Assessing the Mental Health, Physical Activity Levels, and Resilience of Today's Junior College Students in Self-Financing Institutions

Gender differences in stress, resilience, and physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: To evaluate gender differences in physical activity (PA), stress and resiliency during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants: Students (n = 300) at a southeastern US university. Methods: Perceived Stress (PSS), Resiliency (BRS), Life Events (LEI), and PA were recorded via online survey in Summer 2020. PSS, BRS, LEI, and PA were compared between males and females. Two-way ANOVAs examined gender and frequency effects on PSS and BRS. Results: Females had lower BRS and higher PSS and LEI scores than males (all p < .001). PSS/BRS scores were more strongly correlated with PA in males. Significant gender × frequency interactions were found for PSS (vigorous, p = .03) and for BRS (moderate, p = .049). There was a significant main effect of frequency for PSS with strength training (p < .001). Conclusions: Results suggest that interventions may be particularly needed for females and those with low PA levels.

The relationship between resilience and mental health of undergraduate students: A scoping review

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this scoping review was to examine what is known about the relationship between the resilience and mental health of undergraduate students enrolled in university or college programs, globally.

METHODS

Five electronic databases were searched, yielding a total of 1,498 articles that were screened independently by two researchers. Thirteen articles were eligible for inclusion.

RESULTS

The mental health of undergraduate students in the studies reviewed ranged from low to moderate. Undergraduate students also reported high, moderate, and low levels of resilience. Further, resilience was positively correlated with mental well-being.

CONCLUSION

Findings revealed that the mental health of undergraduate students was poor. Given the established relationship between students' mental health and resilience, evidence-based approaches aimed at strengthening students' resilience, such as providing opportunities for social support, are warranted in order to improve students' mental health. Additional research to rigorously assess this relationship in representative student populations is needed.

Daily stress, and mental health of professional degree graduate students in Chinese traditional medicine universities: the mediating role of learning career adaptation

BACKGROUND

With the expansion of professional degree graduate students' enrollment in China education, the mental health of these professional degree graduate students in medical-related majors who are under pressure of study, scientific research, clinical practice, and employment should not be ignored. What is the mental health level of these graduate students under the effect of learning career adaptation (internal resources) in the face of daily stress (external factors)? The purpose of this study is to discuss the relationship between these variables, and the mediating role of learning career adaptation of professional degree graduate students in traditional Chinese medicine colleges, and universities, to provide a theoretical basis for improving the learning career adaptation of students, and improving the level of mental health.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1593 professional degree graduate students majoring in clinical medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, and nursing in five traditional Chinese medicine universities. Finally, 660 questionnaires were returned, with a recovery rate of 41.43%. The scores of daily stress, learning career adaptation, and mental health were measured by Daily Stressors Scale for graduate students, graduate-students learning career adaptation scale, and General Mental Health Questionnaire (GHQ-20). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the status quo of daily stress, learning career adaptation, and mental health. Pearson correlation analysis were used to analyze the relationship between them. we undertake analyses using structural equation modeling to construct the latent variable path model of daily stress, learning career adaptation on mental health. The significance level of the mediating effect was tested by the non-parametric percentile bootstrap method.

RESULTS

The scores of mental health, daily stress, and learning career adaptation were 50.56 ± 10.80, 35.12 ± 19.55, and 67.13 ± 7.48 respectively. Daily stress was negatively correlated with the three dimensions of learning career adaptation: career confidence, focus on his career, and career control (P < 0.01). Daily stress was positively correlated with depression and anxiety (P < 0.01). Self-affirmation, depression, and anxiety were negatively correlated with career confidence, focus on his career, and career control (P < 0.05). Learning career adaptation plays a partial mediating role between daily stress, and mental health (p < 0.001), with an intermediate effect value of 0.127, representing 28.54% of the total effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Mental health, learning career adaption of medical-related professional degree graduate students in traditional Chinese medical universities were at a moderate degree, and an upper-middle level respectively, while daily stress is to a lesser extent. Learning career adaptation mediates the relationship between daily stress, and mental health partially. To some extent, it can buffer the impact of daily stress on mental health, especially anxiety. The educational administrator could take various measures to improve the mental health of professional degree graduate students. It can also enhance their learning career adaptation from the perspective of individuals, and organizations to improve their mental health.

