) Job stress was negatively related to the sustainable well-being of preschool teachers; (d) Age is an effective control variable. From the above results, it is clear that not all three types of leisure engagement are effective in terms of reducing the work stress of preschool teachers. As well as being related to the sustainable well-being of preschool teachers emotional and cognitive engagement contributed more to sustainable well-being acquisition.

Musculoskeletal disorders in video gamers - a systematic review

Background

Video gaming is a recreational activity with yearly increasing popularity. It is mostly a sedentary behavior combined with repetitive movements of the upper limbs. If performed excessively, these movements may promote strain injuries and a sedentary lifestyle is one of the contributing factors to musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore, a systematic review was conducted to evaluate if video gaming negatively affects the musculoskeletal system of video gamers.

Methods

PubMed, Web of Science and The Cochrane Library were systematically searched in order to identify relevant peer reviewed original articles in English published between 2000 and 2021. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method was used for the analysis. Studies were included when they contained investigations of changes of the musculoskeletal system due to video gaming in healthy individuals. Studies with participants older than 60 years or solely psychological, social or cardiovascular outcomes were excluded. An adapted version of the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale was used for the risk of bias analysis.

Results

Sixteen observational studies involving a total of 62,987 participants met the inclusion criteria. A majority (11) of the studies reported statistical negative musculoskeletal changes due to video game playtime. Four studies did not report changes and one study found no effect of video game playtime on the musculoskeletal system. Out of the eleven studies, which demonstrated a negative impact of video game playtime on the musculoskeletal system, the most reported painful body parts were the neck (n = 4), shoulder (n = 4) and back (n = 3). Ten studies reported odds ratios (OR) for the dependence of the appearance of musculoskeletal disorders on video game playtime. In eight studies OR were significantly increased (1.3—5.2).

Conclusion

Eleven out of twelve studies demonstrated a negative impact of video game playtime on the musculoskeletal system. In particular, excessive video game playtimes (> 3 h/day) seemed to be a predictor for the appearance of musculoskeletal disorders. Due to their great popularity across multiple generations, specific and tailored prevention and health promotion programs for video gamers need to be developed to counteract this important public health issue.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12891-022-05614-0.

Assessment of Physical Well-Being and Leisure Time of Polish Students during the COVID-19 Outbreak

This project aims to recognize the school experiences of Polish students during the COVID-19 outbreak; we focused on the area of assessment of physical well-being and leisure time. Nearly two thousand primary or secondary school students aged 9 to 20 participated in the survey. Running descriptive statistics, frequency analysis, and significant difference tests, we found that 45% of students thought their physical well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak worsened compared to pre-pandemic times. Boys declared they felt better in their physical well-being than girls (p < 0.001). Most students noticed changes in the quality of their leisure time activities; boys were happier than girls in their free time during the outbreak (p < 0.001). Learners’ ages also differentiated the assessment of their physical well-being (p < 0.001) and leisure time (p < 0.001). The youngest students more often assessed their experiences in the researched fields as good or increased, while the older groups more often noticed a decrease. Multinomial logistic regression proved that the differences in the assessments of physical well-being and leisure time could be explained to the greatest extent by age and gender, whereas the place of residence and school location were insignificant. All in all, our study confirms the dominance of the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical well-being and changes in leisure time. As such, it is advisable (during and after outbreaks) to support children and adolescents by targeting individual and institution levels. We recommend developing techniques to reduce stress and information overload, increasing creative ways of spending leisure time, supporting families in navigating children’s free time, and expanding social support networks.

Through Thick and Thin: Changes in Creativity During the First Lockdown of the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 took us by surprise. We all had to face the lockdown and pandemic that put us in a new context, changing our way of life, work conditions, and habits. Coping with such an unprecedented situation may have stimulated creativity. However, the situation also restricted our liberties and triggered health or psychological difficulties. We carried out an online survey (n = 380) to examine whether and how the COVID-19 related first lockdown period was associated with creativity changes in French speaking population. Despite a global negative subjective experience of the situation, participants reported that they were more creative during the lockdown than before. Positive changes were linked with more time availability, more motivation, or the need to solve a problem while negative changes were related to negative affective feelings or a lack of resources or opportunities. This study documents the effects of the first lockdown period on creativity and the factors that influenced it.

The Impact of Online Learning on Physical and Mental Health in University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Higher education organizations have been influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. During school closures, online teaching and learning has become a new routine that may lead to changes in lifestyles and adversely affect university students’ health. Therefore, this study was to understand the potential impact of online learning on physical and mental health by investigating the differences in physical activity, psychological distress, and student life stress in Taiwanese university students between the in-class learning and online learning periods. A total of 181 students were recruited from a local university. All participants were requested to complete an online survey and self-report physical activity, psychological distress, and life stress in the in-class learning and online learning periods, respectively. The results indicated a significant reduction in physical activity of various intensities (p < 0.05). Specifically, male university students showed a greater decrease in vigorous physical activity compared to their female peers. Yet, there was no significant increase in psychological distress and life stress from the in-class learning period to the online learning period. In summary, physical activity drastically reduces during the online learning period in Taiwanese university students. Notably, male students may be at greater risk of insufficient participation in vigorous physical activity.

Leisure Engagement during COVID-19 and Its Association with Mental Health and Wellbeing in U.S. Adults

Leisure engagement has risen as a salient societal issue during the COVID-19 pandemic, not only because it provides a pathway for people to continue meeting their physical, cognitive, and social-emotional needs, but also due to the phenomenal juxtaposition of general increases in leisure time and unparalleled constraints. This study reports the results of the first investigation of U.S. adults’ overall leisure engagement and its association with mental health amidst the major disruptions and sustained stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through an online survey in February 2021 through Prolific from a sample representative of the U.S. adult population in age, gender, and race (n = 503) and analyzed using a mixed-method approach. A total of 104 unique leisure activities in 19 categories and 3 domains were identified through iterative thematic coding. Participants reported general increases in home-based traditional leisure and digital/online activities and decreases in physical and nature-based activities. A multiple regression analysis controlling for socio-demographic and context-specific covariates revealed distinct associations between changes in leisure engagement and different aspects of mental health (perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and mental wellbeing), supporting leisure’s dual role in facilitating stress alleviation and wellbeing enhancement during taxing events, such as COVID-19.

Leisure Time Use and Adolescent Mental Well-Being: Insights from the COVID-19 Czech Spring Lockdown

BACKGROUND

As leisure-one of the crucial life domains-was completely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, our study aimed to investigate how adolescents spent their leisure time during the Spring 2020 lockdown. Secondly, we aimed to investigate the associations between the perceived changes in leisure time use, the leisure activities adolescents engaged in, and the associations with well-being during the Spring 2020 lockdown in Czechia.

METHODS

Data from 3438 participants were included in this study (54.2% girls; mean age = 13.45, SD = 1.62). First, the initial number of items measuring leisure, electronic media use, and sports was reduced through Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Multivariate linear regression models tested the associations between leisure domains and mental well-being Results: The amount of leisure time, together with socially active leisure and sports and physical activity, formed the strongest positive predictors of mental well-being, whereas idle activities and time spent on electronic media acted as negative predictors. The amount of time spent doing schoolwork was unrelated to mental well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, our results support the idea that leisure as a promoting factor for well-being is not just a matter of its amount but rather of engagement in meaningful and fulfilling activities.