The Unique Role of Hope and Optimism in the Relationship between Environmental Quality and Life Satisfaction during COVID-19 Pandemic

Effects of Physical Activity and COVID-19 on Healthy Student Strengths in the University System: Implications for Post-Pandemic Management

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the physical, mental, and social well-being of millions worldwide. It has also brought about abrupt disruptions to the entire university system, whose students form a crucial segment of society. The pandemic's effects on student education and well-being have been particularly significant. One of the primary consequences has been a drastic reduction in physical activity levels among students, leading to mental and physical health problems. Despite the rapid growth in the literature exploring student experiences during the pandemic, there is a paucity of research on how this decline in physical activity has affected the five strengths of the healthy student: optimism, self-efficacy, resilience, engagement, and hope. Therefore, the aim of this investigation is to examine the relationship between physical activity levels and the five strengths of the healthy student at two different time points (pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19) through the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Healthy Student Questionnaire. The study involved 897 participants, with 290 participating in the pre-COVID-19 phase and 607 participating in the COVID-19 phase. The results revealed significant differences in the five strengths between the two periods. Students who engaged in physical activity exhibited significantly higher optimism scores in the pre-COVID-19 phase. During the COVID-19 phase, physically active students demonstrated significantly higher scores in optimism, resilience, and self-efficacy. These findings provide clear guidance for university administrators seeking to enhance student well-being in a post-pandemic world and in the face of future disruptions. Universities should consider implementing physical exercise programs for their students to promote psychosocial well-being and provide training and resources to equip faculty members with new skills to better understand and support students' perceptions.

Individual and contextual predictors of young Ukrainian adults' subjective well-being during the Russian-Ukrainian war

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is accompanied by horrific losses among civilians. This study investigates various individual (hope, optimism, resilience, post-traumatic growth, and coping strategies) and contextual predictors (experience of life under occupation, actively hostile home environment, and frequent moves) of subjective well-being among the youth living in Ukraine. A total sample of 593 students from several universities participated in the study using surveys that contained questions about sociodemographic characteristics, life satisfaction, hope, optimism, personal post-traumatic growth, resilience, and coping strategies. Data were analyzed using JAMOVI software. The level of dissatisfaction with their own lives was 34.7%; most of the respondents had a higher incidence of minimal/mild hopelessness (88.7%) and high/moderate level of optimism (60.9%). The majority of participants had moderate and high levels of post-traumatic growth (51.9% and 6.7%, respectively) and resilience (46.0% and 14.5%, respectively). Optimism, hope, resilience, post-traumatic growth, using emotional support, and life in occupation predicted life satisfaction among the study sample.

Hope, optimism, and pessimism as predictors of positive and negative psychological changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovak adults

Background and objectives

Positive and negative changes in outlook represent psychological changes that are the results of the cognitive processing of stressful and traumatic events by an individual. The objectives of the study were (1) to determine the level of occurrence and types of positive and negative changes in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic among adults in Slovakia and (2) to study the role of personality factors such as hope (dispositional and perceived) and life orientation (optimism and pessimism) in the prediction of positive and negative changes in adults during the fourth pandemic wave.

Methods

A Short Form of the Changes in Outlook Questionnaire (CiOQ-S), the Dispositional Hope Scale (DHS), the Perceived Hope Scale (PHS), and the Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) were administered. The research sample consisted of 102 participants, whose ages ranged from 20 to 65 years (Mage = 38.90, SD = 14.28). The research design was quantitative, exploratory, and confirmatory.

Results

In total, 95% of participants reported positive changes related to COVID-19. Concurrently, up to 70% of these participants also reported negative changes from the impact of the pandemic. Only 25% of participants reported positive changes without noticing any negative perception of the consequences of the pandemic. Overall, 68% of participants reported negative changes related to COVID-19. Only 29% of participants reported negative changes without noticing any positive perception of the consequences of the pandemic. In total, up to 86% of participants agreed with experienced psychological changes (positive or negative) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The high prevalence of positive changes along with the relatively high prevalence of negative changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic outline the question of whether reported positive changes represent real or illusory growth. Optimism and pessimism were found to be significant independent predictors of positive changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hope was identified as a significant independent predictor of negative changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Family functioning and life satisfaction among female university students during COVID-19 outbreak: the mediating role of hope and resilience

BACKGROUND

Literature review has showed that family functioning is positively associated with satisfaction with life. However, the internal mechanisms of this relationship are still unclear, especially during the COVID-19. This study examined the mediating role of hope and resilience in the association between family functioning and life satisfaction of female university students in COVID-19 pandemics.

METHODS

A cross-sectional online study was done throughout the fifth wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in Iran. A total of 480 female students were recruited from Lorestan University. Data was collected by the State Hope Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Family APGAR Index, and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Data analysis were based on structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

Family functioning exerted a significant direct effect on hope, on resilience and on life satisfaction. Also, according to the findings, hope and resilience pose a significant mediating effect in the association between family functioning and life satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

This study provides a better perspective regarding the protective role of hope, family functioning, and resilience on life satisfaction among female university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Training of such skills is needed to increase life satisfaction in female university students.

Should I Help? Prosocial Behaviour during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Movement Control Order (MCO) enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly altered the social life and behaviour of the Malaysian population. Because the society is facing huge social and economic challenges that need individuals to work together to solve, prosocial behaviour is regarded as one of the most important social determinants. Because it is related with individual and societal benefits, participating in prosocial activities may be a major protective factor during times of global crisis. Rather than focusing only on medical and psychiatric paradigms, perhaps all that is necessary to overcome the COVID-19 risks is for individuals to make personal sacrifices for the sake of others. In reality, a large number of initiatives proven to be beneficial in decreasing viral transmission include a trade-off between individual and collective interests. Given its crucial importance, the purpose of this concept paper is to provide some insight into prosocial behaviour during the COVID-19 period. Understanding prosocial behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial because it may assist in the establishment of a post-COVID society and provide useful strategies for coping with future crises.