Resilience is associated with physical activity and sedentary behaviour recommendations attainment in Chinese university students

PURPOSE

To determine the associations of resilience with physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) recommendations attainment among university students by considering the sex of the participants.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study recruited 352 Chinese university students (131 males, 20.8 ± 2.18 years). PA and SB were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. Resilience was measured using the Chinese version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale with 25 items (CD-RISC-25). Attainment of PA and SB recommendations with different patterns was determined by referring to the global recommendations for adults. Mann-Whitney U tests and generalized linear models (GLMs) were used to determine sex differences in all outcomes and the contribution of resilience to the attainment of PA and SB recommendations, respectively.

RESULTS

The percentage of males who attained all patterns related to vigorous PA (VPA), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), and SB recommendations was significantly higher than that of females. Males also scored significantly higher than females in the CD-RISC-25 final score (p < .01). GLMs results showed that, after adjusting for key confounders, resilience was a significant predictor of PA recommendations attainment in terms of minimum moderate PA (MPA), minimum MVPA, and adequate MVPA (all p < .05).

CONCLUSION

PA (at more intense levels), SB, and resilience among university students vary by sex, with males outperforming females. Regardless of sex, resilience is an important predictor for the attainment of PA and SB recommendations. Sex-specific resilience-building interventions should be developed to foster a physically active lifestyle among this population group.

Mental Health of Working Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Does Physical Activity Level Matter?

The purpose of this study is to investigate the associations between physical activity levels and the psychological outcomes of depression and anxiety. In 2022, Hong Kong was still exercising strict measures to control the spread of COVID-19. In this connection, major events and almost all large-scale sports events were suspended. Most recreational facilities were closed and repurposed as vaccination venues. As a result, a reduction in physical activity was expected. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 109 working adults in Hong Kong. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form was adopted as it continues to be the most widely used scale to measure physical activity. Almost a quarter of respondents exercised regularly. On average, respondents engaged in less than an hour's physical activity per week. Findings showed that even low to moderate levels of physical activity were positively associated with perceived self-esteem and perceived mental well-being. More specifically, self-esteem and perceived mental well-being were negatively associated with depression and anxiety. A full mediation effect between engagement in low levels of physical activity and anxiety was found. Light exercises may ultimately lead to lower anxiety via an indirect effect, with perceived mental well-being acting as a mediator. There was no direct relationship between low levels of physical activity and anxiety. In a similar vein, moderate levels of physical activity may lead to amelioration of symptoms related to depression and anxiety through indirect effects, with self-esteem as a mediator. Apart from engagement in low levels of physical activity, moderate levels of physical activity, such as swimming, jogging, and dancing, which have associations with self-esteem and mental health, could also be considered for attention.

Mental Disorders and Level of Resilience in Eight High-Altitude Cities of Peru during the Second Pandemic Wave: A Multicenter Population-Based Study

COVID-19 has led us to take preventive measures, such as social isolation, to reduce the high transmissibility of the disease. This could have affected the mental health of various population groups and the development of resilience as a mitigator. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted with 700 participants from eight cities. The dependent variables were depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The independent variable was resilience. Generalized logistic regressions were used to identify the associations between the variables. The population consisted mostly of university students (65.0%); the rest of the population was distributed among workers of public or private institutions, housewives, and others (35.0%). High prevalences of anxiety (72.7%), depression (64.1%), and PTSD (15.1%) were found, as well as a median (interquartile range) resilience score of 24 points was determined. Factors associated with a high prevalence of PTSD were having lost employment and having a family member who died from COVID-19. For depression, associated factors were severe food insecurity and hypersomnia. For anxiety, associated factors were were having a deceased family member with COVID-19 and mild food insecurity. Our results show that, during the pandemic, the general population had a higher prevalence of mental disorders. In addition, anxiety was the most prevalent of the dependent variables. Special attention should be paid to the factors influencing the development of mental disorders and mental health prevention and promotion programs should be established.

An empirical study of physical activity and sports affecting mental health of university students

Physical activity (PA) and sports are extremely essential elements for physical and mental health among adolescents. Around 30% of 16 years old and above in Malaysia have mental health issues. For this purpose, 512 university students from Malaysia were surveyed through social media, with 74% response rate. Structural equation model partial least square (SEM-PLS) was used to examine the effect of PA and sports on mental health. The results revealed that both PA (b = 0.402, p < 0.001) and sports (b = 0.330, p < 0.001) significantly predict mental health among university students. The model explained 35.8% variance in mental health. The study suggests that PA and sports activity need to be promoted among university students to control prevailing mental health issues in adolescents.

Influence of deep learning-based journal reading guidance system on students’ national cognition and cultural acceptance

The purpose is to explore new cultivation modes of college students’ national cognition and cultural acceptance. Deep learning (DL) technology and Educational Psychology theory are introduced, and the influence of art journal reading on college students’ national cognition and cultural acceptance is analyzed under Educational Psychology. Firstly, the background of Educational Psychology, national cognition and cultural acceptance, and learning system are discussed following a literature review. The DL technology is introduced to construct the journal reading guidance system. The system can provide users with art journals and record the user habits like reading duration and preferences. Secondly, hypotheses are proposed, and a questionnaire survey is designed, with 12 specific indicators to investigate and collect research data. Finally, the collected data are analyzed. The results show that women’s cognition of Chinese traditional culture, Chinese excellent revolutionary culture, and Chinese national identity is higher than that of men. By comparison, men’s cognition of Chinese advanced socialist culture is higher than women’s. After using the journal reading guidance system, the cognition of female college students on traditional Chinese culture is improved by 16.3%. Before and after reading art journals, the overall national cognition and cultural acceptance of Minority students are higher than that of Han students. The overall cognition of Literature and History students is higher than that of Science and Engineering students in traditional Chinese culture and China’s excellent revolutionary culture and lower in advanced Chinese socialist culture and Chinese national identity. The overall cognition of college students’ party members to the advanced socialist culture is higher than league members. As students read more art journals through the guidance system, their overall national cognition and cultural acceptance have increased. Therefore, reading art journals can promote college students’ national cognition and cultural acceptance. A national cognition and cultural acceptance promotion system that conforms to the current situation of college students is constructed. The finding provides a reference for developing complex emotion recognition technology in human-computer interaction.

Could the complying with WHO physical activity recommendations improve stress, burnout syndrome, and resilience? A cross-sectional study with physical education teachers

Purpose

Teachers are exposed to inherent psychosocial risks in the workplace such as chronic stress, psychological distress, exhaustion, and burnout syndrome. To compare the values in psychosocial variables based on compliance with the recommendations for physical activity by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the type of physical activity performed.

Methods

The study had a non-experimental and comparative design, with measurements in a single group. The sample was composed of 415 physical education teachers from Spain, with an age range of 21–53 years (28.78 ± 6.15) and a heterogeneous distribution of gender (69.4% male; 30.6% women). The Perceived Stress Scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, and an Ad-Hoc questionnaire were used to record the sociodemographic aspects and physical-sports practice.

Results

Most of the teachers complied with the recommendations for physical activity practice (n = 335; 80.7%). Physical activity was associated with lower signs of burnout and a greater ability to overcome. Although, teachers who did not comply with WHO recommendations, showed greater stress and emotional exhaustion. In conclusion, enough practice of physical activity based on WHO was shown as a preventive factor of stress and signs of burnout.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that perform physical activity based on the WHO recommendations helps for work stress prevention and burnout syndrome in teachers, as well as to overcome work adversities.

Physical activity and quality of life among college students without comorbidities for cardiometabolic diseases: systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

To systematically review studies on the relationship between physical activity (PA) and quality of life (QOL) in university students without comorbidities for cardiometabolic diseases from around the world.

METHODS

We included observational studies with university students of both sexes, from public or private institutions, and that investigated the association or correlation between physical activity and quality of life among these students, without delimitation of date, language, or location. Reviews, letters to the editors, studies with qualitative methodologies, case studies, book chapters, articles with college students who had some specific disease or condition, such as obesity, diabetes, and others; studies with children of parents with chronic diseases, and those that were institutions aimed only at very specific populations, were excluded. Meta-analysis was calculated.

RESULTS

Thirty studies, consisting of 19,731 students, were included. The most commonly used instruments to assess the quality of life of the university population were the Quality of Life Questionnaire-short version (WHOQOL-BREF), and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was the most commonly used instrument to assess PA. For the meta-analysis, 22 studies were included. Weak but positive correlations were found between PA and the QOL domains: physical health (0.16. 95% CI 0.11 0.22; I2 = 99.96%); mental health (0.14; 95% CI 0.07-0.20; I2 = 99.97%); social relations (0.24, 95% CI 0.08-0. 38; I2 = 99.99%); environment (0.23, 95% CI 0.14-0.32; I2 = 99.90%); vitality (0.17. 95% CI 0.15-0.20; I2 = 99.49%) pain (0.02. 95% CI - 0.02 to 0.12; I2 = 99.96%); QOL and PA (0.21, 95% CI 0.08-0.34; I2 = 99.99%).An association of R = 0.60 (95% CI 0.25-0.95; I2 = 85.61%) was found between QOL and PA in total.

CONCLUSION

The results of our study showed a weak but positive relationship between physical activity and overall quality of life in college students, and also between PA and the domains of QL: physical health, social relationships, mental health, environment, and vitality, in this same population. It is important to study this population, since risk behaviors in this phase tend to perpetuate in the other phases of life.

The Relationship between Exercise and Mental Health Outcomes during the COVID-19 Pandemic: From the Perspective of Hope

The unexpected outbreak of COVID-19 triggered fear and anxiety in the general population. Exercise was one of the most widely promoted methods to improve body function when socially restricted. This study aims to examine the role of exercise in relieving stressful mental health outcomes (anxiety and depressive symptoms) during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore the underlying mechanism from the perspective of hope, using a combination of goal-directed planning (pathways) and motivation (agency). A cross-sectional online survey recruiting 2390 Chinese participants was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. A series of questions and scales, including the self-designed exercise questionnaire, the Adult Dispositional Hope Scale, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, were used to measure exercise, hope, anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms, respectively. A structural equation model was constructed to test the hypothesis that exercise benefits mental health outcomes through the mediating role of hope. Our results showed that exercise relieved stressful mental health outcomes via three paths: one direct path (β = −0.077, 95% CI = (−0.138, −0.017), p < 0.01), one indirect path through hope of pathways thinking (β = −0.046, 95% CI = (−0.064, −0.027), p < 0.001) and another indirect path through hope of agency thinking (β = −0.060, 95% CI = (−0.081, −0.039), p < 0.001). Our results showed that exercise could alleviate stressful mental health outcomes by promoting both hope of pathway thinking and agency thinking. It provided practical insights into psychological prevention and intervention by means of exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The effect of peer education based on adolescent health education on the resilience of children and adolescents: A cluster randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of children and adolescents have reported mental health problems, and resilience is a protective factor against these problems. Therefore, the aim of the study is to verify the effect of peer education based on adolescent health education on adolescent resilience.

METHOD

A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted including 1,613 students who were divided into an intervention group (19 classes, 732 participants) and a control group (24 classes, 881 participants). One-year peer education was performed in the intervention group, and the control group had no interventions. The Resilience Scale for Chinese Adolescents by Yueqin Hu and a self-designed basic information questionnaire were used to collect data. Chi-square test and rank-sum test were used to compare the differences of demographic characteristics between the two groups. A linear mixed model was used to compare the changes of resilience between the two groups after intervention, and the intra-cluster correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated. A generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) was used to verify the effect of peer education on adolescent resilience. The significance was set at P < 0.05.

RESULTS

After intervention, compared with the control group, the intervention group showed significant improvement in target focus, emotion adjustment, interpersonal assistance and total resilience (P < 0.05). The ICC range was 0.003 to 0.034. The GLMM results indicated that peer education based on adolescent health education had significant effects on adolescents' target focus (β = 0.893, P = 0.002), emotional adjustment (β = 1.766, P < 0.001), interpersonal assistance (β = 1.722, P = 0.016) and total mental resilience (β = 5.391, P < 0.001), and the effect was greater for boys than for girls.

CONCLUSIONS

Peer education based on adolescent health education is effective for improving adolescents' target focus, emotional adjustment, interpersonal assistance, and total resilience, especially for males. Future research should devote more attention to positive cognition and family support as well as gender differences.

A cluster analysis of physical activity profiles and resilience in intensive care nurses

Purpose

Limited evidence exists regarding a group of nurses' physical activity patterns and association with resilience. Less is known about the physical activity health paradox in nurses (the positive health effects of leisure time physical activity vs the negative health effects of occupational physical activity). This study aimed to explore the profiles of intensive care nurses' physical activity behaviours and associations with resilience, following a developed study-specific job demands–recovery framework.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional study was conducted with intensive care unit (ICU) nurses to explore their physical activity profiles and associations with resilience. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 25 (CD-RISC 25) was used to assess resilience, and accelerometry was utilised to record participants' four-day activity (two workdays, two non-workdays). Hierarchical cluster analysis was employed to define groups of nurses by activity behaviours.

Findings

Participants (N = 93) were classified as low actives (n = 19), standers (n = 36), sitters (n = 31) and movers (n = 7). During two 12-h shifts, movers had the highest mean level of dynamic standing and the lowest mean level of sitting. During two non-workdays, movers had the highest mean level of walking as well as the lowest mean level of sitting and sleep time.

Originality/value

The uniqueness of this study was that it analysed ICU nurses' physical activity profiles and associations with resilience using identified clusters. However, the small number of participants limited this study's ability to determine significant relationships between resilience and the grouped physical activity profiles.

Relação entre Perfil, Hábitos, Vivências Acadêmicas e Resiliência de Universitários

Resumo A falta de recursos para lidar com situações desafiadoras pode dificultar o ajuste do estudante à universidade e aumentar o risco de fracasso acadêmico. Pensando nisso, o objetivo deste estudo foi verificar se há relação entre o perfil, os hábitos de vida, as vivências acadêmicas e a resiliência de graduandos das áreas da saúde e Psicologia. Trata-se de um estudo transversal e inferencial. Participaram 361 graduandos dos cursos de Biomedicina, Educação Física, Enfermagem, Farmácia, Fisioterapia, Medicina, Nutrição, Terapia Ocupacional e Psicologia, matriculados em três instituições federais de Ensino Superior do interior de Minas Gerais. Utilizou-se um questionário sociodemográfico e de hábitos de vida, a Escala de Resiliência e o Questionário de Vivências Acadêmicas - versão reduzida -, respondidos de forma on-line pelos universitários, bem como análises descritivas e correlacionais. Os resultados mostraram resiliência média para a maioria dos universitários e boa adaptação ao contexto universitário, além de relações entre a resiliência e o período cursado, estar em psicoterapia, avaliar positivamente a própria saúde e todas as dimensões das vivências acadêmicas. Conclui-se que a resiliência é uma capacidade importante para enfrentar as demandas da graduação e que é possível desenvolvê-la, especialmente durante o começo da graduação e com a adoção de intervenções focadas no autoconhecimento, na autoeficácia e em boas estratégias de enfrentamento. Desenvolver a resiliência nos estudantes pode colaborar para a promoção da saúde desta população e a redução da evasão no Ensino Superior.

The difference between the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and the Brief Resilience Scale when assessing resilience: confirmatory factor analysis and predictive effects

BACKGROUND

The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) are two scales widely used to measure resilience. Although both scales seek to assess an individual's ability to recover from and adapt to disruptions or stressful events, they can capture different aspects of resilience. While the CD-RISC focuses on resources that can help individuals to recover from and adapt to disruptions or stressful events, the BRS directly measures one's ability to bounce back or be resilient. The aim of this study is to better understand resilience through empirically examining the differences between the CD-RISC and the BRS.

METHOD

Samples (a pooled sample N = 448 and two subsamples N = 202 and 246) consisting of undergraduate students from Taiwan were used. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to examine the relationship between the CD-RISC and BRS. Regression analysis was conducted to examine predictive effects of the CD-RISC and BRS on depression and life satisfaction.

RESULT

The results of CFA using different samples consistently show that the CD-RISC and the BRS are highly correlated but still distinct. The results of regression analyses using different samples also consistently show that the CD-RISC and the BRS have unique predictive effects regarding depression and life satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

The research findings suggest that the CD-RISC and the BRS capture different aspects of resilience. For future research on resilience, researchers should pay closer attention to the differences between these scales and choose the one that most closely fits their research purpose.

Effects of School Resumption on College Students' Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The current study aimed to investigate the effects of school resumption on college students' mental health during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We used the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) to assess stress, depression, and anxiety, respectively, between same-age college students returning to school and those not returning to school. Of 1,598 students who completed the baseline survey (S1), 836 students completed a follow-up survey 10 months after school resumption (S2). There were statistically significant differences in stress and mild anxiety between male and female students (p < 0.01). Comparison of PSS-10, PHQ-9, and SAS scores by perceived impact of COVID-19 showed significant differences (Welch test, p < 0.01). The correlation between PHQ-9 and SAS scores in school resumption and non-school resumption groups was relatively strong (adjusted R2 = 0.49 vs. 0.5). Multivariate linear regression showed that only PSS-10 (p < 0.01) and SAS (p < 0.05) scores significantly differed between returning and non-returning students. School resumption was an independent risk factor for PSS-10 and SAS scores. PSS-10, PHQ-9, and SAS scores were significantly higher in S1 than in S2 (p < 0.01). During the COVID-19 pandemic, stress, anxiety, and depression were prevalent among college students; however, stress and anxiety were generally lower among college students returning to school than among non-returning students. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(xx), xx-xx.].

The Influence of Socio-Demographic Factors on the Forms of Leisure for the Students at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports

The study investigates the influences of gender, area of origin and age stage variables and also of the interaction between them, on the free time behavior of the students at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports from Galati. The questionnaire applied in the academic year 2019–2020 had 85 items and was structured on 4 factors: leisure budget, leisure limiting factors, preferred leisure activities, and leisure sports activities. The multivariate/MANOVA analysis showed statistically significant data for some of the analyzed items, with values of F associated with thresholds p < 0.05. The results support longer screen time for urban areas and for those <25 years and time limitation for the favorite activities of students >25 years, while reading had higher stress scores for men and students <25 years. Men tended to limit their free time working overtime and women limited their free time due to housework. Students from rural areas and men >25 years were more stressed by socializing on the internet and shopping. Financial limitations for preferred activities were higher for women and students <25 years—women read more and visited their friends more often while men had higher scores in relation to involvement in physical activities throughout the week, an aspect also reported for those <25 years. Students >25 years spent more time with their family, while those <25 years socialized more on the internet and had better scores when going out with friends. Those in urban areas did more jogging, men had better scores in relation to playing sports games, higher indicators for the satisfaction generated by sports activity, and women preferred jogging and cycling/rollerblading. Sports games and different types of fitness were the most common variants practiced at the level of the studied group. Conclusion: There was no dominant orientation of the investigated group towards forms of passive leisure and there were no cases of sedentariness, even if the use of technologies (video games, socializing on the Internet and TV) were forms of leisure often used by students.

Factors Affecting Resilience of Nursing, Optometry, Radiography and Medical Laboratory Science Students

Background: The concern over the high level of stress experienced by students of the caring professions has led to increased attention being paid to the promotion of their resilience. Most earlier studies have focused on the resilience of medical and nursing students. There has been little exploration of the resilience and associated factors of students of other health-care disciplines. The aim of this study was to gather data from students of pre-registration health-care disciplines to identify the factors that influence their resilience. Method: Valid questionnaires were used to assess respondents’ resilience, self-efficacy, mindfulness, coping and trait positive and negative affect. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and univariate and general linear regression. Results: A total of 1320 university students from nursing, medical laboratory science, radiography and optometry were recruited. The results showed that the subjects’ resilience scores were lower than those of students in Western countries. We found self-efficacy and denial to be the common predictors for students of all disciplines. Conclusion: The resilience of students in the four disciplines was predicted by a combination of predictors. Faculties of universities and clinical mentors should collaborate in building resilience in their health-care students and support them to grow both personally and professionally during their careers.

Mental health among university students: The associations of effort-reward imbalance and overcommitment with psychological distress

BACKGROUND

Mental health problems are highly prevalent among university students, but little is known about their underlying determinants. This study explores mental health among university students, the association between "effort-reward imbalance" (ERI), overcommitment and mental health, and to what extent ERI and overcommitment explain gender differences in mental health.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data were analyzed from 4760 Italian university students. The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale-10 was used to measure self-reported psychological distress, as an indicator of mental health, and the ERI - Student Questionnaire to measure effort, reward and overcommitment. The associations between ERI and overcommitment with psychological distress were estimated with multinomial logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

78.5% of the respondents experienced psychological distress, with 21.3%, 21.1%, and 36.1% reporting respectively mild, moderate and severe psychological distress. Female students were more likely to report moderate and severe psychological distress. ERI and overcommitment were strongly associated with severe psychological distress with ORs respectively up to 19.9 (95% CI: 12.2-32.5) and 22.2 (95% CI: 16.1-30.7). ERI and overcommitment explained part of the higher odds of severe psychological distress among female students comparing to males, attenuating the ORs from 2.3 (95% CI: 1.9-2.7) to 1.4 (95% CI: 1.2-1.7).

LIMITATIONS

This cross-sectional study was performed on a large, but convenient sample.

DISCUSSION

More than one out of three students reported severe psychological distress. Decreasing ERI and overcommitment may be beneficial in the prevention of psychological distress among university students and may reduce gender differences in psychological distress. Longitudinal studies are needed to further investigate these associations.

Prevalence and its associated factors of depressive symptoms among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a mental health crisis around the world. The psychological health of college students also faces great challenges. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and the related factors of depressive symptoms among Chinese college students.

METHODS

This online cross-sectional survey was conducted via Wenjuanxing platform from March 3-15, 2020 and received 1681 effective questionnaires. Each questionnaire contains the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale, the Multi-Dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Herth Hope Index, and the self-designed items. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to determine the significantly associated factors of depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

The prevalence of depressive symptoms among college students was 56.8%. Sleep problems (OR 2.678, 95%CI 2.094-3.424), family members' going out (OR 1.775, 95%CI 1.089-2.894), perceived more stress for online education (OR 1.642, 95%CI 1.191-2.263), fear of COVID-19 (OR 1.450, 95%CI 1.121-1.876), influence on social interaction (OR 1.354, 95%CI 1.053-1.741) and higher grade (OR 1.378, 95%CI 1.046-1.816) were considered as risk factors of depressive symptoms. Perceived social support (OR 0.354, 95%CI 0.259-0.484), hope (OR 0.052, 95%CI 0.034-0.080), female (OR:0.557, 95%CI 0.427-0.725) and higher monthly disposable income (OR 0.666, 95%CI 0.447-0.993) were identified as protective factors against depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a high prevalence of depressive symptoms among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to find ways to alleviate the pressure and fear of college students, to provide them with more social support, and to help them adapt to the changes in learning style and lifestyle.

The Contribution of Physical Exercise to Brain Resilience

Increasing attention has been given to understanding resilience to brain diseases, often described as brain or cognitive reserve. Among the protective factors for the development of resilience, physical activity/exercise has been considered to play an important role. Exercise is known to induce many positive effects on the brain. As such, exercise represents an important tool to influence neurodevelopment and shape the adult brain to react to life's challenges. Among many beneficial effects, exercise intervention has been associated with cognitive improvement and stress resilience in humans and animal models. Thus, a growing number of studies have demonstrated that exercise not only recovers or minimizes cognitive deficits by inducing better neuroplasticity and cognitive reserve but also counteracts brain pathology. This is evidenced before disease onset or after it has been established. In this review, we aimed to present encouraging data from current clinical and pre-clinical neuroscience research and discuss the possible biological mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of physical exercise on resilience. We consider the implication of physical exercise for resilience from brain development to aging and for some neurological diseases. Overall, the literature indicates that brain/cognitive reserve built up by regular exercise in several stages of life, prepares the brain to be more resilient to cognitive impairment and consequently to brain pathology.

Psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Wuhan's high school students

OBJECTIVE

This study explored the protective mechanisms of resilience and positive emotion regulation against psychological trauma among Wuhan's high school students during the COVID-19 outbreak.

METHOD

We obtained 286 valid samples from four high schools in Wuhan, China. To construct a measurement model and a structural model, structural equation models using four measurement scales with valid items were adopted, including a scale of psychological trauma, a scale of resilience, a scale of positive emotional regulation, and a scale of mental health. Participants reported their answers to items on a 5-point Likert-like scale.

RESULTS

The results revealed that psychological trauma was a negative predictor of mental health, and resilience and positive emotion regulation mediated the relationship between psychological trauma and mental health.

CONCLUSIONS

Accordingly, we concluded that resilience and positive emotion regulation interrupted the direct impact of psychological trauma on mental health, thereby greatly protecting the mental health of Wuhan's high school students during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Benefits of Physical Activity and Its Associations with Resilience, Emotional Intelligence, and Psychological Distress in University Students from Southern Spain

This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study in a sample of 1095 university students from southern Spain. The aim was to identify the frequency of health-fulfilling physical activity engagement reported by participants. Sufficient physical activity was categorized according to whether participants 'achieved minimum recommendations' (≥150 min of moderate physical activity) or 'did not achieve minimum recommendations' (≤150 min of moderate physical activity). Participants were further categorized as: inactive (does not engage in physical activity or sport), engaging in physical activity that is not beneficial to health (≤300 min of moderate physical activity per week) and engaging in physical activity that is beneficial to health (≥300 min of moderate physical activity per week). Possible relationships with psychosocial factors and perceived psychological distress were explored. An ad hoc questionnaire was used to record the time in minutes of physical activity engagement per week. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Trait Meta-mood Scale, and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale were also administered. Statically significant differences are shown between the three examined groups: physical inactivity and non-beneficial physical activity; physical inactivity and beneficial physical activity, and; non-beneficial physical activity and beneficial physical activity. Positive and direct correlations were seen with respect to resilience and understanding, and emotional regulation, in addition to negative associations with respect to psychological distress. In conclusion, the more individuals engage in beneficial physical activity, the greater their resilience and emotional management, and the lower their rates of psychological distress.